Downings, Co. Donegal

Downings (Irish: Na Dúnaibh) is a pleasant resort 5km (3 miles) from Carrigart in County Donegal. Na Dunaibh The name is ambiguous and could refer to either the wealth of Hill forts in the area , or as a hibernicisation of the English to describe the sandy dunes connecting the peninsula to the mainland. Downings is in one of the most eastern areas in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area).

Downings commands a superb view of the Ards Peninsula and has a good sandy beach. The handwoven tweed for which Donegal is famous may be inspected by visitors at the McNutts factory.

Downings used to be a significant fishing port with a substantial Herring fleet. Today however, the local economy survives on tourism, and only three Crab boats make a traditional living from the sea. Situated as it is, in one of the safest anchorages on the North west coast, Sheephaven Bay (whose name is derived from Ship-Haven), Downings has started to cater for International game fishermen, the North west of Ireland being on the migration route of the Bluefin Tuna and other game species.

The dunes that connect the Rosguill peninsula to the mainland are also home to the Rosapenna Links course designed by Old Tom Morris, and although the original hotel and clubhouse that was patronised by the likes of John Wayne and Errol Flynn burnt down in the sixties, the new buildings seek to emulate the charm.

Downings is the start and finish of the world famous Atlantic Drive, one of the most dramatic and glorious scenic routes in Ireland.

Gardens

Glenveagh Castle Gardens - County Donegal Ireland
Glenveagh Castle Gardens
Glenveagh, Co. Donegal
The more improbable the location the more exotic a garden seems, like some silken tent pitched in a savage wilderness. There could hardly be more Gothic setting for Glenveagh Castle than the wild vastness of Lough Veagh. The isolated ice age vall ...

Golf

The 6th
Rosapenna Golf Links
Downings, Co. Donegal
Course Type: Links
In the shadow of spectacularly rugged mountains, Rosapenna GC first came into being in 1893 on a sheltered site on the Rossgull Peninsula. That was after Lord Leitrim had employed Old Tom Morris of St. Andrews to lay out a nine-hole course " ...

Self Catering

There is no featured selfcatering establishment in the area

What's On

There is no featured What's On in the area

Tourist Attractions

Donegal County Museum - Letterkenny County Donegal Ireland
Donegal County Museum
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
The Museum houses a fascinating range of artefacts covering all aspects of life in Donegal from the Stone Age to the 20th Century. A series of temporary exhibitions are held in the ground floor gallery throughout the year. These exhibitions cover ...

Wedding Venues

Rathmullan House - County Donegal Wedding Venue - Set Up
Rathmullan House
Rathmullan, Co. Donegal
Donegal has an other-worldliness that is increasingly hard to capture and, although recently extended, the Wheeler family’s gracious early nineteenth century house - set in lovely gardens on the shores of Lough Swilly - retains a laid-back ...
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