Arranmore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Árainn Mhór Arranmore
Island
Traditional housing on Arranmore.
Arranmore Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Donegal
Area
• Total	22 km2 (8 sq mi)
Population
• Total	469
• Density	21.3/km2 (55.2/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	B665155
Árainn Mhór is the only official name. The anglicised spelling 'Arranmore' has no official status.

Árainn Mhór (English name: Arranmore) is a beautiful island off the west coast of County Donegal, Ireland. It's the biggest island in County Donegal where people live. In 2016, about 469 people called Arranmore home.

The island is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht. This means that most people living there speak Ulster Irish, which is a dialect of the Irish language. In Irish, the island was traditionally called Árainn. The word mór, meaning 'large', was added more recently. It was also sometimes called Árainn Uí Dhomhnaill, which means 'the Aran of the O'Donnells'.

Living on Arranmore

In 2019, the people of Arranmore wrote letters to the United States and Australia. They invited people to move to their less crowded island. They wanted others to enjoy a slower pace of life and have "time for living".

Speaking Irish

About 62% of the 469 people on Arranmore speak Irish as their first language. Every summer, students from all over Ireland visit the island for a three-week holiday. It's a great way to meet new friends and learn Irish.

Students go to school during the day. In the evenings, they play games and enjoy ceilí dancing. They learn about the Irish language by speaking it all the time. The college on Arranmore is called Coláiste Árainn Mhóir, which means the College of Arranmore.

Where is Arranmore?

Arranmore Lighthouse

The island is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Burtonport. Burtonport is a small village on the coast in The Rosses. You can get to Arranmore by taking one of two ferry services. These ferries travel between Arranmore and Burtonport. They can carry passengers, cars, and even large trucks.

Island Life and History

Leabgarrow.

Most people on Arranmore live along the southern and eastern coasts. This area is more sheltered from the weather. The main village, Leabgarrow (called Leadhb Gharbh in Irish), is located here.

People have lived on the island since before the Celts arrived. You can still see some signs of early settlements. These include an old fort on a headland and shell middens (piles of shells) along the beaches. Because of its location near the Atlantic shipping routes, the island was important for watching ships. It had a coast guard station, a lighthouse, and a World War II monitoring post.

The number of people living on the island is 469. But this number goes up to over 1,000 during the summer. Many houses are holiday homes for islanders and their families, as well as visitors.

Island Services and Economy

View of Donegal mainland from Arranmore.

Arranmore was the first island off the coast of Ireland to get electricity. This happened in 1957 through the Rural Electrification Scheme. It was also one of the last places in the country to get reliable running water (in 1973–75) and automatic phone service (in 1986).

The island's main source of money now comes from tourism. In the past, fishing was very important, but it's not a big industry anymore. The traditional Gaeltacht summer schools also bring income. A local development co-op has helped start other businesses. These include a call centre and training for Irish teachers. The island also has many lakes where people can enjoy fishing.

A sculpture at Lough Thoir.

In 2019, a co-working space opened on the island. It offers high-speed internet, which the island didn't have before. This was done with the help of 3 Ireland, a phone company.

The island has its own An Post post office. Even though the population is below the number usually needed for a post office, Arranmore's post office has stayed open.

Emergency Services

Arranmore has had a fire engine since the 1980s. A new fire station was built in 2005.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has a station on the island. They have a large Severn class lifeboat. The RNLI has been on Arranmore since 1883. Their crews have been part of many important rescues. One famous rescue was of the ship SS Stolwijk. The crew received medals for their bravery from both the RNLI and the Dutch government. A monument to this rescue was put up in 2017.

A helipad was built in Aphort in the early 2000s. It can land large helicopters like the Sikorsky S-92, which the Irish Coast Guard uses.

The HSE also has an ambulance based at the Arranmore Health Centre. If someone needs urgent medical help, they can be taken by the RNLI Lifeboat or the Irish Coast Guard helicopter. For less urgent cases, they can go by ferry.

Arranmore Transmitter

The Arranmore Island transmitter helps provide TV and radio signals to the island and nearby areas. It's used by 2RN (for Saorview TV) and Highland Radio. There are two towers, with the larger one belonging to 2RN.

Services

• FM radio
  • 89.6Mhz - RTÉ Radio 1
  • 91.8Mhz - RTÉ 2FM
  • 94.0Mhz - RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
  • 95.2Mhz - Highland Radio
  • 99.2Mhz - RTÉ Lyric FM
  • 104.0Mhz - iRadio

• Saorview (Digital TV)
  • 655.25Mhz - Multiplex 2
  • 679.25Mhz - Multiplex 1

Other Interesting Facts

Main coastal road to Aphort.

Arranmore Island is twinned with Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. Many people from Arranmore moved to Beaver Island in the mid-1800s after being forced to leave their homes. Today, many families on Beaver Island can trace their family history back to Arranmore. There's a monument on Arranmore to celebrate this twinning.

Places and villages on Arranmore Island

• Aphort
• Plohogue
• Fallagowan
• Ballintra
• Ballard
• Illion
• Leabgarrow (main settlement)
• Leabrannagh
• Pollawaddy
• Scraigatoke
• Torries
• Rannagh Park

See also

In Spanish: Arranmore para niños