Croaghonagh

97 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Croaghonagh, from 39 m² to 4,379,877 m² (437.99 ha, 1,082.29 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 41 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Croaghonagh in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 12 Apr 2017Refused

  A 10 YEAR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF (1) A 110KV ELECTRICITY SUBSTATION WHICH INCLUDES 2 NO. CONTROL BUILDINGS, ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, UNDERGROUND ELECTRICITY CABLING, FENCING AND ANCILLARY WORKS IN THE TOWNLAND OF CARK TO REPLACE TWO SUBSTATIONS PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED AS PART OF THE DRUMNAHOUGH WIND FARM (PL.REF.08/50687 AND EXTENDED UNDER PL. REF.13/51609) AND THE LENALEA WIND FARM (PL.REF.09/50116); (2) 33KV UNDERGROUND ELECTRICITY CABLING AND ANCILLARY WORKS FROM THE PERMITTED LENALEA WIND FARM TO THE PROPOSED SUBSTATION IN THE TOWNLAND OF CARK; (3) 110KV UNDERGROUND ELECTRICITY CABLING AND ANCILLARY WORKS FROM THE PROPOSED SUBSTATION AT CARK THROUGH THE TOWNLANDS OF CULLIAGH, MEENBOG (ED CLOGHAN), LETTERSHANBO, CORLACKY, KINNADERRY, WELCHTOWN, AGHAVEAGH, MEENAGRAUV, ALTNAPASTE, BALLYKERGAN, CARRICKMAHON, MAGHERACLOIGH, LOUGHSALLAGH, CASHELNAVEAN, CROAGHONAGH, TAWNAWULLY MOUNTAINS, KEADEW UPPER, FRIARBUSH, ARDINAWARK, KEADEW LOWER, TO THE EXISTING CLOGHER SUBSTATION IN THE TOWNLAND OF CULLIONBOY, CO. DONEGAL; (4) THE DEMOLITION OF AN EXISTING SHED AND ITS REPLACEMENT WITH A NEW SHED, BOTH IN THE TOWNLAND OF CULLIONBOY, RELOCATED TO FACILITATE THE PROPOSED UNDERGROUND CABLING WORKS. THE PLANNING APPLICATION IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) AND NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT (NIS)

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 1750543

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Croaghonagh Bog SAC 000129
• Natural Heritage Area: Barnesmore Bog NHA 002375
• Natural Heritage Area: Meenagarranroe Bog NHA 002437
• Natural Heritage Area: Lough Hill Bog NHA 002452
• Natural Heritage Area: Cashelnavean Bog NHA 000122
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Croaghonagh Bog 000129

