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Malin Head Eight miles beyond the village of Malin is the wild and beautiful Malin Head. A place that seems to leave the traveler standing on the edge of the world looking outward onto the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.
Malin Head is Ireland’s most northerly point on the Irish mainland and as such holds a special place in the story of Inishowen. The approach of Malin Head affords magnificent and dramatic views of the coastal scenery along the well signposted ‘Atlantic Drive’. In the distance towards Malin Head can be seen the 19th century Lloyd’s Signal Tower built by Lloyds of London to report on passing ships. There has been a long association between Malin Head and the reporting of the weather. Weather reports which were so important to local and international shipping were first recorded at Malin Head in 1870 and the tradition of weather watching is still important in these parts with the location of the present weather station at Malin Head transmitting information for the Shipping forecasts. In 1902 the Marconi Company succeeded in sending the first commercial message by wireless from Malin Head to the ship S.S. Lake Ontario thus establishing Malin Head as an important staging post for future trans-Atlantic communication, however the Post Office took over from the Marconi Company in 1910. There are fine views to be had from Banba’s Crown on the Head itself and nearby is a deep chasm called ‘Hell’s Hole’’ referring to a narrow channel below where the sea is in constant motion. Also close by is a natural sea arch called the ‘Devil’ Bridge’. I the area of Ballygorman near the ruin of St. Machar’s Church is an interesting cave known as ‘The Wee House of Malin’ where it is said that St. Machar lived. Local legend says that the ‘Wee House’ can hold any number of people and that it “holds all that goes into it, and the more goes into it, it holds the more”. Nearby is the ‘Malin Well’ or ‘St. Moriallagh’s Well’ where on August 15th a pattern called Malin Well Fair is held.
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