The community is home to around 188 people as of 2008 and has been subject to a general decline in the late 20th century continuing into the early 21st century. The closure of the Glendaruel Hotel, a 17th-century coaching inn housing the only local pub, was in particular described as "a body blow." The hotel closed not long after a widely publicized legal case was won by three Polish former employees who had been described as "Polish Slaves" by the hotel proprietors. Over the past two decades a number of facilities within the community have been lost, notable examples include the post office, general store and tearoom with even Kilmodan Church becoming part-time, holding services only 2 Sundays in a month. Glendaruel is marked out at government level as a typical example of a ‘failing’ rural village in an area of ‘deprivation’.
School
Kilmodan Primary has been earmarked for closure at various times in recent decades including in 1998 and in 2010 when the school roll stood at just 22 students. As of June 2012 the school had "two teachers, 19 pupils and handful of support staff."
School year
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/2014
2014/2015
Total school roll
23
21
22
27
23
26
27
21
22
19
19
17
14
Notable residents
The Scottish mathematicianColin Maclaurin was born in Clachan of Glendaruel in 1698 to the Reverend John Maclaurin, who was minister to the parish of Kilmodan.
Peter Sinclair was born in Glendaruel, he later emigrated to Canada and entered politics there.
Kirsty McLuckie, journalist and broadcaster
Cultural depictions
Mythology
Glendaruel is thought to be one of the glens praised in the Gaelic poem "The Lament of Deirdre", in which reference is made to a Glenndaruadh. It is found in the 15th-century Glenmasan manuscript, which may go back to an original written down in 1238. Deirdre is a tragic heroine in Irish mythology, and in the poem she is lamenting the necessity of leaving Scotland to return to Ireland.
Music
Glendaruel is the inspiration for a number of bagpipe tunes, including The Glendaruel Highlanders, The Sweet Maid of Glendaruel, and The Dream Valley of Glendaruel. The tune of The Glendaruel Highlanders was used for the popular Scottish comic songCampbeltown Loch, as sung by Andy Stewart.
