Gortahork

Infobox Irish Place
name = Gortahork
gaeilge = Gort a' Choirce
map

pin coords = left: 60px; top: 34px
north coord = 55.050941 | west coord = 8.235626 | irish grid = C 055 307
area = | elevation =
province = Ulster
county = County Donegal
rural pop =
census yr =
dailconstituency =
stdcode =
web =
|

Gortahork (official name: Gort a' Choirce, meaning "Field of the Oats") [ [http://www.commissioner.ie/downloads/An_tOrdu_Logainmneacha_(Ceantair_Ghaeltachta)_2004.pdf Placenames (Ceantair Ghaeltachta) Order 2004] ] is a townland in the northwest of County Donegal, Ireland. It is a lively Gaeltacht region, where the Irish language is still the community language of the area. Gortahork and Falcarragh form part of the district known as Cloughaneely.

The area is known as the "Parish of Críost Rí" (Christ the King) in the Catholic division, or "Tullaghobegley East" in the Protestant division.

Gerry Adams, the Irish Republican politician and President of Sinn Fein, has a holiday home in Gortahork. [ Sunday Independent Life, 15 June 2008]

History

It is claimed that a Charlie McGee, from Inishbofin, some four miles offshore from Gort a' Choirce, was the first person to have been killed in the 1916 Easter Rising.Colaiste Uladh 1906-2006 Coláiste Uladh by Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh.] 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.

In 2006 Coláiste Uladh (the Ulster College) celebrated its centenary. Among those who attended the College were Padraig Pearse, Joseph Mary Plunkett and Roger Casement – three members of the 1916 Rising.

Film festival

Gort a' Choirce has been home to the Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival since 2006. [ [http://www.guthgafa.com Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival website] ] The festival runs in May, and in its first year screened 30 films from 15 different countries.

References