Donegal

I

Introduction

Donegal, county in the north-west of the province of Ulster, Republic of Ireland, bounded by the Atlantic in the north, Lough Foyle and Londonderry in Northern Ireland to the east, Fermanagh in Northern Ireland and Donegal Bay to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It has a land area of 4,830 sq km (1,865 sq mi). Donegal is much visited by tourists for its rich and varied landscape and long indented coastline with spectacular scenery. There are seven inhabited islands off shore.

II

Land and Resources

Limestone predominates in the south-east, where glacial valleys and loughs are now covered in peat. Drumlins occur, where glacial action left deposits of boulder clay in hillocks. The west of Donegal is a series of mountain ranges known collectively as the Donegal Mountains, stretching from Errigal 752 m (2,467 ft), the highest peak in the north-west, to the Blue Stacks in the south-west, all of old, hard rocks. In the south-west are the highest sea cliffs in Europe, Slieve League, 590 m (1,936 ft) high. The north coast is deeply indented, and Malin Head is the most northern point of Ireland. In the east are the lowland valleys of the Foyle and Finn, the two principal rivers. The farms are larger on the fertile land in the east; on less fertile land in the west there are tiny holdings.

Donegal has a mild climate but not quite so warm as elsewhere in the Republic. The average temperature in January is 4° C (39° F) inland, and a little warmer on the coast, and in July 14° C (57° F). The average annual rainfall is 1,000 mm (39 in) on the lowlands and 2,000 mm (78 in) on the high ground.

III

Population and Administration

Donegal has a population of 137,575 (2002). Around 76 per cent live in rural areas mainly on the west coast, and of those 775 live on seven islands, the largest being Árainn Mhór (Arranmore). Roman Catholics make up 87 per cent of the population. The Protestants live mainly in the east of the county. Ireland’s largest Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) area is located in Donegal—around 51,000 people living in the county were recognized as Irish speaking, according to the 2002 census.

The administrative seat is at Lifford (population, 2002, 1,395) and there are town councils at Buncrana (1991, 4,388), Bundoran (2002, 1,678), and Letterkenny (2002, 7,965); Ballyshannon (1991, 2,838) is administered by a town commission. Other main towns include Carndonagh (1991, 1,541) and Donegal (2002, 2,453).

IV

Places of Interest

The largest town is Letterkenny with its 19th-century Gothic Revival Roman Catholic cathedral, St Eunan’s. Three km (2 mi) west of Letterkenny is the site of an ancient monastery and the burial place of the O'Donnell clan. Lifford is on the River Foyle on the border with Northern Ireland. The town of Donegal began as a Viking settlement, and grew as the main stronghold of the O'Donnells. It has an interesting centre for crafts.

Raphoe is a sporting centre in beautiful moorland and woodland setting. Bundoran is a major seaside resort, as is Port-na-Blagh, near which is Horn Head, 183 m (600 ft) high and one of the best cliff sites in Ireland for watching puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, gannets, and fulmars. There is surfing at Rowsnowlagh. There are National Parks at Glenveigh and Ards Forest.