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Slieve League, County Donegal
Photograph: Tony Webster from San Francisco, California · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Province of Ulster

County Donegal

Dún na nGall

“doon na NGAL” · fort of the foreigners, from dún (fort) + gall (foreigner)

Known as The Forgotten County. A modern nickname and a complaint: Donegal is the county most often left off the map, cut off from the rest of the Republic by the border and a long way from anyone making decisions.

Did you know? Tory Island, seven miles offshore, has long chosen a 'King of Tory' — for generations the islanders' chosen spokesman greeted every visitor stepping off the ferry.
A fact like this for every county and every age →

Compare with another county → · Printable one-page summary →

Donegal by the numbers
Ulster province 167,084 people · 2022 census 4,860 km² · 4th of 32 by size County town Lifford -14% in the Famine · 296,448 people in 1841, 255,000 in 1851 (approx.) 8 baronies · 2,712 townlands 1930s folklore · the Schools' Collection ↗ 50 surnames 6 towns on the site 7,750 daily Irish speakers Highest point Errigal, 751 m 2 senior All-Irelands 30 notable people born here 2,289 historic buildings recorded Everything on the site about Donegal ↓
Carlow Cavan Cork Donegal Dublin Clare Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone

Open the atlas ↗

The history of Donegal

Donegal was Tír Chonaill, the kingdom of the O'Donnells, who from the 13th century to about 1600 were the second most powerful family in Ulster after the O'Neills. They ruled from Donegal Castle and from the 1460s inaugurated their kings at Doon Rock near Kilmacrennan; the county's arms, drawn up in the 1970s, still echo theirs.

The English made Tír Chonaill and Inishowen into a county in 1585 but could not control it until after Kinsale, and full control came only with the Flight of the Earls from near Rathmullan in September 1607. O'Doherty's Rebellion broke out here in 1608, and the Plantation of Ulster followed from 1610; until then the city of Derry was part of Donegal. The Great Famine hit Donegal as hard as anywhere in Ulster, and whole districts were emptied for good as people left through the port of Derry.

Partition in the 1920s cut the county off from Derry, its main port and market for centuries, and left it joined to the rest of the Free State by only a few kilometres of border. The Troubles reached into Donegal too. In May 1943 eighteen men and boys were killed at Ballymanus when a sea mine they were bringing ashore exploded. The county's own politicians have called it the "forgotten county".

Drawn from the History section of the Wikipedia article on County Donegal ↗, rewritten here and adding nothing it does not say; licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The chronology above is this site's own; where the two differ, the article is the one to check.

The land — from Wikipedia

Located in the northwest corner of Ireland, Donegal is the island's northernmost county. In terms of size and area, it is the largest county in Ulster and the fourth-largest county in all of Ireland. Uniquely, County Donegal shares a small border with only one other county in the Republic of Ireland – County Leitrim. The vast majority of its land border (93%) is shared with three counties of Northern Ireland: County Tyrone, County Londonderry, and County Fermanagh. This geographic isolation from the rest of the Republic has led to Donegal people maintaining a distinct cultural identity and has been used to market the county with the slogan "Up here it's different". While Lifford is the county town, Letterkenny is by far the largest town in the county with a population of just under 20,000. Letterkenny and the nearby city of Derry form the main economic axis in the northwest of Ireland. Indeed, what became the City of Derry was officially part of County Donegal up until 1610.

