Discovering Donegal: Seven Places, People and Plays from Ireland’s Unique Northernmost County

Donegal, in Ireland’s far northwest corner, is a land of mist-laden hills, wild coastlines, heroic tales and ancient echoes from a time when myth and history were indistinguishable. It’s also a county full of people who will crack a joke for you and quickly laugh along, taking joy from the punchline and even more from the fact that you almost certainly haven’t understood a single word they’ve said. In a land of strong accents, the people of Donegal possess one of its strongest!

Donegal is — political history alert! — uniquely positioned both as Ireland’s northernmost county and still not part of the separate official entity known as Northern Ireland. That fact goes back to the notorious Treaty of 1921, which separated Northern Ireland’s six counties from the other 26, and in a way that most Donegal people will never forget, left the county a little out on its own — not part of the UK-administered North, thankfully, but also a bit detached from the Republic. The county is connected to the rest of the “south” on just a sliver of land — a six-mile boundary with County Leitrim. The other 93% of Donegal’s county boundaries are with Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry, all part of Northern Ireland.

Still here? Great! 

Okay, now that the thorny border question is out of the way, what more can we find in Donegal? Well, a million things, of course. With 4,860 square kilometers, Donegal is Ireland’s fourth largest county, and the largest county in the province of Ulster. Not only that, but with more than 1,000km of coastline, over 100 gorgeous beaches and some of the most iconic of islands — Arranmore and Tory both have hundreds of residents and are only reachable by ferry — you’re never far from a story to stop you in your tracks.

For those tracing their Irish roots or even if you’re just finding your way to the northernmost part of the fabled “Wild Atlantic Way”, Donegal offers not just landscapes to savor but a full mind-and-body immersion in the fabric of the past, where mist-soaked mountains lie around every bend in the road and the Atlantic Ocean whispers, or roars, its long-forgotten tales.

Here are seven remarkable things to note from in and around Donegal, each with its own captivating story to tell. 

Jump aboard and join us on the journey.

1. A County Where Myths and Misunderstandings Meet

Near the iconic silver quartzite peak of Mount Errigal — the county’s tallest mountain — the Poisoned Glen offers an intriguing contradiction. 

The church of Dunlewy in the Poisoned Glen, with Mount Errigal in the background. Source: Wikimedia Commons

If you’re like most people, hearing the name “The Poisoned Glen” probably brought up ideas of tragedy or treachery or both. The valley’s name hints at deadly stories of yore, but far from the promise of its place name, this serene valley owes its origins to … a linguistic mix-up!

The Gaelic language place name is Gleann, meaning “valley” or “glen”, and nemhe, translated as “of heaven”, or “heavenly”.

So you would think the place’s actual anglicized translation might be “Heavenly Glen”, right? 

Wrong!

A translation error transformed it into something far more ominous. The story goes that when early English-speaking mapmakers or local officials attempted to anglicize the name, they confused the word nemhe (heavenly) with the identical-sounding and similar-spelling neimhe (meaning poisonous or venomous). 

Thus, instead of Heavenly Glen, Gleann Nemhe became Poisoned Glen in English, which, we’re sure you’ll agree, promises an altogether different experience for the visitor.

This mix-up also reflects the broader challenges of translating Irish Gaelic to English, especially during periods under British rule when local names were often anglicized with little regard for their original meanings. 

Indeed, Donegal itself is an interesting study in anglicized titles. The county name is translated from its main town, Dún na nGall, meaning “Fort of the Foreigner”, while the ancient Irish county was instead known as Tír Chonaill, or “Land of Conall”. It’s not unusual when the footballers of Donegal take to Ireland’s Gaelic football fields for the shout to go up, “Tír Chonaill Abú”, which although it doesn’t include the words “Donegal” or “Dún na nGall” might still be translated as “C’mon Donegal!”

These translation issues are not unique to Donegal. Many Irish place names have also gone through the translation journey, with mixed results. One example is Tandragee in County Armagh, which sounds cool enough until you realize it’s an anglicized version of “Tóin re Gaoith”, meaning “backside to the wind”, an altogether better place name! Another is Muckanaghederdauhaulia. Let’s say it slowly together: Muck-Anna-Eder-Doo-Awl-Aya. One of Ireland’s longest place names, it is said to be an anglicized version of “Pig Farm Between Two Seas”. Here’s Irish radio having some fun with it.

