Gortahork
| Gort an Choirce | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 | |
  Gort an Choirce Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 55°03′03″N 8°14′08″W / 55.050941°N 8.235626°WCoordinates: 55°03′03″N 8°14′08″W / 55.050941°N 8.235626°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Donegal |
| Government | |
| • Dáil Éireann | Donegal South–West |
| Population (2002) | |
| • Rural | 500 |
| Area code(s) | +00353 07491 |
| Irish Grid Reference | C055307 |
| Gort an Choirce is the only official name. The anglicized spelling Gortahork has no official status. | |
Gort an Choirce or Gort a' Choirce Irish pronunciation: [ˌɡˠɔɾˠt̪ˠ ə ˈxɔɾʲcə] or [ˌɡˠɔɾˠt̪ˠ ə ˈhɔɾʲcə] (anglicized as Gortahork)[1] is a village and townland in the northwest of County Donegal, Ireland. It is a lively Gaeltacht community, where the Irish language is still the main language of the area. Along with Falcarragh, it forms part of the district known as Cloughaneely.
Irish language
There are 1,599 people living in the Gortahork ED and 81% are native Irish speakers, making it one of the top two EDs in terms of proportion of Irish speakers.
Name
The official name of the townland is Gort an Choirce (anglicised to Gortahork), meaning 'the Field of Oats', early habitation is evident by the sourterrain and the various ring forts evident in the townland. It's known as the Parish of Críost Rí (Christ the King) in the Catholic division, or Tullaghobegley East in the Protestant division.
History
It is claimed that a Charlie McGee, from Inishbofin, some four miles offshore from Gort a' Choirce, was the first person to have been killed in the 1916 Easter Rising.[2] McGee, who was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), was shot on duty while in Castlebellingham, County 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 Pádraig Pearse, Joseph Mary Plunkett and Roger Casement – three members of the 1916 Rising.[2]
Arts
Gort a' Choirce has been home to the Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival since 2006.[3] The festival runs in May, and in its first year screened 30 films from 15 different countries.
Gortahork is mentioned in the opening lines of the popular Christy Moore song Lisdoonvarna.[4]
Notable people
- Natives include
- Cathal Ó Searcaigh, poet
- Micí Mac Gabhann, author of Irish language book Rotha Mór an tSaoil
- Breandán Mac Cnáimhsí, translator and RTÉ newsreader
- Residents include
- Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Féin[5]
- Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, Journalist
References
- ↑ Placenames (Ceantair Ghaeltachta) Order 2004
- 1 2 Colaiste Uladh 1906-2006 Coláiste Uladh by Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh.
- ↑ Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival website
- ↑ http://www.triskelle.eu/lyrics/lisdoonvarna.php?index=080.010.040.060 Archived December 31, 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Sunday Independent Life, 15 June 2008
External links
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