Moville


Moville is a coastal town located on the Inishowen Peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland, close to the northern tip of the island of Ireland. It is the first coastal town of the Wild Atlantic Way when starting on the northern end.

Location

The town has a scenic location on the western shore of Lough Foyle, approximately from Derry, which lies across the border in Northern Ireland. Features include Moville Green, a large seaside park in the Victorian style which features bandstands, walking trails, playgrounds, a coastal footpath and views east across the waters of the lough to Northern Ireland. Moville is close to several beaches, and receives visitors and daytrippers in the summer months.
Moville Community College is located to the south of the town centre, in the townland of Carrownaff.

History

In the second half of the 19th century, Moville was a point of embarkation for travellers, especially emigrants, to Canada and the United States of America. Steamships of the Anchor Line of Glasgow, and others en route from Glasgow to New York City called at Moville to pick up additional passengers. Today, the town receives little maritime traffic but retains a small fishing harbour. The commercial fishing port at Greencastle lies a few miles away.
The Montgomerys of New Park were a landed family of the town, the ancestors of Field-Marshal Montgomery. When flying over the town in 1947 he commented: "It looks just the same. My dear old Irish home". His grandfather Robert had built Montgomery Terrace in 1884.

Festivals

An annual regatta is held at Moville every year in August, and has done so since early in the 19th century.
Several music festivals take place in the area annually, including a festival of Bob Dylan music which has taken place since 2007, and a festival of Beatles' music which takes place in August.

Notable people