@rteradio1 Are you from Muckanaghederdauhaulia? 😅 Maybe you’ve holidayed in Newtownmoneenluggagh or gone for tea in Carrickballydoey Glebe? Cormac was keen to show off his pronunciation of what he thinks is Irelands longest place name #Drivetime 🗺️ Anyone know or longer? 👀 @Sarah McInerney ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - dg cria

2. The House of Dancing At Lughnasa

Sticking with translations (and sticking with pigs too!) a house connected with one of Ireland’s best remembered writers, Brian Friel, is on its way to becoming a center focused on the preservation and appreciation for his work.

Friel’s life is a fascinating representation of what it meant to be Irish in the 20th and 21st centuries. Born in Tyrone (in Northern Ireland), his mother Mary McLoone was a postmistress in the small town of Glenties in south-west Donegal. They lived in Derry (in Northern Ireland) where Friel attended and later taught school before he returned across the border to settle in Donegal in the 1960s.

Sometimes known as the “Irish Chekhov” for plays that shone a light on the personal lives and inner worlds of ordinary people, Friel rose to international fame and prominence through a series of plays including: Translations, a play about that aforementioned subject of language, communication and cultural imperialism; Philadelphia Here I Come!, which brought inner psychology straight to the Broadway stage through the character of Gar Private as Gar O’Donnell (or Gar Public) looks forward with hope and bitterness to leaving his father and emigrating to the United States; and perhaps most famously now, Dancing At Lughnasa, written in 1990 and set in the Donegal of the 1930s, following the story of the five Mundy sisters. Dancing At Lughnasa was made into a hit Hollywood movie in 1998, starring Meryl Streep as Kate Mundy. 

Following Friel’s death interested locals established the Brian Friel Trust with the aim of restoring the dilapidated old cottage called “The Laurels”, where Friel’s mother lived and which provided the setting for the Lughnasa story. 

The dual vision of the Brian Friel Trust is to completely restore and renovate “The Laurels” as the “Dancing At Lughnasa House” and also to establish a Brian Friel Centre in the nearby Court House. The Laurels had fallen into disrepair but the trust has raised the funds to buy it, working to secure the building’s integrity and also succeeding in weather-proofing its roof, windows and outer walls. 

As of this writing, a GoFundMe page has raised more than €25,000 of a target €50,000 to complete Phase 2 of the project, the entire scope of which is expected to run to €5 million.

And what about the pigs reference, you ask? Well, “The Laurels” sits in the townland of Gortnamuclagh near Glenties. The literal translation of Gortnamuclagh? “Field of the herds of swine”.

3. Grianán of Aileach – The Fort of the Sun Kings

Donegal’s hills are so famous they got a song of their own from a band called — you know by now Donegal is good for names, right? — Goats Don’t Shave.

At the top of one of those hills, Greenan Montain at the entry to the Inishowen peninsula in the north, stands the ancient stone fort of Grianán of Aileach, a sentinel over more than thousand of years of Irish history. Believed to have been the seat of the Kings of Aileach, this structure, dating to around 700 AD, connects visitors to the ancient rulers who once held sway over Ulster. The panoramic views from the top stretch into neighboring counties, offering the same vistas that chieftains once surveyed while contemplating the fate of their lands. 

Its stone walls and perfectly circular design make it one of the most unique of Irish historical sites.

Grianan of Aileach Source: Wikimedia Commons

4. Rathmullan and the Flight of the Earls – A Departure That Changed Ireland

"Flight of the Earls" sculpture, Rathmullan — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Rathmullan, on the shores of Lough Swilly, was the backdrop for one of the most consequential events in Irish history — the Flight of the Earls in 1607. 

Stand at Rathmullan and think back more than 400 years to the momentous events that took place in this quiet stretch of water, and you can almost feel the weight of history around you. 

The Earls, including Hugh O'Neill (Earl of Tyrone) and Rory O'Donnell (1st Earl of Tyrconnell), and about 90 of their followers, left Ireland for a permanent exile in mainland Europe, landing in Normandy before dispersing to Flanders and Italy amongst other places. 

