Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. The Autumn colours add even more to the already spectacular scenery of this landscape. The main Donegal to Ballybofey road, the N15, with the meandering Lowerymore River and the Old Railway Line running side by side through Barnesmore Gap. Beyond in the distance is Lough Mourne.
Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. Is that big opening between Croaghconnelagh, also called Conall’s mountain and Croaghonagh, also known as Owen’s mountain. Here, in this very fine mountain pass the traveller is shut in between these two great hills as he/she wends their way along a really excellent road that traverses the Gap. Lough Mourne in the foreground.
Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. Folklore has it that the railway was responsible for reintroducing the beech tree to Donegal and the course of the railway line can be traced by picking out the beeches which were planted as line side hedging, as you can see in this picture. With Biddys O'Barnes. Donegal Bay & Donegal Town in the distance. Lough Eske to the right. You can see the track if you follow the trees, even where it crossed the N15.
Croaghconnellagh, Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. Reflections in Lough Mourne County Donegal. After the Ice Age the retreating glaciers created a huge gash in the mountain range to the NW of Donegal Town, called Barnesmore Gap. It states in the Annals of the Four Masters that Barnesmore was a refuge for robbers and rogues until Red Hugh banished them. The Gap was part of the route from Sligo to Derry and a great haunt for highwaymen who attacked the coaches.
Croaghconnellagh and Croaghonagh, Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. For centuries the Gap has been a strategic gateway between the Northern and southern parts of County Donegal. But Barnesmore was also, in other days, a place of sinister repute. Up to about 1800, it was the notorious haunt of brigands, highwaymen and raparees who waylaid, robbed and murdered travellers. It became so perilous that from the mid 1700's a garrison of Red Coats was stationed at the Ballybofey end of the Gap to ensure the safety of travellers. The authorities erected a gallows in the Gap to deter these people. The West Donegal Railway Company opened a Railway Line on 25th April 1882, the start of it's construction having been hampered by seven weeks of snowstorm. The line closed in 1959." (An extract from Biddys Website dated 2008)
Ardnawark, Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland. Snow covered old railway line.
Croaghonagh, Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland.
Lowerymore River, Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland. The Meandering Lowerymore River flows alongside the N15 on one side and the old track on the other. The river has been seeded with unfed salmon fry. Salmon redds are now recorded by the Fisheries Board on the Upper Lowerymore River. The river banks of the Lowerymore River have been strenghtened by huge rocks, to withstand the force of the waters from the mountains — with Barnesmore Gap in Barnesmore, Donegal, Ireland.
Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland. The West Donegal Railway, a narrow gauge railway, ran from Stranorlar to Donegal Town with a stop at Barnesmore. It was opened in 1889 and in 1892 it was combined with the Finn Valley Railway to form the County Donegal Railway. With the increased popularity of road transport support for the CDR faded and it was finally closed on 31st December 1959. The remains of the old line can still be seen on the lower slopes of Croaghonagh, including culverts, built by the skilled men who built the Railway.
The Lough House, Lough Mourne, County Donegal, Ireland. It looks like Mr Ferguson recovered from the attack! The following notice published by the Grand Jury in August 1774… “Whereas the uncommon Honesty and spirited Conduct of the Family at the Lough House on the Mountains of Barnesmore deserves every Mark of Approbation for their Behaviour, in so zealously exerting themselves in apprehending the Perpetrators of a Robbery and cruel intended Murder, for which three of them were at the, Assizes capitally convicted; We, the Grand Jury and Gentlemen of said County, think it incumbent on Us to give them this public Mark of our Approbation, together with a pecuniary Reward, which, We hope, will be an Example and Encouragement to all such People to assist and bring to Justice every Person who shall so grossly violate the Laws of their County.” Lifford, August 24, 1774 William Burton, Foreman, and Fellows (of the jury).
Croaghonagh and Croaghconnellagh Mountains, County Donegal, Ireland. Perfect Reflection in Lough Mourne.
Biddys O'Barnes, Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. The original Biddy O’Callaghan was born in 1816 and died at the age of 93 handing the pub on to her son John in 1909. The bar later went to John’s sister Rose in 1937 who ran it for 40 years. After Rose’s death in 1977, her brother Joe, wife Katie and son Terence took over the pub for the following 13 years. In 1990 the O’Callaghan family relinquished ownership of Biddys which had been in their family for 185 years. John Slevin commenced trading on 1st August 1990. John’s wife died in 1993. He met Kate in 1994 and they got married in 2001. John sadly passed away suddenly in 2014. Kate continued to run the pub until Novemebr 2015. It is now run by Aaron Slevin. Image 1 of 24
Lough Mourne and Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. For centuries the Gap has been a strategic gateway between northern and southern parts of County Donegal. But Barnesmore was also, in other days, a place of sinister repute. For several hundred years up to about 1800, it was the notorious haunt of brigands, highwaymen and raparees who waylaid, robbed and murdered travellers.
Lough Carn, Cashelnaveen, County Donegal, Ireland.
Lowerymore River Barnesmore Gap County Donegal. The Lowerymore River meanders through Barnesmore Gap on its’ way to Lough Eske. Way up on the hills above Barnesmore Gap the Barnes River rises in Manmore Lake and flows down the mountain to Barnes Lough. It is here that the Lowerymore River or "An Lamhraigh Mhor" starts its journey to Lough Eske.
Croaghconnellagh and Croaghonagh, Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. For centuries the Gap has been a strategic gateway between the Northern and southern parts of County Donegal. But Barnesmore was also, in other days, a place of sinister repute. Up to about 1800, it was the notorious haunt of brigands, highwaymen and raparees who waylaid, robbed and murdered travellers. It became so perilous that from the mid 1700's a garrison of Red Coats was stationed at the Ballybofey end of the Gap to ensure the safety of travellers. The authorities erected a gallows in the Gap to deter these people. The West Donegal Railway Company opened a Railway Line on 25th April 1882, the start of it's construction having been hampered by seven weeks of snowstorm. The line closed in 1959." (An extract from Biddys Website dated 2008)
Lough Mourne and Barnesmore Gap County Donegal. The Blue Stack Mountains, also called the Croaghgorms (In Irish, na Cruacha Gorma, meaning "the blue stacks"), are the major mountain range in the South of County Donegal, Ireland. They provide a barrier between the south of the county, such as Donegal Town and Ballyshannon, and the towns to the north and west such as Dungloe and Letterkenny. The road between the two parts of the county goes through the Barnesmore Gap.
Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. The main Donegal to Ballybofey road, the N15, with the meandering Lowerymore River and the Old Railway Line running side by side through Barnesmore Gap.
Lough Mourne and Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland. The lake is around 5km/3 miles from the mountains of the Barnesmore Gap.
Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland. The remains of a culvert by the skilled men who built the Railway through the Gap.
Lough Carn keeps company with Lough Mourne. The Croaghonagh Bog Special Area of conservation which supports some of the best examples of wet lowland blanket bog in the county is in the foreground. The site adjoins two good examples of oligotrophic lake habitat namely Lough Mourne and Lough Carn.
Lough Mourne and Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal, Ireland.
Barnesmore, County Donegal, Ireland. Barnesmore Granite. Stone Walls still remain on parts of the line through the Gap and their continued survival is testament to the quality of its original construction. Some with stiles originally built with Barnesmore Granite can still be seen. — with Barnesmore Gap, County Donegal
The Mountains of Croaghonagh, Croaghconnellagh, Croaghnageer, Barnesmore, County Donegal.
