Carndonagh

Carndonagh (Irish: Carn Domhnach) is the hub of Inishowen. The town is located near Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland and lies close to the shores of Trawbeaga Bay. Carndonagh is the main market town on the peninsula and is the site of the Donagh Cross, which belonged to an early Christian monastery founded by St. Patrick for Bishop Mac Cairthen, brother of the bishop of Clogher. The original Irish name, Carn Domhnach, means the burial mound of the church. The town is laid out around a central square, or Diamond, and is dominated by its Italianate Catholic church. It is also home to Carndonagh Community School.

Views of Carndonagh

 

 

Points of Interest

» Carndonagh railway station opened on 1 July 1907, but finally closed on 2 December 1935.

» The Carndonagh Cross is from an standing stone artifact found in the town of Carndonagh.  Which is in the Inishowen peninsula of Ireland. Some also refer to it as the Donagh High Cross. Most historians date it to the 7th century and a few others date it to the 5th Century.  The majority clearly state that it is a Christian cross, however the symbols on it are clearly pre-Christian.  The Wheel Knot on the top of it is the Celtic Wheel of Life (representative of the 4 directions, 4 element and the 4 seasons).  The Large figure in the centre is has two ravens beside his head, similar to motifs on artifacts found in the of Sutton Hoo burial.  This would suggest that it is the Celtic Sun God Lugh.  In Viking tradition Odin had two ravens as well Hugin and Munnin.  Also at its feet is three figures, likely The three figures could be the Gallic-Romano, or Germanic-Romano "matonae" or "Mothers", the three Norns (if in conjunction with Odin); or even interpreted as the tri-formed 'Maiden Mother Crone' Goddess.

» Beside the Carndonagh Cross is believed to have come off the "Trinidad Valencera", the Spanish Armada ship wrecked in Kinnego Bay, near Glenagivney, in 1588.

» Tommy Tiernan is an Irish comedian, actor and writer, born 3 November 1970 in Carndonagh, a town on the Inishowen Peninsula of north County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. He spent the first 3 years of his life there. He then moved to Africa with his family. He later returned to Ireland and attended school in Navan.