Places of interest

The area's attractions include Glenveagh National Park (formerly part of the Glenveagh Estate). The park is a 170 km2 (about 42,000 acre) nature reserve with scenery of mountains, raised boglands, lakes, and woodlands. At its heart is Glenveagh Castle, a late Victorian 'folly' that was originally built as a summer residence. The Shuggling Stone, a granite boulder near Glen village, is a picturesque site. County Donegal was voted number one on The National Geographic Traveller (UK) 'cool list' for 2017.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Clans & surnames of Donegal
Begley Ó Beaglaoich Gaelic sept (gallowglasses) · “descendant of the little hero, from beaglaoch” Boyce Ó Buadhaigh Gaelic sept & Norman · “descendant of Buadhach, ‘victorious’; or Norman ‘de Bois’, of the wood” Boyle Ó Baoighill Gaelic sept · “descendant of Baoigheall, 'vain pledge'” Bradley Ó Brolcháin Gaelic sept / English place-name surname · “descendant of Brolachán, a diminutive of Brólach” Breslin Ó Breisleáin Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Breasal — the meaning of the personal name is not securely known” Brogan Ó Brógáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Brógán — probably from bróg, 'shoe'” Cafferty Mac Eachmharcaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Eachmharcach, 'horse-rider'” Cannon Mac Canann Gaelic sept · “son of Cana, 'a whelp' or wolf cub” Carolan Ó Cearbhalláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cearbhallán, 'little Cearbhall'” Clarke Ó Cléirigh Gaelic learned family · “descendant of the cleric — possibly Europe's oldest surname (916 AD)” Curran Ó Corráin Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Corrán” Doherty Ó Dochartaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dochartach, 'the hurtful'” Duffy Ó Dubhthaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dubhthach, 'the dark one'” Dwyer Ó Dubhuidhir Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dubhodhar, ‘black Odhar’” Early Ó Maolmhochóirghe Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Maolmhocheirghe, ‘chief of early rising’” Friel Ó Firghil Gaelic sept · “descendant of Fearghal, 'super-valour'” Gallagher Ó Gallchobhair Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gallchobhar, 'foreign help'” Gill Mac an Ghoill Norse-Gaelic · “son of the foreigner” Gilligan Mac Giollagáin Gaelic sept · “son of Giollagán — 'youth, lad'” Gormley Ó Goirmleaghaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Goirmshleaghach, 'blue-spearman'” Harkin Ó hEarcáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Earcán, a diminutive of earc, ‘red, speckled’” Hegarty Ó hÁgartaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Fágartach” Kerrigan Ó Ciaragáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ciaragán — from ciar, black” Laverty Ó Laithbheartaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Flaithbheartach” Magee Mag Aoidh Gaelic sept · “son of Aodh, 'fire'” McBride Mac Giolla Bhríde Gaelic sept · “son of the servant of St Brigid” McDaid Mac Daibhéid Gaelic sept · “son of Davet, a diminutive of David” McFadden Mac Pháidín Scots-Gaelic & Irish · “son of Páidín, 'little Patrick'” McGinley Mag Fhionnghaile Gaelic sept · “son of Fionnghal, ‘fair valour’” McGoldrick Mag Ualghairg Gaelic sept · “son of Ualgharg, ‘proud-fierce’” McGonigle Mag Congail Gaelic sept · “a variant of Mac Congail; Woulfe gives no meaning here” McLoughlin Mac Lochlainn Gaelic dynasty · “son of Lochlann, 'the Norse-lander'” McNelis Mac Niallghuis Gaelic sept · “son of Niallghus, 'champion-choice'” McNulty Mac an Ultaigh Gaelic sept · “son of the Ulsterman” Mulhern Ó Maoilchiaráin Gaelic sept · “descendant of the servant of St Ciarán” Mullarkey Ó Maoilearca Gaelic sept · “descendant of the servant of St Earc” Mulligan Ó Maolagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolagán, 'the little tonsured one'” Murray Ó Muireadhaigh / Mac Muireadhaigh Gaelic sept & Scots · “descendant of Muireadhach, 'seafarer / lord'” O'Donnell Ó Domhnaill Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Domhnall, 'world-ruler'” Quigley Ó Coigligh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Coigleach” Rafferty Ó Raithbheartaigh Gaelic sept · “a corruption of Ó Robhartaigh” Rigney Ó Raigne Gaelic sept · “a variant of Ó Raighne; Woulfe gives no meaning here” Seery Ó Saoraidhe Gaelic sept (from a Norse personal name) · “a later form of Ó Síoghradha, descendant of Síoghraidh, the Norse Sigefrith” Sharkey Ó Searcaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Searcach, 'loving'” Shiel Ó Siadhail Gaelic sept · “descendant of Siadhal” Sweeney Mac Suibhne Scots-gallowglass · “son of Suibhne, 'well-going'” Tierney Ó Tighearnaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Tighearnach, 'lordly'” Toner Ó Tomhrair Gaelic-Norse · “descendant of Tomhrar — a Norse personal name” Ward Mac an Bhaird Gaelic learned family · “son of the bard” Watters Mac Uaitéir / Ó hUisce / Ó Fuaruisce Gaelic septs & Ulster settlers · “'son of Walter' (Mac Uaitéir) — or, for the Gaelic septs, names built on 'uisce', water: 'descendant of the water' (Ó hUisce), 'cold water' (Ó Fuaruisce)”

Tap a name for its full page — story, homeland map and neighbours. Or see all surnames from County Donegal, with the other counties each name is tied to.

Towns, saints and legends of Donegal

Towns. Letterkenny Leitir Ceanainn (22,549, 2022), Buncrana Bun Cranncha (6,971, 2022), Carndonagh Carn Domhnach (2,768, 2022), Bundoran Bun Dobhráin (2,599, 2022), Ballyshannon Béal Átha Seanaidh (2,246, 2022), Donegal Town Dún na nGall. What every town name means →

Saints. St Colmcille (9 June).

Legends set here. Tory Island — Balor's fortress. On the atlas →

First names that belong here. Niall, Aodh, Colm, Conall, Cathaoir, Maghnus, Conán, Éigneachán.

Irish in Donegal today

At the 2022 census, 59,130 people in Donegal said they could speak Irish. 7,750 speak it every day outside school, and 4,533 weekly.

39 primary schools here teach entirely through Irish (2025/26, 2,505 pupils), and 5 secondary schools.

