In 1815 the men of the Urris valley barricaded the road at Crossconnell and ran the place as their own poitín republic, keeping the excisemen out long enough for the still trade to flourish before the authorities took it back. That episode tells you most of what you need to know about Clonmany (Irish: Cluain Maine): a small village on the north-west edge of the Inishowen Peninsula, close to Lough Swilly and the Atlantic, with a longer memory than its size suggests. It grew around a junction, which is why locals still call it ‘The Cross’.
The name is usually read as ‘the meadow of (St) Maine’, and the church story goes back further still: St Columba is said to have founded a monastery here that later held the 11th-century copper-silver shrine known as the Míosach, now in the National Museum of Ireland. If history is your reason for coming, that is the thread to follow; if it isn’t, come for Glenevin Waterfall and the hills behind the village.
History
Clonmany felt the full weight of the 19th century. It was caught up in the land wars and the tithe protests that put Fr William O’Donnell, the ‘Waterloo Priest’, behind bars, and it depended on Famine relief in the worst years. During the War of Independence two RIC constables were abducted and killed in the village, an event still recounted locally. The crossroads has seen more than its quiet appearance lets on.
What to see and do
The waterfall is the easy win. Glenevin Waterfall is a 40-ft cascade at the end of a 1.5km woodland walk, with parking and toilets at the Glen House B&B car park, five minutes’ drive north of the village. Go early if you can; the trail fills up by midday in summer.
For built heritage, St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in the village centre is a pre-emancipation church begun around 1814, extended in 1833 and given a three-stage tower in 1843. The ruined Church of Ireland at Straid dates from 1772, with early 18th-century stones in its graveyard, and the triple-arch hump-back Clonmany Bridge over the river goes back to around 1800 and still carries traffic. The restored Clehagh thatched cottage, with its lime-rendered stone walls, is near the church. All are free.
Walkers have the run of the Urris Hills and the Mamore Gap, a steep mountain pass reached from the village road, with the higher tops of Bulbin, Raghtin More, Binion and Sliabh Sneacht spread around. The Inishowen 100 scenic drive runs close by, linking Clonmany to Malin Head, the Gap of Mamore and the coast.
There are good beaches within half an hour: Pollan Strand, Five Finger Strand, Lisfannon, Culdaff and Kinnagoe Bay among them. A word of caution rather than a sales pitch: the currents here are strong, and there have been drownings at Clonmany Strand and Tullagh Beach, so take local warnings seriously and don’t assume a calm-looking bay is safe.
Two local points of pride: the Clonmany Festival, billed as Ireland’s longest-running family festival, runs over a weekend in early August with traditional music, a livestock show, craft stalls and sheep-dog trials; and the village tug-of-war team, six-time world gold medallists, whose record is marked in the village hall.
Outdoor activities
The hills give routes for most abilities, from valley strolls to steeper ascents on Sliabh Sneacht. On the water, surf, windsurf and kitesurf schools operate from Pollan Strand and the Ballyliffin beaches, and local outfitters such as Wild Atlantic Way Adventures in Tullagh run horse-riding, archery and fishing.
Getting there
Clonmany is on the R238, which links it to Carndonagh and Buncrana. Bus Éireann routes 242 and 250, plus local operators, connect the village to Derry, Belfast and Dublin. The railway station closed in 1935, so it’s buses or your own car now.
Village street parking is generally free. There’s a small car park with toilets at the Glenevin Waterfall trailhead, and paid pitches at the caravan site.
Where to stay
- Binion Bay Caravan & Camping – family-run, with electric hook-ups, laundry and pet-friendly pitches (see the Binion page).
- The Glen House B&B – at the Glenevin Waterfall trailhead, with rooms, parking and toilets.
- Mia’s Cottage – self-catering, a short walk from the village centre.
Nearby
- Doagh Famine Village – a short drive on, a living-history site recreating life during and after the Famine.
- Ballymastocker Bay – a Blue Flag beach across Lough Swilly, good for a walk or a picnic.
- Binion – more walking and a small harbour.
A full day works well: walk the Glenevin trail first thing, take coffee at Cis’ Pub or the Rusty Nail in the village, then follow the Inishowen 100 up to the Gap of Mamore and end with the long view from Sliabh Sneacht. Just don’t expect to do the whole peninsula from here in an afternoon; the roads are slow and the distances longer than the map suggests.