Buncrana Links

Grianan Aileach

Lough Swilly

As someone who always lived in cities, in and around a population of one million, plus/minus 125,000, Buncrana is outgrowing its village status in exchange for a small town. The last headcount in 2002 produced a population of 5271 and going by its development fever should soon nearly double ( new figures are in for the preliminary census 2006 - Buncrana urban and rural together are at 6356). Under the decentralisation plans of the Irish government the Department of Social & Family Affairs - Client Eligibility Services will be located in Buncrana. At the moment though, most of these civil servants have no intentions to go anywhere outside the pale. And besides the closure of one manufacturing plant after the other, which brings back lingering echoes of Dublin in the 80's, shabby housing, drugs and immigration; a even less appealing factor of resettling in such a place with the whole family, is the shattering truth of young people dying on Inishowen's roads in regular intervals. Usually four in one car and mainly residing in Buncrana. The odd mini tornado doesn't really help either. Progress in a sense of betterment of quality of life for the majority of people and this town is two steps forward and 1¾ back and filling every last unspoilt spot with building frenzy is not necessary a sign of improvement. Tearing down everything old and worthwhile seeing in the process only materialises into avoiding the reprint of Harry Percival Swan's book about the "Queen of Donegal". Visitors in the ownership of such a book could become easily confused and conclude that the mentioned Buncrana must be somewhere else.

Life is good if you are the heir of a family business on the main street or if you have someone who has an employment opportunity of this sort. If not, you are to a certain extent buggered and what is called the 'Buncrana Syndrome' may hit you. It constitutes the following: a) if you are from Buncrana then your family and the family of your future employer or fellow traveller on the road to economical adventures could have an outstanding feud going back decades and/or centuries; b) if your are not from Buncrana then no one can be sure, if there is not an outstanding feud and will abstain, just in case. With other words, if you are venturing into the wild waters of the Buncrana business world you might find the lack of cooperation and support the most impressive. Even not so old habits die hard.

Buncrana is a small place and just because you don't know everyone doesn't mean that you are not known either. As everything else and depending on your own capability of redirecting all things your way, it has advantages as much as disadvantages. Your input in to the community will be equally noticed as your mistakes and Buncrana people have an impeccable memory. Living amongst them made me feel home again after a long journey. And as such I do wish sincerely that its struggle uphill will pay off soon. Underneath the lethal mismanagment of its resources Buncrana is a cauldron of ready to burst creativity and a wrath to live in waiting. The first impression at arrival of a close zombie encounter can be misleading, altough teenagers will dare to differ.

The weather has been rotten in the past years and it rains even more than in Carndonagh or Malin. But when the light brakes through, no other place will do. Standing on the shores of shadows, the sun setting behind the lough, the mountain ridge in front of you and an awakening gathering at your back. Unbeatable.

Work in progress.