Downings
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Downings Na Dúnaibh |
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| Village | |
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 Downings
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| Coordinates: 55°11′40″N 7°50′11″W / 55.194533°N 7.836495°WCoordinates: 55°11′40″N 7°50′11″W / 55.194533°N 7.836495°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Donegal |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | B847228 |
Downings or Downies (Irish: Na Dúnaibh) is a Gaeltacht village and townland on the Rosguill peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland.
As the village is in a Gaeltacht district, its official name is the Irish Na Dúnaibh. The name is ambiguous and could refer to the wealth of hill forts in the area, or it could be a hibernicisation of the English name, to describe the sandy dunes connecting the peninsula to the mainland.
Downings used to be a significant fishing port with a substantial herring fleet. Today, however, the economy survives on tourism, and only three crab boats make a traditional living from the sea. Situated as it is in Sheephaven Bay, one of the safest anchorages on the northwest Irish coast, Downings has begun to cater for international game fishermen, the northwest of Ireland being on the migration route of bluefin tuna and other game species.
In 2007, local divers recovered a bow gun from the S.S. Laurentic. The gun is now mounted beside Downings pier.
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 of the originals.
Downings is the start and finish of the Atlantic Drive, one of the most dramatic scenic routes in Ireland.
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Wikipedia