PORT … A Ghost Village in County Donegal.

Port is an abandoned Famine Village, just north-west of Glencolmcille in Co Donegal. It was once a whole hamlet of houses but was deserted long ago and is now left to the ravages of the elements.

The majority of the village’s population left during and in the immediate aftermath of the Irish Famine (1845-52). The population continued to dwindle and that, combined with the relative isolation of the area, made the remaining community unsustainable.

The drive into Port is stunning. Fields of peat dominate the rugged landscape as you approach the eerie village. The only inhabitants nowadays are sheep. There’s a slipway beside the rocky beach and a little bridge over a stream. It’s very peaceful here, a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

The old houses in the village were all built of local stone and, in the nearby Glencolmcille Folk Village, you can get a good idea of how they would have looked when they were loved and lived in.
Image
Pic. Gareth McCormack
http://www.garethmccormack.com/

About CJ Murdoch

Looking For "Dead People"! My Journey Back In Time - Tracing my ancestors and researching the counties, cities and towns where they resided. Taking a “Glimpse” into their lives and stories and the times in which they lived; all in an effort to learn about their “Dash”! “I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end. He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the second with tears, but he said that what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.” I have always been interested in researching my family tree and “hanging out” in cemeteries. Like most of us... I didn't ask enough questions when elderly family were still living. Oh, what I would give for 24 hours and a camera with my ancestors… just to sit and listen! I'm researching many family lines, including: Murdoch, Wilson, Berry, Love, Scott, Beattie/Beatty, Hendren, Sweeney, Robinson and Elvin; just to name a few. My families are predominantly from counties Antrim, Donegal and Londonderry. However, it seems that many of them, both maternal and paternal lines, originally hailed from Co. Donegal. I was born and raised in Northern Ireland and now live in Ottawa, Canada, making frequent trips back home to visit with my family. Of course those visits also include treks to the many burial grounds of my ancestors. My most recent trip back home was during the summer of 2019! Looking forward to August of 2020 when I will return. If you are interested in help tracing your ancestors I’d love to hear from you!
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1 Response to PORT … A Ghost Village in County Donegal.

  1. cjmurdoch says:

    How beautiful is this… and a little sad a the same time!

    Like

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