Found In Translation

One journo’s personal musings on the sights and sounds of the Inishowen peninsula

Nearly two years ago, I strolled down Buncrana’s Ardaravan Square looking for a bite to eat and spotted a young girl literally Riverdancing outside the local Subway. From that moment on, I knew that my arrival in the Inishowen peninsula represented something different, in a very good way.

Most of my previous knowledge of Inishowen had come from fond memories of visiting Kinagoe Bay as a child, seeing (and indulging in) the sights of Malin and Ballyliffin with friends, and – with apologies to the staff of The Red Door – eating at Fahan’s finest restaurant, The Railway Tavern & Firebox Grill. I’d even hiked and camped in the great Inishowen outdoors during my teenage years. Yet a brief stop in Buncrana in my mid-twenties had given me nothing but a feeling of alienation, one not too far removed from that of Scarlett Johansson’s Charlotte in Lost In Translation, when she wandered through Kyoto. But while her experience may have been melancholy, my return to Buncrana was both uplifting and enlightening. It effectively embodied, and continues to embody, the whole of the Inishowen peninsula in the best possible way – a place with no end of natural benefits for both tourists and its inhabitants.

Buncrana lends itself very well to artistic interpretation – local journo Roisin McLaughlin’s take on the Crana River (above) speaks for itself. But going beyond that, there’s a friendly vibe about both the town and the peninsula that I’ve never seen replicated anywhere else. The warmth and general kindness of the populace allows one to feel like they are part of a family dynamic within minutes, not days, of their arrival in the area;  and this extends to “special events”: weddings, concerts, music festivals, and so on. Only in Inishowen have I had the privilege of singing on the same stage as a music legend (Bobby Kimball) and “talking tactics” with an Irish football legend (Ray Houghton). I’ve even discussed local history and theatre with a former Doctor Who villain (Inch-based Stan McGowan) and discovered the unique artistic talents of the likes of Sinead Smyth and Kevin McLaughlin! Again, only in Inishowen…

Musically, the the talents seem limitless. Amongst them are Malin’s Henry Girls, Muff’s Niamh Cregan, Bridgend-based Diana McLaughlin, Inch’s Eoghan Johnston (of Shadowplay), Buncrana’s Claire McDaid (of Palomino) and the whole of the Inishowen Gospel Choir. For the most part, too, Inishowen has retained a unique corporate identity, with Subway the only major fast-food franchise to be spotted in any of the towns I visited. (As far as I know, you have to go as far as Letterkenny to find a McDonald’s, or even a KFC, in Donegal.)

But the peninsula’s identity is unique in many other ways; think of the trees near the golf course at the Redcastle Hotel, the views from Culdaff, Malin, Fahan, Ballyliffin and Moville, the innuendo-ridden nature of the whole area (Cockhill? Muff? Grainne’s Gap? Pauline’s Crack? You’d better believe it) and the history at Fort Dunree.

I still don’t think I’ve said enough to really do justice to what Inishowen has to offer. Residents and regular visitors will note that I’ve said nothing about the Northern Lights, the blue lobsters, the drive from Buncrana to Carndonagh (which must be experienced to be believed), the significance of the “Amazing Grace” sign, Grainan Fort, the locals’ love of tea, and the sight and warmth of the burning fire in The Railway Tavern, amongst numerous other things.

But I hope that I’ve painted, or at least help to paint, the best possible picture of such a weird and wonderful peninsula; because ultimately, if you choose to visit, live in or take the chance to work in Inishowen after reading this piece, I’ll know that I've done a great service both for you and for the area itself.

Scarlett Johansson may have felt Alone In Kyoto, but I never felt alone in Inishowen.