Port Famine Village Donegal

Port is an abandoned “Famine Village” located on the coast about 14 km north west of Glencolmcille in Co Donegal. It is also referred to as a “Ghost Village” or “The Deserted Village” – a reference to the fact that a whole hamlet of houses just seems to have been abandoned to the elements.

It is believed that 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, combined with the relative isolation of the area, it made the remaining community unviable.

The drive into Port is stunning. Fields of peat dominate the rugged landscape as one approaches the eerie village. The only inhabitants nowadays are sheep. There is a slipway beside the rocky beach and a little bridge over a stream. It is very peaceful location and a place to visit to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The old houses in the village were all built of local stone . In the nearby Glencolmcille Folk Village you can get a good idea of how these houses would have looked when they were inhabited.

The coastline around Port is dotted with numerous sea stacks including the 100 metre high Cnock na Mara. Such impressive sea stacks have contributed to Donegals growing reputation among international rock climbers