Gortahork

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Gortahork (Irish: Gort a' Choirce) is a townland/village in the north west of County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland, the name meaning the field (gort) of the oats (choirce).

Gortahork is a lively Gaeltacht region, where the Irish languages predominates in daily interactions. It is known as the Parish of Críost Rí (Christ the King) in the Catholic Division, or Tullaghobegley West in the Protestant division. Gortahork and Falcarragh form part of the District known as Cloughaneely.

It is claimed that Charlie McGee, from Inishbofin some four miles offshore from Gortahork, was the first person to have been killed in the Easter 1916 Rising. (See article in Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh Coláiste Uladh 1906-2006) Charlie who was a member of the RIC was shot on duty while in Castlebellingham, Co. Louth. He was brought home to be buried in Gortahork, where an RIC tombstone now lies over his grave.

In 2006 Coláiste Uladh, (The Ulster College) celebrated its centenary. Among those who attended the College were Padraig Pearse, Joseph Mary Plunkett and Roger Casement - three members of the 1916 Rising.^[1]