Ballyliffin
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Ballyliffin Baile Lifin |
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Location | ||
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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Irish grid reference C467453 |
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Statistics | ||
Province: | Ulster | |
County: | County Donegal | |
Population () |
Ballyliffin (Irish: Baile Lifin) is a small village located in the North Western tip of Inishowen, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
The surrounding landscapes are highly picturesque, with the village being encapsulated by Pollan Strand, Binion hill and Crockaughrim hill.
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[edit] History
Local history of the area is covered in Charles McGlinchey's publication, ‘The Last of the Name’. It includes accounts of feuds between landlords and tenants, battles and other nuances.
[edit] Places of interest
A small island off Pollan Bay called Glashedy is located roughly one mile off the coast. The English translation of the name is the Island of the Green Cloak derived from the layer of grass present on the top. Throughout the ages various ships have become wrecked near to the island, which provide rich fishing grounds and also contributed the rat population to the island.
[edit] People
- Ballyliffin is the birthplace of "The Heretic" John Toland, who coined the ideals of Pantheism. Folklore tells us that John Toland exchanged his soul for a book of wisdom on Binion hill, in a Faustian pact with the devil. It is now understood that these stories are derived from Toland's stance opposing the Catholic church.
- Former Bohemian FC footballer Fergal Harkin is originally from Ballyliffin.
[edit] Transport
Ballyliffin railway station opened on 1 July 1901, but finally closed on 2 December 1935. It is now a private residence.[1]
[edit] Sport
Ballyliffin also has two 18 hole golf courses. Among Nick Faldo's favourite links courses, they were designed by top course designers. An "egalitarian" quality of the course is that it has reasonable annual membership fees, many of its members are on social services and unemployed. These members can be found playing beside highly paid executives.
[edit] References
- ^ Ballyliffin station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.