Sheephaven Bay facts for kids
Sheephaven Bay (which means Cuan na gCaorach in Irish) is a wide, calm bay on the northern coast of County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. It is surrounded by two peninsulas: Rosguill to the east and Horn Head to the west. This makes the bay quite safe from the strong waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Because it's so protected, Sheephaven Bay has been a great place for fishing, especially for herring, for a very long time.
What Does Sheephaven Bay Mean?
The name Cuan na gCaorach in Irish means "Haven of the Sheep." However, this name came from a mistake! The original Irish name was actually Cuan na gCurrach, which means "The Bay of the Currachs." Currachs are traditional Irish boats.
When people translated the name into English, they heard "ship" (which local people used for 'boat') as "sheep." So, the name became "Sheephaven Bay" instead of "Shiphaven Bay" or "Boat Bay." It's a funny story about how names can change over time!
Discovering Doe Castle
Sheephaven Bay is home to a very old and interesting place called Doe Castle. This castle is located close to a town called Creeslough. It was built a long, long time ago, in the early 1500s!
Doe Castle was a strong fortress for a powerful family known as the Clan Sweeney (or Clan Suibhne). They lived there and protected their lands for about 200 years. Even today, the castle still stands tall and proud by the bay, showing us a piece of Ireland's history.
Towns and Villages Around the Bay
Many small towns and villages are located around the beautiful Sheephaven Bay. These places offer great views and a chance to explore the area. Some of these settlements include:
- Carrigart
- Creeslough
- Downings
- Dunfanaghy
- Horn Head
- Marble Hill
- Portnablagh
