Donaghadee
is a town in County Down situated on the east coast, about 18 miles from
Belfast. It lies on the Ards Peninsula about five miles south east of Bangor
Donaghadee is
probably best known for its lighthouse and harbour, there's been a harbour at
Donaghadee (or the 'Dee) since at least the 17th century. Construction
of the current harbour began in 1821, initially under John Rennie and completed
by his son, also known as John Rennie. The harbour was designed to be deep
enough for ships plying the 20-mile crossing of the Irish Sea to Portpatrick in
south-west Scotland.
The harbour is
constructed from limestone from the Moelfre quarries of Angelsey in north Wales,
though the outer walls are the local graywacke blasted from a nearby quarry
(where Copeland's Marina is now). The Moat in Donaghadee was built to house the
explosives for this blasting. The harbour is made up of two independent piers
and these days is used mostly by pleasure craft. It is also home to Donaghadee
RNLI Lifeboat Station.
Grace Neills,
in the centre of Donaghadee, is according to the Guinness Book of Records,
Ireland's oldest public house opened in 1611 as the 'King's Arms'.
The town has grown considerably in recent years with much
residential dev elopment being a dormitory town of the greater
Belfast
area. Well served by good pubs and restaurants, there is also regeneration of
the retail trade with craft shops, art galleries and antique shops becoming more
numerous in addition to traditional businesses. The large paddling pools at the
harbour remain very popular with young and old on good summer days.
Sport is well catered for with an 18 hole golf course, rugby club,
tennis club, bowling club and sailing club to name but a few.
The Harbour circa 1920
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