Prior to their departure the Earls had fought the Nine Years’ War against British rule in Ireland. Rory O’Donnell’s predecessor as clan chief, his older brother Hugh Roe (or “Red Hugh”), had led the fight against the British before a terrible defeat in the Siege of Kinsale in 1602. He then traveled to Spain to seek support for a renewed opposition, but died in the town of Simancas near Valladolid and is said to have been buried there beside the remains of one Christopher Columbus. 

These moments in history, including Red Hugh’s premature death and then the dramatic Flight of the Earls, marked the end of Ireland’s traditional Gaelic order across most of the island and led directly to the Plantation of Ulster by the British crown. This heralded the beginning of centuries of British rule in Ireland — and the beginnings of a conflict which in some ways remains unresolved to this day, with the 1921 Treaty creating Partition, memories of The Troubles in Northern Ireland still recent for many people and a large number of Irish people on both sides of the border now advocating for a referendum on Irish unity.

5. Sliabh Liag Cliffs – Nature’s Towering Cathedral

Rising more than 600 meters above the Atlantic Ocean, the cliffs of Sliabh Liag (sometimes anglicized as Slieve League) have the proud claim of being Europe’s highest sea cliffs. 

While the Cliffs of Moher down the west coast in County Clare might try to steal the spotlight, Slieve League offers an even more dramatic experience, especially for the visitor. One thing is sure, your breath will be taken away, either by the raw grandeur of the site or the stiff wind hitting you in the face from the Atlantic.

The cliffs have long been a place of pilgrimage, contemplation and awe, inspiring generations of Donegal’s people and visitors alike. Standing either near the cliffs — via the clifftop Pilgrims Path walk — or looking towards the cliffs from the nearby viewing point at Bunglass, you might feel like standing at the edge of the world.

6. The Forgotten Castles of Donegal – Ruins of Power and Persistence

Donegal is dotted with the remnants of castles, each telling its own tale of feudal power, clan rivalries, and medieval life. 

Many visitors will check out the famed Donegal Castle in Donegal town, which was the seat of the aforementioned O’Donnell clan, but there are several secluded castles, some well-preserved to this day and others offering ruined reminders of Ireland’s past.

Glenveagh Castle, nestled in Donegal’s national park, is a beautiful structure, but it is fairly recent, having been built in around 1870. From medieval days, Rahan or McSwyne’s Castle stands as a windswept ruin, dating from around the 15th century. 

Donegal’s many castles serve as both tangible links to Donegal’s turbulent past and symbols of the region’s indomitable spirit. Walking among these stone relics, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of history pressing against you, inviting reflection on the struggles and triumphs of those who came before.

7. Tory Island – A Kingdom of Art and Tradition

Lying more than seven nautical miles off Donegal’s northern coast, Tory Island is known for its remoteness, to be sure, but also, uniquely, for maintaining possibly Ireland’s last symbolic monarchy. Until recently, at least.

Peatsaí Dan Mac Ruairí (or Patsy Dan Rodgers in English) was an artist and musician who, in his role as King of Tory for 25 years from 1993, welcomed visitors to Tory and entertained them with music and stories from the island.

Originally born in faraway Dublin, Patsy Dan held historical roots in Tory and moved there when he was adopted as a young child. As of 2024, six years after Patsy Dan passed away, the role of King of Tory remains unfilled … but maybe somebody reading this will ascend to the “throne” and again regale visitors to one of Ireland’s most iconic islands with its unique song and story.

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Thanks for joining us on this whistle stop tour of one of Ireland’s most famous counties. Donegal really is a land where history is written in every landscape and where the past is never just a memory but informs every experience of the day to day. 

From the sea cliffs of Sliabh Liag to the stories of Red Hugh’s bravery, the plays of Brian Friel which brought memories of a tiny Donegal town to the West End, Broadway and the silver screen, from the strongest of accents to Donegal’s status as free and independent outsiders, a little adrift both of Northern Ireland and the Republic, Donegal truly is a unique part of Ireland.

And all we can say is, if you’ve got a connection to this place, or you’ve recently rediscovered some long lost Donegal family history … lucky you!