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County DONEGAL: a county
in the extreme north-west of Ireland, in the province of Ulster, bounded
N. and W. by the Atlantic Ocean, E. by Lough Foyle and the counties
Londonderry and Tyrone, and S. by Donegal Bay and the counties Fermanagh
and Leitrim. The area is 1,197,153 acres, or about 1871 sq. m., the
county being the largest in Ireland after Cork and Mayo. This portion
of the country possesses little natural wealth; its physical characteristics
are against easy communications, and although its northern coast affords
one or two good natural harbours, there is no commercial inducement
to take advantage of them. The fine scenery and other natural attractions
of Donegal thus remained practically unknown until late in the 19th
century, but an effort was then made by Lord George Hill to introduce
wealth from without into the county, and to develop its resources in
this,almost the only possible direction. The county possesses a large
extent of sea-coast indented by numerous inlets. Ballyshannon harbour,
the most southern of these, is small, and has a bar at its mouth, as
has Donegal harbour farther north. Killybegs harbour is well sheltered,
and capable of receiving large vessels. These, with Bruckles or Swineys
Bay, and Teelin harbour, suitable for small vessels, are arms of the
fine inlet of Donegal Bay. The western shore is beautified by the indentations
of Loughros Beg, Gweebarra, Trawenagh and Inishfree Bays. On the north
is Sheephaven, within which is Dunfanaghy Bay, where the largest ships
may lie in safety, as they may also in Mulroy Bay and Lough Swilly farther
east. Lough Foyle, which divides Donegal from Londonderry, is a noble
sheet of water, but is shallow and in part dry at ebb tide, contracted
at its entrance, and encumbered with shoals. A few miles west of Malin
Head, the most northerly point of the mainland of Ireland, the varied
and extensive Lough Swilly runs far into the interior. From these two
loughs much land has been reclaimed. Numerous islands and rocks stud
the coast. The largest island is North Aran, about 15 m. in circumference,
with a lofty hill in its centre, and a gradual declivity, down to the
sea. On the northern coast are Tory Island, and, farther east, Inishtrahull,
the ultima Thule of Ireland. The inhabitants of these islands obtain
a precarious livelihood by fishing, kelp-burning and rude husbandry,
but are often reduced to extreme destitution. Mountains and irregular
groups of highlands occupy the whole interior of the county, and a considerable
portion is bog and moorland. Errigal mountain in the north-west attains
an elevation of 2466 ft. and commands from its summit a fine view over
a considerable portion of the country. In its vicinity, the Derryveagh
mountains reach 2240 ft. in Slieve Snaght; Muckish is 2197 ft.; in the
south Bluestack reaches 2219 ft.; and in the Innishowen peninsula between
Loughs Swily and Foyle, another Slieve Snaght is 2019 ft. in elevation.
At the western extremity of the north coast of Donegal Bay stands Slieve
League, whose western flank consists of a mighty cliff, descending almost
sheer to the Atlantic, exhibiting beautiful variegated coloring, and
reaching an extreme height of 1972 ft. From these details it will appear
that the scenery of the highlands and the sea-coast often attain a character
of savage and romantic grandeur; whereas the eastern and southern portions
are generally less elevated and more fertile, but still possess considerable
beauty. A Considerable portion of the surface, however, is occupied
by bogs, and entirely destitute of timber.
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