Malin Head

Looking out into the North Atlantic from Malin Head

Malin Head (Irish: Cionn Mhálanna)[1] is the most northerly point of mainland Ireland, located in the townland of Ardmalin[2] on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal. The head's northernmost point is called Dunalderagh at latitude 55.38ºN.[3] It is about 16 kilometres (10 mi) north of the village of Malin. The island of Inishtrahull is further north, about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of the headland. Malin Head gives its name to the Malin sea area. There is a weather station on the head, which is one of 22 such stations whose reports are broadcast as part of the BBC Shipping Forecast. A tower built in 1805 is on Altnadarrow, also known locally as the Tower Hill.[4]

Ptolemy's Geography (2nd century AD) described a point called Βορειον (Boreion, "the northern") which probably referred to Malin Head.[5]

Raised beach of Ballyhillin at Malin Head
  1. ^ "Malin Head/Cionn Mhálanna". Placenames Database of Ireland.
  2. ^ "Ardmalin/Ard Mhálanna". Placenames Database of Ireland.
  3. ^ "Ireland Geographical Facts, Figures and Physical Extremities". Travel through the Ireland story... Retrieved 15 September 2007.
  4. ^ Homer, Peter. A Brief History of Malin Head. Inishowen Maritime Museum & Planetarium. 2014.
  5. ^ Durham, Anthony (8 February 2019). "Ireland" (PDF). romaneranames.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2021.