page_title: The Rosses
section_title: Culture
hierarchical_section_title: The Rosses / Culture
caption_attribution_description: English: Preparing to land at Donegal Carrickfin Airport View from Aer Arann plane window is from over Rinnafarset, looking north to Atlantic Ocean inlet; hotel with beach and shipwreck; Bunbeg area south of R257 east of Bungbeg Harbour; and Mount Errigal in background.
context_page_description: The Rosses is a geographical and social region in the west of County Donegal, Ireland, with a population of over 7,000 centred on the town of Dungloe, which acts as the educational, shopping and civic centre for the area. Defined by physical boundaries in the form of rivers, as well as history and language use, the area has a distinctive identity, separate from the rest of Donegal. The extensive region lies between the parish of Gweedore to the north and the town of Glenties to the south. A large part of the Rosses is in the Gaeltacht, which means that Irish is the spoken language. The Rosses, Cloughaneely and Gweedore, known locally as "the three parishes" with 16,000 Irish speakers, together form a social and cultural region different from the rest of the county, with Gweedore serving as the main centre for socialising and industry. Gaeltacht an Láir is another Irish-speaking area.
context_section_description: Once a predominantly Irish-speaking area, over recent generations English has become increasingly common. Irish is still used extensively in some areas including parts of the island of Arranmore, the townland of Ranafast and the village of Annagry.  In some areas, like the hills around An Clochán Liath, around Loughanure and in pockets of Doochary and Lettermacaward, the Irish language is predominant.
  The local people are said to have a preference for Gaelic football over football, which is often the case in rural areas of the country. The area fields a number of football teams, both in football and Gaelic football. Keadue Rovers from the lower Rosses have traditionally been the area's strongest football team, and there are also teams in Arranmore (Arranmore United F.C.) and in Maghery (Strand Rovers F.C.).
  An Clochán Liath have traditionally been the strongest in Gaelic football, winning seven County Championships between 1930 and 1958. There are also teams in Mullaghderg (Naomh Muire), and in Leitir (Na Rossa).
  There is a strong tradition of songwriting in the area, Seán McBride (1906–1996) from Cruit Island wrote the popular song "The Homes of Donegal".
  There are connections between the people of The Rosses and Scotland, Glasgow in particular, due to the economic need for emigration in the past and the strong ties forged over the generations as a result. Many people from The Rosses, in common with people from other parts of County Donegal, have also settled in the City of Derry, especially since the late 1840s.
caption: An aerial view of Carrickfin and Ranafast, with Errigal in the background
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