Recorded monuments

• DG086-002001 Cairn - burial cairn
  Description

  In mountainous, blanket bog-covered terrain, located on a natural elevation at the NE end of Lough Mourne. The location provides views towards Barnesmore Gap, an important natural routeway through the Blue Stack Mountains, which lies c. 5km to SE. This cairn is shown on the 1836 and 1906 OS 6-inch map as an oblong feature named ‘Giants Bed’. A cluster of stones (DG086-002002-), shown immediately to SW of the cairn, is named ‘Stones’ on the 1836 edition and ‘Standing stones’ on the 1906 edition. When recorded by the Megalithic Survey of Ireland, the cairn appeared as a long, low, largely peat-covered mound, roughly trapezoidal in plan (25.5m NE-SW; 15m NW−SE at E, c. 8m at W), rising 0.5-1m above the surrounding boggy ground; it was interpreted as the remains of a megalithic tomb of unclassified type (Cody 2002, 63-64, no. 43). The cairn was damaged and partly robbed of stones in the past; Cody (ibid) records that ‘Thomas Fagan's account (1845-8), which includes a rudimentary sketch, describes a large disturbed cairn, at the NE end of which a pit 12 feet by 8 feet (c. 3.65m by 2.4m) and a 'few' feet deep had been dug 'in search of supposed hidden treasure' sometime before his visit there in 1846.’ In advance of the proposed construction of a dam at Lough Mourne, which will raise water levels and partly flood the area, archaeological test trenching took place at the cairn in 2010, and a programme of full excavation (licence no. 10E0309, 10R0103) followed in 2011 (Delaney 2013). Excavation revealed that the cairn consisted of an oval mound (c. 24m x c. 16m) of stones, which covered two small chambers or cists. Despite past disturbance, the cairn survived in parts to a depth of three or four courses. Its construction involved three main phases: a level foundation deposit was laid, incorporating the two cists; the foundation level was then enclosed by a stone bank defining an oval area (c. 15m x 9m), with a number of large stones placed around the base of the bank, probably functioning as a revetment; finally, the oval area was infilled with angular stones to creating the main body of the cairn. The two chambers or cists were built into the foundation deposit, and appeared to be primary features of the cairn. They were located adjacent to each other towards the SW end of the cairn. The more westerly cist (L 1.62m; Wth 1.6m; H 0.7m) was constructed on subsoil at the SW edge of the cairn, and was overlain by the stone bank defining the main body of the cairn. The NW end of this small chamber was defined by three large stones with flat internal faces; the SE end, was partly defined by a setting of smaller overlapping stones, which may have been a later modification; the cist may originally have been intended to be open to E. The floor was covered by dark brown clay, sealed by a layer of uniform small cobbles, extending out of the cist to E. Charcoal from the clay layer was identified as coming from six species, oak, willow, hazel, elm, cherry/blackthorn and birch. A charcoal sample (birch) sent for radiocarbon analysis produced a Neolithic date, 3695-3535 BC (UBA 19992). The second cist (L 2.5m; Wth 25m; H 0.6m), located 1.5m to NE, was subcircular in plan, with an opening to S. It was defined by large stones resting on subsoil, except for the W side, where a natural bedrock outcrop was utilized, and topped with small stones. Silty clay covered the floor, sealed by a deposit of small stones. Neolithic flint artefacts, including scapers, blades and flakes, were recovered from the foundation levels of the cairn, including the cists, from the enclosing stone bank and from the body of the cairn; none appeared to have been deliberately deposited: they may simply have been lost or discarded either by the cairn builders or visitors to the cairn (Delaney 2013, 9-13). Pollen analysis of a dated peat core, sampled from the vicinity of the cairn, suggests that during the Neolithic the location consisted of an exposed upland plateau, with open birch woodland, and alder around the lake shore. Blanket bog began to develop from the mid-Neolithic period onwards, and was most likely widespread by the Bronze Age (Delaney 2013, Appendix 2.4: B. Steffanini). The excavation also uncovered a complex of previously unknown monuments associated with the cairn, demonstrating that this location remained an important focus of activity from the Neolithic period to the late Bronze Age: hearths (DG086-002003-) underlying the foundation layers of the cairn indicate a phase of Neolithic activity at the site predating the construction of the cairn; a wedge tomb (DG086-002004-) was built immediately to SW of the cairn in the early Bronze Age; a pit (DG086-002006-), with associated burning, located immediately to E of the cairn, and a burnt spread (DG086-002005-) 45m to SE, dated to the middle Bronze Age, and in the late Bronze Age, a fulacht fia (DG086-002007-) was built 6m to N of the cairn. The excavator concluded that the cairn may have served as a ceremonial focal point and landmarked on an important prehistoric routeway through the Barnesmore Gap (Delaney 2013, 32). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 12 January 2018 See linked document with details from Eamon Cody, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI. County Donegal. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002)

• DG086-002002 Standing stone
  Description

  This record refers to a cluster of stones indicated on the 1836 and 1906 OS 6-inch maps; they are named ‘Stones’ on the 1836 edition and ‘Standing stones’ on the 1906 edition. On both maps they are shown to SW of an oblong feature, named ‘Giants Bed’, which excavation in 2011 confirm as a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-). The standing stones were not evident when this location was inspected in the 20th century (Lacy 1983, 92; Cody 2002, 63). It remains unclear as to what the ‘Standing stones’ represented. It is possible that they represented a monument, or an element of the cairn, that was destroyed in the past, perhaps in the 19th century when it is known that the cairn was partly robbed of stones. Alternatively, they may equate to a wedge tomb (DG086-002004-), which was discovered during excavation in 2011 immediately to SW of the cairn (Delaney 2013). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 12 January 2018

• DG086-002003 Hearth
  Description

  These hearths underlay the foundation levels of a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-), located on a low ridge at the NE end of Lough Mourne. They were discovered and fully excavated in 2011 during an archaeological excavation at the cairn undertaken in advance of the proposed development of a dam at Lough Mourne (Delaney 2013). The hearths consisted of a cluster of charcoal spreads, shallow pits and a clay spread. A charcoal sample (hazel) from one hearth produced a C14 date of 3783-3659 BC (UBA 19994), and a sample from a second hearth produced a date of 3783-3659 (dates calibrated to two sigma). Six Neolithic flint artefacts, a single convex end scraper, a large retouched blade, and 4 flake fragments, were recovered from the clay spread. The hearths point to a phase of Neolithic activity on this low ridge that predates the construction of the cairn. (Delaney 2013, 8-9). The excavation also uncovered several other monuments in close proximity to the Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-), including a burnt spread (DG086-002005-), a pit (DG086-002006-), and a fulacht fia (DG086-002007-), all indicating that this location continued to be an important focus of activity throughout the Bronze Age. (Delaney 2013). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 January 2018

