The Bluestack Way credits

A parliament of wise owls made this guide possible. Considering the many wonders of the area from an ancient pre-Christian pilgrimage site to the source for Irish drama’s most famous village, it was rarely a chore. Special thanks goes to Mark Flagler of Flagler Films for the use of his stunning Bluestacks photography throughout – see the link for more of his work.

Considerable material has been used from ‘The Bluestack Way’, ‘The Rich Heritage of Walking in the Bluestacks’ and the Patrick Campbell books. Full acknowledgement and gratitude is hereby made to the respective copyright holders, The Bluestack Environmental Group and the Literary Estate of Patrick Campbell Deceased. The wit, wisdom and words of Patsy McNulty must also be saluted here.

We’ve updated this guide considerably for 2022, but what was the 2012 App was originally produced by the navigatour® GPS services division of Racontour Productions Limited for Donegal Walkers Welcome with the aid of funding from The Heritage Council under its Heritage Education, Community & Outreach Scheme, 2012 Project Ref Number E02991.

Dedicated to my late father, Johnny Ward, 1927-2012. Johnny was no walker, but he knew and worked in every townland from Donegal Town to Ardara over 60 years. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.

We provide a fair amount of information on archaeological sites along the way, but the definitive website for locating these is archaeology.ie 

THANKS TO: The Heritage Council, Donegal Walkers Welcome, Patsy and Mairead McNulty, Inga Bock, Máiread de Faoite, Paddy Meehan, John McGroary, Bradas McDyer, Mark Flagler, Rosemary Ward and the Committee and Staff of the Bluestack Centre, Alex and Moya Reid, John Burke, Neil Fox, Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh, Richard Cave, Northern Regional Fisheries Board, ‘Folksy’ Gerry Meehan, Anne, Michael and Fergal Gallagher, Adrian Hendroff, Helen Meehan, Dan Gallagher, Frank and Esther Harvey, Francis Houston, Bart Whelan, Breesy Willow, Seumas Gildea, Michael ‘Postie Weatherman’ Gallagher, Patrick Campbell, Zack Gallagher, Dr. Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh and Charlie Doherty.

CREDITS:

‘The Bluestack Way – a walking guide through the Bluestack Mountains of South Donegal’ compiled by the Bluestack Environmental Group, Smurfit Print with special credit to Michael J. Flowerdew of U.C.D for the geology data.

‘The Rich Heritage of Walking in the Bluestacks’ by Patsy McNulty

Mark Flagler of Flagler Films for photography along The Bluestack Way

‘Rambles around Donegal’ by Patrick Campbell, Mercier Press

‘From Silent Glens to Noisy Streets’ by Patrick Campbell, Mercier Press

‘An Leabhar Feasa Iml. 2 Dinnseanchas na gCruacha’ by Seoirse O’Dochartaigh

An Leabhar Feasa Iml. 5 Ceol na gCruacha Theas’ by Seoirse O’Dochartaigh

‘Tales from the Blue Stacks’ by Robert Bernen, Poolbeg Press

‘The Hills: More Tales from the Blue Stacks’ by Robert Bernen, Hamish Hamilton

“Traditional Weather Signs’ by Michael Gallagher, Browne Printers

‘Drimarone Schools Reunion’ ed. Peter Campbell, DLDC

‘Donegal, Sligo & Leitrim, Mountain & Coastal Hill Walks’ by Adrian Hendroff, Collins Press

‘Donegal, Past and Present’ by Joe McGarrigle, Donegal Democrat publishing

‘The Sands of Time – a history of Donegal Town and its environs’ by Malachy Sweeney, Tirhugh Press

‘Walking through Time…linking the natural and cultural landscape’ by Drimarone Development Ltd/Western Development Tourism Programme

‘The Homes of Donegal’ edited by Sean McMahon, Mercier Press

The poetry of Patrick MacGill, John Boyd, Francis Harvey, William Allingham, Patrick McGrory, Eithna Carbery, Séumas McManus, T.D. McGee, M.J. McCann and Patrick Ramsey

‘The Cliff Scenery of South-Western Donegal’ by Kinnfeala, Four Masters Press

‘The Secret Places of Donegal’ by John M. Feehan, Mercier Press

‘Donegal Fairy Stories’ collected and told by Séumas MacManus, Dover Publications, Inc.

‘Irish Whitewater – a guide to Irish Whitewater rivers & surf’ by Seamus MacGearailt and published by Brendan Proctor

‘Fairy Legends from Donegal’  Miscellany from the Bluestack Mountains, collected by Séan ÓhEochaidh, translated by Máire MacNeill.  National Folklore Collection, UCD.