According to the 2016 census the population of Gort an Choirce was 185,[1] with 41.6% of people speaking Irish on a daily basis outside the education system. This puts the town in 8th place for highest percentage of daily Irish speakers in Ireland.[5]
Name
The official name of the townland is Gort an Choirce (anglicised to Gortahork), meaning "oat field".[6]
History
Creek at Gort a' ChoirceLocal shop and filling station
Evidence of ancient habitation in the townland includes a number of ring forts and souterrains in the area.[7]
The village has a history of local enterprise, shops, forges, hotels, post office halls, and other meeting places for the communities in the surrounding areas.[citation needed]
It is claimed that a Charlie McGee, from Inishbofin, four miles offshore from Gort a' Choirce, was the first person to have been killed in the 1916 Easter Rising.[8] 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.[9]
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 participants in the 1916 Rising.[8]
Amenities
There is a hotel on the main street called Óstan Loch Altan (Lake Altan Hotel), named after the lake at the foot of the northern slopes of Errigal.[10]
Óstan Loch Altan in 2011
The local Catholic church for the parish of Gortahork is Teach Pobail Chríost Rí (Christ is King Church)[11] located beside Óstan Loch Altan and across from Teach Bhillie pub.
Community
The arts community in the area includes visual artists, poets, singers, musicians and others from or attracted to the area.[citation needed] Gort a' Choirce has been home to a documentary film festival which, in its first year, screened 30 films from 15 different countries.[12][13]
Gortahork is mentioned in the opening lines of the Christy Moore song Lisdoonvarna.[14]
There is are two primary schools in the area, Scoil Naisiunta Gort An Choirce (Gortahork National School) in the village and Cnoc na Naomh (Hill of the Saints National School) in Derryconnor.[16] Both are gaelscoils.[17]
Several private bus services also service the town. These Patrick Gallagher Coaches, which provides routes from Crolly to Derry via Letterkenny,[19] and another to Belfast via Letterkenny and Derry.[20] John McGinley Coach Travel has a route to Dublin,[21] Mangan Tours has a route from Meenlaragh to Letterkenny.[22] Bus Feda operates 3 routes: a Donegal/Galway route,[23] a college term service on a Friday to Limerick City, and a college term Sunday route with stops at University of Limerick, TUS Limerick Moylish Campus and Mary Immaculate College.[24]
^"Donegal Emigration". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 26 March 2024. Cloughaneely, part of the Donegal Gaeltacht, incorporates the towns of Falcarragh and Gortahork.
^"Our Story". Ostan Loch Altan. Retrieved 25 March 2024. Óstán Loch Altan, situated in Gortahork, North West Donegal, is a 39 en-suite bedroom hotel. It is named after Loch Altan, a lake situated at the foot of the northern slopes of nearby Mount Errigal.
^"Parish of Gortahork". Diocese of Raphoe | Letterkenny | Co. Donegal. Retrieved 25 March 2024. Teach Pobail Chríost Rí, Gortahork
^"Arlington House film set for Guth Gafa festival". www.donegallive.ie. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2024. Among the range of diverse films set to be screened at this year's Guth Gafa International Documentary Film festival in Gortahork is a remarkable tale of the many of Irish men who lived and continue to live in Arlington House in London.
^Murphy, Niall (22 June 2018). "#Festival: Strong lineup announced for 12th Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival". Retrieved 26 March 2024. Now in it's 12th year Guth Gafa has become a well-established event on the arts calendar in the North East, and this year promises to be their best programme yet, with over 30 films from 15 countries screening, and filmmmakers flying in from all over the world to present their work, and take part in Q&As.
^"Peter Hart | DONEGAL". Retrieved 26 March 2024. We base ourselves in the village of Gortahork which lies 10 minutes away from the ever more famous beach of Magheroarty.
^"Our Local Schools". Pleanáil Teanga Chloich Cheann Fhaola. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2024. Primary Schools - ...Cnoc na Naomh National School, Derryconor, Gortahork...Gort a' Choirce National School, Gortahork
^"Our Local Schools". Pleanáil Teanga Chloich Cheann Fhaola. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2024. Students in the Cloughaneely area general go to one of 2 secondary schools: PCC Falcarragh, Falcarragh...Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (outside of the Cloughaneely district), Derrybeg, Gweedore
^"Donegal Senator Brian O Domhnaill loses Seanad seat". Donegal Daily. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2024. The Gortahork politician had been a Senator on the Agricultural Panel since 2007. However, O Domhnaill, aged 42, failed to secure enough votes in this evening's election.
^Harkin, Greg (26 June 2013). "Complaints spark probe of councillors' expenses". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 March 2024. SIPO has already initiated a full inquiry into expenses allegations made against former county councillor and sitting Fianna Fail senator Brian O Domhnaill. The senator, from Gortahork in north Donegal, denies all the allegations and has been granted permission in the High Court to seek a Judicial Review of SIPO's decision to investigate the claims against him.