Portsalon Artist Residency Project

Portsalon Artist Residency Project

A Project Initiated By John Ryan And Tom Watt
May 4th – 13th 2012
Ballymastocker Bay, Portsalon, Donegal.

Participating Artists: Sara Amido – Clare Breen – Ruth Clinton – Amanda Conrad – Peter Donnellan – Jane Fogarty – Sarah Gordon – Tracy Hanna – Tom Lawton – David Lunney – Niamh Moriarty – James O hAodha – Matthew Slack

RESORT is a 10 day long residency undertaken by artists on Ballymastocker Bay, Portsalon, Donegal, a beach near the furthest north point of Ireland. The idea to use a beach as the environment for this project was born from a show that some of us participated in last November, where all of the work was site specific and would no longer exist after the show had finished. Given that the beach is a public space, artists were invited to participate in the residency with the understanding that none of the work will exist in the phenomenal world after the project was over.

During the residency, the participants will work collaboratively and autonomously, continuously having group discussion, presentations and stagings of experiments.

Non participants are invited to the location on the weekend of the 12th and 13th of May to engage with artists through viewing of works created and discussion of outcomes of the experience.

Contact Details and Website

Moville Donegal

Moville Donegal

Moville Donegal – a set of images on Flickr taken in April 2012 at Moville, Inishowen on the western side of Lough Foyle.

Tip: Use the four arrows button at bottom right of slideshow to view full screen.

Knockalla Coast Road

Knockalla Coast Road

A set of photos taken by Paul Deeney along the Knockalla Coast Road between Rathmullan and Portsalon on the western side of Lough Swilly.

Tip: Use the four arrows button at bottom right of slideshow to view full screen.

John McKenna on Donegal Tourism

John McKenna on Donegal Tourism

Top tips for a sustainable tourism industry in Donegal ….

Teach Ceann Tuí B&B

Teach Ceann Tui

Teach Ceann Tuí B&B

Situated on Loughros Point in Ardara on the south west coast of Donegal, Teach Ceann Tuí is a family run bed and breakfast with a difference.

Contact Paul and Samantha on +3537 495 37814

website: www.donegalthatchbedandbreakfast.com

As the guest you will have exclusive use of the one hundred year old thatched cottage (sleeps maximum of four) with a cosy, stylish sitting room and a shower room. Plus use of the large secluded garden.

The locally sourced (free range and organic where possible) breakfast is made from the best possible produce and can be taken in the family kitchen in the connected extension or in your private sitting room.

Teach Ceann Tuí (pronounced choh-kee-un-tee), which is Irish for thatched cottage, aims to be an exclusive, quality bed and breakfast.

In our unique set up you get exclusive (separate from the family and no sharing with people you do not know) use of the thatched cottage and small extension. The thatched cottage contains the large double bedroom with it’s own fireplace and the stylish sitting room with a wood burning stove whilst the sympathetic extension houses the small double bedroom (which can be set up as a double or as bunk beds) and shower room with wc.

You have your own dedicated entrance, making it easy to come and go as you please and use of the large child friendly garden is shared with our small family.

The cottage is set on a small hill overlooking Loughros Bay and the town of Ardara which is a pleasant half hour walk or 2 minute drive along Loughros Point.

At breakfast only the best local produce is used (free range and organic where possible) in the full Irish, and vegetarians are easily catered for with the option of a veggie full Irish or continental breakfast. Also, you have the choice of having it in our family kitchen, in your private sitting room, or even taking it back to bed!

Tea and coffee making facilities are available in your private sitting room along with homemade biscuits on arrival.

As parents ourselves we want to promote affordable family holidays by having all under 16’s stay for free and helping out with equipment for younger children. Please feel free to ask and we’ll do our best to help out.

Needless to say we will be around to offer help and advice on getting the most from the surrounding area with secluded white sand beaches, hillwalking, cycling, golf, archaeology, surfing, scenic drives, restaurants, festivals, pubs and much more available.

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Rathmullan Donegal

Rathmullan Donegal

Rathmullan Donegal – video of water based activities which can be enjoyed by locals and visitors on Lough Swilly.

Rathmullan is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly and is renowned for its fabulous 3km long, tree lined, sandy beach. The village has a large pier and marina making it a popular spot for aquatic sports and fishing. There are 2 fully equipped boat available for charter from May to end of September.
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In the summer months a car ferry crosses Lough Swilly from Rathmullan pier on an hourly basis connecting to Inishowen’s largest town, Buncrana. The local Golden Sands Equestrian Centre organises a range of horse riding activities. The village has a fine selection of restaurants and lively pubs. Hotels include Rathmullan House Hotel and the Water’s Edge Restaurant offers superb seafood with unparalleled views across Lough Swilly.

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More Information

www.rathmullan.net

www.rathmullancottages.com

Arthur Kingsley Porter

Arthur Kingsley Porter

Arthur Kingsley Porter (1883-1933) was an American multi-millionaire, an eminent Harvard Professor of fine arts, an international traveller and researcher of medieval architecture, an award-winning author, and owner of Glenveagh Castle, Co. Donegal, Ireland. While spending a night at the fisherman’s hut that he built on Inishbofin Island, off Co. Donegal, Porter disappeared without trace, on July 8th 1933. The subsequent inquest was the first to be held in Ireland without a body. Sightings of the professor continued to be reported from locations all over the world for many years after his disappearance.

Many theories were proposed as to the fate of Kingsley Porter. Recent remarkable facts reveal the inner turmoil that Kingsley and his wife, Lucy, grappled with before his disappearance and carried with them to their graves.

It was while visiting Glenveagh Castle, some seven decades later, that Thomas Williams discovered the Professor’s incredible story and along with author, Lucy Costigan, and photographer, Michael Cullen, began on an amazing journey to unearth the full truth of Kingsley Porter’s disappearance.

Now, a major international feature film and documentary are planned by Lugh Films who are based in Co. Donegal. Both films are based on the book by Lucy Costigan entitled, Glenveagh Mystery: The Life, Work and Disappearance of Arthur Kingsley Porter. The book will be published by Merrion, the new imprint of The Irish Academic Press in November 2012. Lugh Films will begin shooting this incredible drama during 2013/14. The book will be launched in Glenveagh Castle, Co. Donegal on November 17th 2012.

Buncrana Diving Board

Buncrana Diving Board

Buncrana Town Council is to reinstate diving boards in the area for the 2012 summer season in a bid to attract more visitors.

The Mayor noted that during the recent warm spell, hundreds of people visited Buncrana.

Buncrana Diving Board
And he says if diving boards were reinstated, then it would ensure that visitors would return during the Summer.

Mayor Nicolas Crossan says the diving boards could be used by visitors and people from the town.

Donegal Heritage Trails

I had the pleasure of following Deirdre on a heritage trail of the village of Rathmullan on a lovely sunny afternoon in mid-April. The trail visits the Battery, abbey, local church graveyards, the courthouse and the area around the Flight of the Earls sculpture. Hope you like the photographic record below.

Donegal Heritage Trails

Contact Deirdra on 00353 86 2421008

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Resources

Donegal Heritage Trails

Donegal Heritage Trails on Facebook