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Dunoon (Dunomhainn in Gaelic) is situated on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde beside the Holy Loch, across from Gourock.
Dunoon pier is over one hundred years old and still receives a connecting ferry with Gourock, run by Caledonian MacBrayne. Until the late 1960s fleets of paddle steamers brought holidaymakers doon the watter from Glasgow to it and numerous other piers, and it is still visited by the sole surviving sea-going paddle steamer Waverley. Overlooking it is a large statue to Robert Burns' love Highland Mary, also known as Bonny Mary O' Argyll, which is located on Castle Hill, just below the remains of Dunoon Castle.
Dunoon Grammar School is over three hundred and fifty years old and has many well known former pupils, including the Labour Party politicians, John Smith, George Robertson (later head of NATO), Brian Wilson and actor Sylvester McCoy.
Eric Campbell, the silent film comedian famous as Charlie Chaplin's hulking nemesis in several short films, was born in the town, and a plaque to his memory can be seen in the gardens at Castle Hill. Possibly Dunoon's most famous resident was Sir Harry Lauder (1870 - 1950) whose mansion, "Laudervale" stood just south of Dunoon on the Bullwood road.
As the Cold War intensified the Holy Loch became internationally famous when in 1961 the U.S. Navy depot ship Proteus brought Polaris ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines and CND protesters to the Firth of Clyde at nearby Sandbank, and Dunoon provided shore facilities. Holy Loch was for 30 years, the home port for US Navy SUBRON-14 (Submarine Squadron-14). In 1992 the U.S. base was withdrawn following the demise of the Soviet Union, leading to a change in the local economy and protest from taxi drivers.
The annual Cowal Highland Gathering is a highlight of Dunoon's year and attract many hundreds of contestants from over the world and many thousands of spectators.
Toward Castle, formerly owned by the Lamont family is not far from the town.
The Arboretum at Benmore Botanic Garden, part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, is situated 7 miles north of the town just before the scenic Loch Eck. The garden, formerly a private garden for the Younger family, is now open to the public and has a gift shop and tearoom.