Known history of Inishowen (Island of Eóghain) begins with its namesake, Eógan mac Néill, son of Niall Noígíallach (Naill of the Nine Hostages)b. circa 400 AD, and was home to clans O'Neill, O'Donnell, O'Doherty, a history represented in paternal Irish Modal Haplotype R-M222 (within R1b1c7 haplogroup) of which 20% of Ulster men still belong today. So if you are a Scots-Irish male and your Y-DNA contains R-M222 markers, you are descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, the legendary 5th century Gaelic chieftain, and the beautiful peninsula of Inishowen is your ancestral home.
Grianán Ailigh
The Grianán (meaning stony/rocky place) is a restored fort on the top of Greenan Mountain, offering the late sixth/early seventh century Ulster Celts who built it a view over their domain along Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle. The Grianán served as the capital of the territory of the Cenél nEógain until it was plundered by the Vikings in 904, besieged by the Normans, and ultimately conquered by Muirchertach Ua Brian, King of Munster, in 1101.
The Grianán is composed of and outer wall (about 16 feet high and 77 feet in diameter) and three terraces with inset stairways which once enclosed a rectangular stone building, long lost to history. A prehistoric hillfort predated the Grianán at the same site, complete with an ancient roadway leading to it, a holy well dedicated to Saint Patrick, and a burial tumulus.
And while much of Irish iron age history is a mixture of mythology and that confirmed with archeological evidence, the Annuls of Ulster document that the Grianán was built by the Northern Uí Néill, descendants of Niall Noígíallach, dynasties which dominated Ireland from the 6th through 10th centuries. The ringfort served more as a symbol of status for the Uí Néill kings which inhabited the once-standing dwelling place within the ring, rather than as any serious fortress of defense.
But the mythological history of the Grianan is also very rich, as according to folklore, it was built by An Dagda, chieftain of the Tuatha Dé Danann (Celtic tribe of the gods), and Celtic god of masculinity, wisdom, and agriculture to serve as a fortress around the burial site of his son, Aodh. The Leabhar Mór Leacain (Great Book of Lecan) written approx. 1400 and derived from earlier texts of Celtic folklore, includes a poem recounting the death of Aodh and the erection of the Grianán.
"Then were brought the two good men
In art experts,
"Garbhan and Imcheall", to Dagda
The fair-haired, vindictive;
he ordered these a rath to build, Ailigh."
Around the gentle youth:
That it should be a rath of splendid sections—
The finest in Erinn.
Neid, son of Indai, said to them,
He of the severe mind,
That the best hosts in the world could not erect
A building like Ailigh.
Garbhan the active proceeded to dress
And to cut the grianan;
Imcheall proceeded to set them
All around in the house.
The building of Ailigh's fastness came to an end,
Though it was a laborious process;
The top of the house of the groaning hostages
"One stone closed".
In art experts,
"Garbhan and Imcheall", to Dagda
The fair-haired, vindictive;
he ordered these a rath to build, Ailigh."
Around the gentle youth:
That it should be a rath of splendid sections—
The finest in Erinn.
Neid, son of Indai, said to them,
He of the severe mind,
That the best hosts in the world could not erect
A building like Ailigh.
Garbhan the active proceeded to dress
And to cut the grianan;
Imcheall proceeded to set them
All around in the house.
The building of Ailigh's fastness came to an end,
Though it was a laborious process;
The top of the house of the groaning hostages
"One stone closed".
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| Main entrance of the Grianán |
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| Inset stairways align the inner terrace |
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| St. Patrick's Well just outside Ailigh's outer ring |
Cionn Mhálanna (Malin Head)
Inishowen is also home to the breathtaking sea cliffs of Malin Head, which mark Ireland's most northerly point. Even the ancient Romans knew of Malin Head, as Ptolemy's 2nd century Geography marked the Irish island's Northerly spot as Βορειον (Boreion, "the Northern").
Banba's Crown, named for Celtic mythological queen Banba, is Malin's headland at latitude 55.38ºN, hosts a tower which has served as a war-time lookout since 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars and a signal tower built in 1910.
During the Second World War, "Eire signs" were painted along Irish coasts to alert pilots to their location as Ireland remained neutral and was bombarded by Germans believing they were over British soil. "Eire 80" marks location 80, assigned to Malin Head.
Today many fans of the Star Wars films visit as Malin Head served as a filming location for the franchise. The cliffs are not the highest in Ireland, but they are steep and photos do not do the drop justice.
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| "Eire 80" signaled Ireland's neutrality to WWII bomber pilots flying above |
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| Signal Tower at the most northerly tip of Banbas Crown |
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| Rocky beaches along the Wild Atlantic Way coast |
