Greencastle, County Donegal

Greencastle
An Caisleán Nua
Town
Greencastle and Lough Foyle from the castle
Greencastle and Lough Foyle from the castle
Greencastle is located in Ireland
Greencastle
Greencastle
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 55°12′00″N 6°59′00″W / 55.2°N 6.9833°W / 55.2; -6.9833
CountryIreland
ProvinceUlster
CountyCounty Donegal
BaronyInishowen East
Elevation
30 m (100 ft)
Population1,268
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceC648397
The ruins of Green Castle, also known as Greencastle Castle or Northburgh Castle, in Greencastle.
Plan of the castle
Greencastle Pier at dusk

Greencastle (Irish: An Caisleán Nua, meaning 'New Castle')[2] is a commercial fishing port located in the north-east of the Inishowen Peninsula on the north coast of County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. The port is on the western shores of Lough Foyle. Nowadays, given the decline in the fishing industry, it resembles more closely a 'typical' Donegal holiday village. It is located a few miles from Moville and is about 20 miles from Derry.

Greencastle's name comes from the castle in the area, which, in turn, may have derived its name from the green freestone with which it was built. The castle, originally built by the Anglo-Normans, is also known as Northburgh Castle.

The port was the fastest growing urban area in County Donegal between the 2016 and 2022 census, with a population increase of 52.6% from 831 to 1,268.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b "Interactive Data Visualisations: Towns: Greencastle". Census 2022. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. ^ "An Caisleán Nua/Greencastle". Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie). Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Sapmap Area: Settlements Greencastle". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 17 April 2022.