Tributes paid to Glasgow couple who visited Moville every summer for 60 years 

Tributes have been paid locally to a couple from Glasgow who visited Moville annually for their summer holiday for 60 years after they passed away within a few months of each other.

Anne and David Ferguson made the journey to Moville from their home in Halfway, Cambuslang, every summer from the 1960s up until the Covid-19 pandemic.The couple made a special bond with the area from Redcastle to Stroove and made many lifelong friends during their holidays in east Inishowen.

Seamus Kelly from Illies and who lives in Malin, met the couple when he lived in Glasgow more than 20 years ago. The couple had a great love of Moville, he said.

“Everyone has a favourite spot to visit or go on holiday to, but Anne and David Ferguson must be the most loyal people to Moville. It was their  special place.”

When they initially started coming to Moville from Glasgow with their seven children, they did not have a  car and made the crossing on the Laird’s boat which took 12 hours from Glasgow Broomielaw to Derry quay. 

“The boat was a cattle boat and cattle got priority,” Mr Kelly said.

“There were no cabins or quiet lounges  - just a hard  bench under a tarpaulin - no easy chore with seven children.”

When they  arrived in Derry they took a bus or taxi to Moville. In later years they travelled on Danny Collin’s minibus which operated from west Donegal to Glasgow.

Anne and David stayed in various locations around Moville including the Cosy Cottage, above Barron’s  Cafe, the coastguard houses and in later years with Rosaleen and Bernard McDaid.

When in Moville, Mr Kelly said, they would walk to Stroove, Greencastle and Redcastle, where Anne's grandmother came from. 

“There was not a townland, church or place of interest they couldn't name from Quigley’s Point to  Stroove.They met so many people along the way who became lifelong friends. 

“Anne loved getting a copy of the Inish Times and  listening to Highland Radio to catch up with all the local news.”

After not being able to make their annual trip to Moville during the pandemic, they made their last visit together in 2023.

David passed away aged 87 last September and Anne passed away on May 12. Her funeral took place in Cambuslang on June 5.

Mr Kelly said Anne retained her great love for the Moville area up until she died. “Two days before Ann passed away she was watching Patsy Kavanagh’s video, My Own Foyleshore, with a  tear in her eye naming all the sights in the video saying at the end, ‘I wish I could get back to my Moville’.”

They are survived by their seven children: Christopher, Michelle, David, Gregory, Dermott and twins Fiona and Emma.