• DG086-002004 Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb
  Description

  In mountainous, blanket bog-covered terrain, located on a natural elevation at the NE end of Lough Mourne. The location provides views towards Barnesmore Gap, an important natural routeway through the Blue Stack Mountains, which lies c. 5km to SE. The wedge tomb was constructed immediately to SW of a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-). This wedge tomb was discovered in 2011 during an archaeological excavation at the cairn carried out in advance of the proposed development of a dam at Lough Mourne; the tomb was fully excavated (Delaney 2013). The wedge tomb (total L c. 8.5-9m; Wth façade c. 4.5-5m) consisted of a wedge-shaped gallery (L 5.2m; Wth c. 2m at entrance, 1m at rear) outlined by a double wall of orthostats or upright slabs, with the entrance at the broad end facing WSW. The tomb had suffered disturbance in the past: There were no in situ roof stones, and the tops of several orthostats in the inner wall had been smashed. The excavation revealed that the tomb was constructed on a deliberately levelled surface, consisting of a cut terrace. The stones of the inner gallery wall, were erected directly on this surface, and were not placed in dug sockets. The N and S long sides of the gallery were originally each defined by five orthostats, the front facade consisted of two large triangular uprights, and a single upright closed the back of the gallery. A consolidating layer of clay and stones was laid down to hold the inner gallery wall in place. This was followed by the construction of the outer gallery wall, at a distance of c. 1m from the inner wall; this, in turn, was consolidated by further deposits of stony packing material. A deposit of white sand, probably derived from the lake shore, was found within the gallery, and appeared to represent a deliberately laid surface or floor. Oak dominated the charcoal fragments recovered from this floor level. Oak wood may have been deliberately chosen, as it has been noted that it is the wood type most commonly used as fuel in fires for prehistoric burial or cremation rituals in Ireland (Delaney 2013, Appendix 2.2, E. O’Carroll; Grogan et al. 2007, 107-114). A sample of charcoal from this layer returned a C14 date of 2458-2205 BC (UBA 19996) (calibrated to 2 sigma), indicating activity in the early Bronze Age. A number of Neolithic flint artefacts, including a rare petit tranchet derivative, were recovered from levels underlying the tomb, but no artefacts or evidence of burials were found within the tomb. (Delaney 2013, 13-17). The excavation uncovered a number of other monuments in close proximity to the Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-) and this early Bronze Age wedge tomb: a burnt spread (DG086-002005-) and a pit (DG086-002006-), both dated to the middle Bronze Age, and a fulacht fia (DG086-002007-) dated to the Late Bronze Age, all indicating that this location was an important focus of activity for a period spanning a millennia. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 January 2018

• DG086-002005 Burnt spread
  Description

  Located on a natural elevation at the NE end of Lough Mourne, c. 45m SE of a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-). Discovered and fully excavated in 2011 during an archaeological excavation at the cairn carried out in advance of the proposed development of a dam at Lough Mourne (Delaney 2013). This consisted of a shallow spread (3.8m NW−SE; 2.2m NE−SW; D 0.2m) of charcoal, burnt clay and some heat-shattered stone, and was interpreted as a hearth or remains of a fire (Delaney 2013, 18). The charcoal fragments were identified as belonging to three species, oak, hazel and alder. A sample of alder charcoal sent for radiocarbon analysis returned a middle Bronze Age date, 1726-1523 BC (UBA 19990) (calibrated to 2 sigma). A flint core, a flint flake, and a fragment of a quartz flake were recovered. The burnt spread is one of a complex of monuments found here: An Early Bronze Age wedge tomb (DG086-002004-) was found 50m to NW, at the SW end of the Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-); a pit (DG086-002006-), with associated burning, located c. 25m to NW, was also dated to the middle Bronze Age, and a Late Bronze Age fulacht fia (DG086-002007-) was found c. 60m to NW. (Delaney 2013). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 January 2018

• DG086-002006 Pit
  Description

  Located on a natural elevation at the NE end of Lough Mourne, immediately SE of a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-). Discovered and fully excavated in 2011 during an archaeological excavation at the cairn carried out in advance of the proposed development of a dam at Lough Mourne (Delaney 2013). This consisted of a subcircular pit (1.3m by 1.2m; D 0.43m) with a rounded base. There was evidence that the pit may have had a clay lining. A spread (7.8m by 6.4m; D 0.1m) of burnt material, interpreted as the remains of a bonfire, overlay and was centred on the pit, and a smaller burnt deposit lay immediately to NE. Charcoal fragments were identified as belonging to three species, oak, hazel and a species of the hawthorn/mountain ash family. A sample of alder charcoal sent for radiocarbon analysis retuned a middle Bronze Age date, 1436-1309 BC (UBA 19991) (calibrated to 2 sigma). An assemblage of flint quartz artefacts recovered from the pit and the burnt layer also dated to the Bronze age (Delaney 2013, 18-19). The pit is one of several Bronze Age monuments found in close proximity to the Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-): An Early Bronze Age wedge tomb (DG086-002004-) was found 30m to W of the pit, a burnt spread (DG 086-002005-), located c. 25m to SE, was also dated to the middle Bronze Age, and a Late Bronze Age fulacht fia (DG086-002007-) was found c. 30m to NW. (Delaney 2013). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 January 2018

