Rossnowlagh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rossnowlagh Ros Neamhlach
Village
Rossnowlagh Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Donegal

Rossnowlagh (Irish: Ros Neamhlach) is a lovely seaside village in the south of County Donegal, Ireland. It's about 8 kilometres (5 miles) north of Ballyshannon and 16 kilometres (10 miles) southwest of Donegal Town. The village is famous for its long beach, which is about 3 kilometres (2 miles) long. People love to walk, surf, windsurf, kite-surf, and swim here.

Rossnowlagh Beach Adventures

Rossnowlagh is known as one of Ireland's best Blue Flag surfing beaches. A Blue Flag means the beach is clean and safe. Because the beach faces the Atlantic Ocean and Donegal Bay is shaped like a funnel, the waves can get very big. This is especially true in winter, when waves can reach up to 7 metres (20 feet) high!

Rossnowlagh beach is great for surfing.

Many visitors come to Rossnowlagh during the summer. You can even drive your car onto most parts of the beach. Sometimes, there's a 'beach warden' on duty to help keep everyone safe. They might also share information about the tides.

The sandy dunes along the beach have been changing over time. Some parts have been slowly worn away by the sea. To protect the beach, especially near the Sandhouse Hotel, people have built special rock walls. These walls help stop the sand from washing away.

Did you know that a music video was filmed on Rossnowlagh beach? It was for Nathan Carter's song, "Wagon Wheel"!

Getting to Rossnowlagh

You can get to Rossnowlagh using public transport. The Local Link Donegal bus service connects Rossnowlagh to Donegal Town and Ballyshannon every day. From Ballyshannon, you can find other bus services, like Ulsterbus or Bus Éireann. These can take you to places like Sligo.

The closest train station is in Sligo. Rossnowlagh used to have its own train station, which opened in 1905. It was part of a line that went from Donegal Town to Ballyshannon. However, the train line closed in 1960.

Fun Things to Do in Rossnowlagh

The main attraction in Rossnowlagh is its amazing beach. It's perfect for walking, jogging, sunbathing, and all sorts of water sports like surfing and swimming. You can drive onto the beach using one of the three ramps. The wide sandy beach stretches for about 3 kilometres (2 miles). You can even walk further along the shore, all the way to Murvagh Beach. There's also a children's playground at the main car park, built in 2022.

Right next to the beach, you'll find the Sandhouse Hotel. It even has a special 'surfers bar'. High up on the cliff, overlooking the beach, is the Smuggler's Creek Inn restaurant and bar. There are also a few shops in the area, plus a post office and a shop near the Franciscan Friary. Don't forget to check out The Thatch Tea House nearby!

The Franciscan Friary is a special place located at the southern end of the beach. It has a visitor centre and a museum called the Donegal Historical Society Museum. Inside, you can see old items like Stone Age tools and ancient Irish musical instruments. The Friary also has beautiful gardens that you can visit.

If you look further along the cliffs to the southwest, you might spot the old, ruined Kilbarron Castle. You can reach it by going through Creevy.

Exciting Events in Rossnowlagh

Rossnowlagh is a lively place with many events throughout the year!

Surfing Competitions

The Rossnowlagh Surf Club often hosts surfing events. Many young surfers, sometimes dozens, compete in different age groups like Under 12, Under 14, and Under 16. The Irish National Junior Surfing Championships have also been held here. In 2007, 113 young surfers competed for titles in various categories.

The Inter-Counties Surfing contest is Ireland's longest-running surfing competition. It has been held every year since 1969! It's usually the last surfing event of the year, held in September or October, and it's a big social gathering for surfers.

Annual Orange Order Parade

Each year, the Orange Order from County Donegal holds its annual parade in Rossnowlagh. This usually happens on the Saturday before 12 July. Marchers and bands come from Northern Ireland, other parts of County Donegal, and even from Counties Monaghan and Cavan. The parade starts near St John's Church and marches into the centre of Rossnowlagh before returning later in the afternoon.

Feis of the Four Masters

An annual Feis (pronounced fesh) is held every summer, usually in July or August, at the Franciscan Friary. A feis is a traditional Irish festival with music, dance, and storytelling. This one is officially called the Feis of the Four Masters. One of the famous Four Masters, Michael O'Cleirigh, came from a nearby area.

World Rally Championship

The World Rally Championship came to the Rossnowlagh area in 2007 and again in 2009. These events, called Rally Ireland, attracted many spectators. The rally stage in Rossnowlagh was called the Donegal Bay stage. It was 14 kilometres (9 miles) long and took place on narrow country roads. Famous rally drivers like Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen won this stage. The overall winner of both rallies was Sébastien Loeb.

A Look Back: Rossnowlagh's History

The Franciscan Friary's Return

The Franciscan religious order has a long history in Donegal, going back 500 years. After a break in the mid-1800s, the Franciscans returned to County Donegal. New friary buildings were built in Rossnowlagh in the early 1950s. The land for the Friary was given by Charles Williamson to his brother, Brother Paschal Williamson, who was a Franciscan.

Train Travel in the Past

The Rossnowlagh railway station opened in 1905. It was part of the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee network. Trains ran south towards Ballyshannon and north to Donegal Town, Stranorlar, and Strabane. From Strabane, passengers could connect to other train lines to reach places like Omagh and Derry. For 55 years, the train made Rossnowlagh a very popular spot for day trips and family outings because of its beautiful beach. The station closed on 1 January 1960.

Famous Faces from Rossnowlagh

• Easkey Britton – a well-known surfer and scientist, was born in Rossnowlagh.