Our favourite dive sites

Magheragallon

Gola Island and a number of other islands can be reached from the piers at Magheragallon which are a short distance from Derrybeg.

Directions:
There are a number of ways to get to Derrybeg - (1) for the main route, head for Letterkenny. At Letterkenny, take the N56 signposted Creeslough/Dunfanaghy. As you go along the N56, just past Kilmacrennan, take the left turn (R255) signposted for Glenveagh National Park - then take the R251 to Dunlewy then Gweedore, Bunbeg, Derrybeg.

You could also go (2) via Letterkenny  (R250 then R251) or (3) Strabane to Stranorlar, then R252 to Fintown/Doochary/Dungloe then N56 to Crolly then R257 to Bunbeg/Derrybeg

At Derrybeg, take a turn for Magheragallon. The turning is hard to see, tight between two houses. However there is a sign for the Golf Club. follow the road keeping the Golf Club on your left and the cemetery on your right. Follow the road round to the right, it twists round some sand dunes and comes out at the pier.

Parking:

There is parking by the pier

Facilities:

No facilities available - bring everything you need!

Tides and weather:

Tide table - closest datum point is Gweedore Harbour

Weather - closest datum point is Letterkenny

Shipping Forecast - Sea Area Malin

Previous 24 hours weather data - Buoy M4  This Marine Institute buoy is approx 80 miles NE from Killybegs (Location:55.0000°N 10.0000°W) and reports current conditions on an hourly basis

Why we like Magheragallon:

Magheragallon - means the strand of the galleons - some of the Spanish Armada ended up here

In 1901 a group of Dublin archaeologists found a mass grave of Formorians, ancestors of the modern Gael, which had become disturbed by rabbits, exposing the remains of the long dead. The bones were carbon dated to 3,000 years before present but the real mystery was the great assortment of bones of young men buried nearby with vastly different bone structure, and of a much later vintage altogether, late 16^th century.

They had accidentally stumbled upon the burial site of most of the soldiers and sailors of La Juliana, an 860 ton Spanish grain carrying merchantman pressed into service for the great invasion of England 1588. Italian, it was impounded into the Levantine Squadron of the Spanish Armada and given large poopdecks for the comfort of the officers, besides 32 cannon and 1,600 cannonball as ballast. Sailing was difficult under benign conditions, treacherous otherwise. It was one of four such vessels that went down on 28^th September 1588. La Juliana foundered SW of Gola with great loss. Two utility boats were launched. Two soldier captains and a troop of soldiers made Magheragallon Bay on Gola in one, and six of the original unknown complement of the other (with the ship's treasure chest) made Inishcoole. 20 or so was all of the 70 Italian crew and 325 Catalan soldiers to survive. Three other boats perished similarly, only one reliably named, the Santiago. Rumours of buried treasure on Inishcoole, Gola and the mainland are not uncommon.

This was but one of many such tragedies. In retreat homewards that autumn, many ships of the great Armada sank, 39 off Ireland, 10 off Scotland (4 in the E, 6 in the W), and 2 up in Shetland.

The tale received value added when Robert Louis Stevenson came to honeymoon in Bunbeg in late 1880. An autumnal gale shifted a lot of sand about the place, revealing some valuable commodities. Captivated by the tales he was told of La Juliana and her colourful crew, and other research on the Armada he undertook, he wrote a great work of fiction around them. The captain had a peg-leg, an eye patch, a crutch, and a parrot sat on his shoulder. Long John Silver is a composite of two sailors marooned from El Gran Griffon on Fair Isle. Treasure Island is Gold Island ('Gola'), which prior to 1588 was call McGee Island.

Fantastic dives, always the hope of turning up some Spanish gold!

Coming from the south (Bunbeg) on the R257 into Derrybeg

The turning for Magheragallon at Derrybeg (Follow the sign for Golf Club)

Coming from the north on the R257 at Derrybeg

Once you take the turning and go a little while, this will be your view

Keep going along the road

Just past the cemetery entrance be prepared to turn right

Magheragallon Pier

Magheragallon Slip

Some of the islands off Magheragallon