Fahan

This is the site of the ancient 7th Century Abbey of St Mura. The cross of St. Mura marks his grave 654A.D. Other artefacts found here are the Wishing Stone and Greek Cross, both of which are set in the outer wall surrounding the site. Legible marked graves date from 1652 and include the names of the early plantation settlers of the area. Another grave worthy of note is that of Agnes Jones a nursing colleague of Florence Nightingale who died in 1868. Across the road in the grounds of the Protestant Church is the mass grave of 68 victims of H.M.S Laurentic which was lost on January 26th 1917 at the mouth of Lough Swilly following an attack by a German U-Boat. A major claim to fame for this village is that Cecil Frances Alexander, wife of the then Anglican Bishop of Derry, wrote “There is a Green Hill Far Away”, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “Once in David’s Royal City”, while living in the local rectory. The focal point of Fahan is the Lough Swilly Marina, which provides a sheltered anchorage for 400 boats and yachts