301
Census Records
54
Households
2
Census Years
- People
- 130
- Households
- 26
- People
- 171 +31.5%
- Households
- 28 +7.7%
About
Gortahork is a small townland located in County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland, situated in the Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) area on the Donegal Peninsula. The landscape is characterized by the typical rugged terrain of West Donegal, with moorland, rocky outcrops, and coastal proximity that defines much of the peninsula's geography. The townland sits within a region known for its Irish-speaking heritage, where the local dialect and cultural traditions remain strong. The surrounding area comprises a network of small settlements and farmland, with the Atlantic coast nearby, making the landscape both exposed and windswept in typical Atlantic weather patterns.
The broader Gweedore area, in which Gortahork sits, has deep historical roots in Donegal's Gaelic heritage. Like many townlands in this region, Gortahork's name derives from Irish, reflecting centuries of Irish settlement and cultural continuity. The area was historically part of the territory of Clan Sweeney and later came under various administrative divisions. The landscape bears the marks of traditional Irish rural settlement patterns, with scattered houses and small farms rather than nucleated villages, a pattern that reflects both historical land division practices and adaptation to the challenging terrain.
The region around Gortahork remains significant as part of the Gaeltacht, Ireland's officially designated Irish-speaking area. This designation reflects the townland's position within a community where Irish language and culture are actively maintained and promoted. The area has maintained traditional pastoral farming practices alongside modern development, and like much of rural Donegal, it has faced the demographic challenges common to remote Irish peninsulas, including emigration and population fluctuation. The townland continues to serve as part of the living cultural and linguistic landscape of West Donegal, contributing to the broader significance of the Gweedore region as a center of Irish language and heritage preservation.
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- Parish
- County
-
Irish Name
Gort an Choirce
-
Barony
Kilmacrenan
- Logainm
Valuation Office Records
From the National Archives of Ireland (c. 1830s–1850s)
4 occupiers recorded in the Valuation Office Books for this townland.
Source: Valuation Office Books, National Archives of Ireland. Public records.
Townland Location
OpenStreetMapDetails
- English
- Gortahork
- Irish
- Gort an Choirce
- Parish
- Tullaghobegly
- Barony
- Kilmacrenan
- County
- Donegal
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