Downings
Downings or Downies () is a "Gaeltacht" village and townland on the Rosguill peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland. The village is on the shores of Sheephaven Bay on the north coast of Ireland. Name. As the village is in a "Gaeltacht" district, its official name is , its name in the Irish language. The name probably means 'The Forts', referring to the wealth of hill forts in the area. The full original Irish name seems to have been . Or the name could be a hibernicisation of the English name, to describe the sandy dunes connecting the peninsula to the County Donegal  mainland. Economy. Downings used to be a significant fishing port with a substantial herring fleet. Today, however, the economy survives on tourism, and only three crab boats make a traditional living from the sea. Situated as it is in Sheephaven Bay, one of the safest anchorages on the north coast of Ireland, Downings has begun to cater for international game fishermen, the northwest of Ireland being on the migration route of bluefin tuna and other game species. History. In 2007 local divers recovered a gun from the wreck of HMS at the mouth of Lough Swilly. The gun is now  mounted beside Downings Pier. Recreation. The dunes that link the Rosguill peninsula to the mainland are also home to the Rosapenna Links course designed by Old Tom Morris, and although the original hotel and clubhouse that was patronised by the likes of John Wayne and Errol Flynn burnt down in the sixties, the new buildings seek to emulate the charm of the originals. Downings is the start and finish of the Atlantic Drive, one of the most dramatic scenic routes in Ireland.