• DG086-002007 Fulacht fia
  Description

  Located at the top edge of a slope, which originally formed the side of a natural pond, on a natural elevation at the NE end of Lough Mourne, immediately to NE of a Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-). The fulacht fia was discovered and fully excavated in 2011 during an archaeological excavation carried out at the cairn in advance of the proposed development of a dam at Lough Mourne (Delaney 2013). The fulacht fia consisted of a roughly horseshoe-shaped mound (L 15m; Wth 13m; D 0.45m) of heat-shattered sandstone, enclosing on the NW side a timber-lined trough. The rectangular trough pit (L 1.6m NE−SW; Wth 1.1m; D 0.44m) was cut through a layer of peat into subsoil. It was lined with split timber planks and lengths of roundwood, wedged in place with internal corner pegs. The trough base was lined with nine planks, and the sides were each three planks high. The trough timbers were predominately alder, with one piece of bog oak. The trough had been disturbed and the N side was gone. The trough was filled with remnants of moss and angular heat-shattered sandstone fragments in charcoal-rich peaty soil. The charcoal fragments were identified as belonging to four species, oak, alder, hazel and a species of the hawthorn/mountain ash family. This primary fill was overlain by natural slippage from the mound, which had slumped into the trough after the fulacht fia had gone out of use. A sample of alder wood, taken from the trough for radiocarbon analysis, returned a Late Bronze Age date, 1109-897 BC (UBA 19997) (calibrated to 2 sigma). A number of shallow pits, located on slightly higher ground 3-4m W of the fulacht fia, appeared to be associated with it. One kidney-shaped pit (L 2.26; Wth 0.77; D 0.42) with a fill high in charcoal content (oak), may have served as a second trough. A single retouched flint blade was recovered from this pit. (Delaney 2013, 21-22). An early Bronze Age wedge tomb (DG086-002004-) was found 25m to SW at the SW edge of the Neolithic cairn (DG086-002001-), a pit (DG086-002006-), located c. 30m to SE, and a burnt spread (DG 086-002005-), located c. 60m to SE, were both dated to the middle Bronze Age (Delaney 2013). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 January 2018

Architectural heritage

• Bridge, 1840–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Single-arched bridge carrying road over the Bunadaowen River the north, built c. 1860. Segmental-headed arch with dressed cut stone voussoirs; squared rubble stone construction to arch barrel. Squared rubble stone construction to spandrels and parapets with rubble stone soldier coping over. Modern blockwork repairs to parapets in places, parapets damaged in places. Tarmacadam deck with grass verges. Located in the rural countryside to the south-west of Stranorlar.

• Bridge, 1860–1900 · Regional interest
  Description

  Single-arch former railway bridge, built c. 1882, carrying road over the former Stranorlar to Druminin (Later Lough Eske Halt) section of the Derry (Victoria Road) to Killybegs railway line. Railway lines now out of use with tracks removed (c. 1960). Parapet to the north now removed\collapsed. Roughly coursed and mildly rock-faced rubble limestone construction to spandrels and parapet, rock-faced coping over parapet. Segmental-headed arch having cement arch and cement lining to soffit; coursed rock-faced limestone construction to piers. Mildly rock-faced quoins with drafted margins to bases of piers. Coursed and squared mildly rock-faced retaining wall to former railway cutting having rock-faced coping over. Tarmacadam deck with grass verges. Located to the south-west of Ballybofey, and to the north-east end of Barnesmore Gap.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 20 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility high, moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are water.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Croaghonagh.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Croaghonagh with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Donegal.

Name

Croaghonagh · Cruach Eoghanach

Area

15,626,123 m² (1,562.61 ha, 3,861.3 acres)

Civil parish

Donaghmore, and its townlands

Barony

Raphoe South

Electoral division

Goland, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Goland electoral division: 359 people in 123 households; 97% of households own their home; 37% of homes were built since 2001; 12% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 4% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Cashelnavean, Goland, Keadew Upper, Meenbog, Meencrumlin, Tawnawully Mountains

Placenames

Croaghonagh on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.