Donegal's Gaeltacht had 24,220 people in 2022, 5,753 of them daily Irish speakers. The Gaeltacht in numbers →

CSO, Census 2022, table SAP2022T3T2CTY. Every county compared →

The top of Donegal

Errigal (An Earagail), 751 metres, in the Derryveagh Mountains.

National park: Glenveagh (1984). All the national parks →

Wrecks on its coast: HMS Saldanha (1811), SS Cambria (1870), HMS Wasp (1884), HMS Audacious (1914), HMS Viknor (RMS Atrato) (1915), SS Laurentic (1917), SS Athenia (1917), RMS Amazon (1918), SS Justicia (1918). Shipwrecks of Ireland →

Rivers and loughs: River Erne, River Foyle, River Finn.

MountainViews, via Wikipedia. Every county's highest point → · Rivers and loughs →

Donegal in the All-Ireland

Hurling: no senior title.
Football: 2 senior titles (1992, 2012); 2 finals lost.

Every county's All-Ireland titles →

Born in Donegal

From Wikidata: people whose recorded birthplace is in the county, who have a Wikipedia article and are no longer living, with dates shown only where the article confirms them, ordered by how many languages Wikipedia covers them in. Traditional birthplaces of early saints are as Wikidata records them.

People in Donegal, census by census

Donegal had 296,448 people in 1841 and has 167,084 now (-44%). Its peak was 296,448 in 1841; its low point 108,344 in 1971, -63% of 1841. It has never regained the population it had before the Famine.

1821183118411851186118711881189119011911192619361946195119561961196619711979198119861991199620022006201120162022
120,559141,845296,448255,158237,395218,334206,035185,635173,722168,537152,508142,310136,317131,530122,059113,842108,549108,344121,941125,112129,664128,117129,994137,575147,264161,137159,192167,084

Census returns as tabulated in the county's Wikipedia article. All 32 counties, 1821 to today →

Hidden Donegal — the places the buses miss
  • Grianán of Aileach
    The stone ring-fort of the Northern Uí Néill, 250 metres up above Lough Swilly, with terraces inside its walls for the assembled warriors of Ailech.
  • Doon Well
    A well beneath the Rock of Doon, where the O'Donnells were inaugurated — pilgrims still tie rags to the bushes and leave crutches they no longer need.
  • Lough Derg (St Patrick's Purgatory)
    A cave Patrick was said to have seen Purgatory in, medieval Europe's most famous pilgrimage; pilgrims still fast barefoot for three days on the island.
  • Doagh Famine Village
    A village of thatched cottages lived in until 1983, telling the Inishowen story from eviction to Republican safe-houses — eccentric, and unforgettable.
  • Port, Glencolmcille
    A ghost village at the end of a road with no other houses for miles, abandoned after the Famine — storm beach, sea stacks, and silence.
  • Tory Island
    Not deserted — defiantly not. The island has its own 'king', a school of naïve painters, and the Balor of the Evil Eye in its folklore.
  • Rathmullan
    The pier from which the Earls sailed in September 1607 (Hugh O'Neill, Rory O'Donnell and ninety followers) never to return. Ulster's history pivots here.
On the ground in Donegal

Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →

Everything on the site about County Donegal

The county

History

Monuments and heritage

Coast and country

People and culture

Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Donegal?

Dún na nGall. Donegal is one of the 9 counties of Ulster (Cúige Uladh).

Who ruled County Donegal in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Tír Chonaill (O'Donnell); by 1450, O'Donnell of Tír Chonaill. The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Donegal?

Names historically associated with Donegal include Begley, Boyce, Boyle, Bradley, Breslin, Brogan, Cafferty, Cannon, among others.

What does Dún na nGall mean?

Dún na nGall, said “doon na NGAL”, means fort of the foreigners — from dún (fort) + gall (foreigner). The foreigners are the Vikings. The county town gave the county its name, though Lifford is the county town today.

What is the population of County Donegal?

167,084 at the 2022 census, against 296,448 in 1841, before the Famine.

What is the county town of Donegal?

Lifford. County Donegal covers about 4,860 km², which makes it the 4th largest of the 32 counties.

Who are famous people from County Donegal?

Among the best-known people born in Donegal are Columba, Moya Brennan, John Toland, Rory Gallagher, Kathleen Antonelli, Adomnán. The full list, with their birthplaces, is on this page.

What did the Famine do to County Donegal?

The census counted 296,448 people in Donegal in 1841 and 255,000 in 1851 (the 1851 figure is approximate): a change of -14% in ten years, through death and emigration.

Sources for this page

A clean copy for school projects or the family file; collapsed sections print in full.

The chronology of who held the county is this site's own reading of the standard histories onto today's county borders, and says so where the fit is rough. Quoted passages are marked and licensed. Spotted an error? Say so — corrections are credited.

Trace your ancestors in Donegal

Free, from the holding institutions. How to begin: the six-step guide → · Spotted an error on this page? Suggest a correction.