Barnesmore Gap facts for kids

Barnesmore Gap, around 1900

Biddy's pub, Barnesmore Gap.

Barnesmore Gap (Irish: An Bearnas Mór, meaning the big gap) is a special place in County Donegal, Ireland. It's like a natural pathway or "gap" through the Bluestack Mountains. This gap is about 117 meters (384 feet) above sea level. It has always been an important route for people traveling between the south and north parts of Donegal.

What is Barnesmore Gap?

Barnesmore Gap is a mountain pass, which means it's a low point or opening between mountains. It makes it much easier to travel through a mountain range. Imagine a big wall of mountains; a gap is like a door in that wall! For a long time, this gap has been the main way to get from Donegal Town to Ballybofey. The main road, called the N15, goes right through it.

A Look at the Rocks and Ice

How the Landscape Formed

The rocks around Barnesmore Gap tell an amazing story about Earth's history. The main type of rock you'll find here is granite. This granite formed about 400 million years ago during a time called the Devonian period. That's even before dinosaurs roamed the Earth! Granite is a very hard rock that forms deep underground from molten (melted) rock.

Glaciers Carved the Gap

Thousands of years ago, during the Last Glacial Period (also known as the Ice Age), huge sheets of ice called glaciers covered this area. These glaciers were like giant, slow-moving rivers of ice. They flowed through Barnesmore Gap, carving out the landscape we see today. The ice moved towards the Atlantic Ocean, shaping the land that is now Donegal Bay. The last of these glaciers melted away about 13,000 years ago, leaving behind the wide, U-shaped valley of the gap.

The Old Railway Line

A Path for Trains

Besides the main road, Barnesmore Gap was also home to an important railway line. This was a narrow gauge railway, which means its tracks were closer together than standard train tracks. This type of railway was often used in places with difficult terrain, like mountains.

Connecting Towns by Rail

The railway line was first part of the West Donegal Railway. Later, it became part of a bigger network managed by the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee. This company was quite innovative! They were among the first to use diesel rail-cars. These special trains ran through Barnesmore Gap until the late 1950s. They connected towns like Stranorlar in the east to Donegal Town, and even went as far as Killybegs in the west. The railway was a vital link for people and goods in County Donegal for many years.