Letterkenny Leitir Ceanainn | |
|---|---|
 From top, left to right:St Eunan's Cathedral,An Grianán Theatre, the Market Square,St Eunan's College, Polestar Roundabout (also known as the Port Roundabout),Letterkenny Institute of Technology. | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: the Cathedral Town | |
| Motto(s): Ubique Urbem Reminiscar "Remember the town wherever I am" | |
  Letterkenny Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:54°57′24″N7°43′13″W / 54.9566°N 7.7203°W /54.9566; -7.7203 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Donegal |
| Baronies | Kilmacrenan andRaphoe North |
| Dáil constituency | Donegal |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.5 km2 (6.0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 52 m (171 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 22,549 |
| • Density | 1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi) |
| Irish Grid Reference | C171121 |
| Dialing code | 074 91// 0035374 |
Letterkenny (Irish:Leitir CeanainnIrish pronunciation:[ˈl̠ʲɛtʲəɾʲˈcanˠən̠ʲ], meaning "hillside of the O'Cannons"), nicknamed the Cathedral Town,[3][4][5] is a large town inCounty Donegal,Ireland, on theRiver Swilly in the north-west ofUlster.[1] Along with the nearby city ofDerry, Letterkenny is a regional economic gateway for the north-west of Ireland.[6]
Letterkenny began as amarket town at the start of the 17th century, during thePlantation of Ulster. A castle once stood near where theCathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, County Donegal's onlyCatholic cathedral, stands today. Letterkenny Castle, built in 1625, was located south of Mt Southwell on Castle Street. County Donegal's largest third-level institution,Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Letterkenny, is located in the town, as areSt Eunan's College,Highland Radio, and aHindu temple.[7] Letterkenny was also the original home ofOatfield Sweet Factory, a confectionery manufacturer; the factory closed and was demolished in 2014.[8] In 1798,Theobald Wolfe Tone was arrested at Laird's Hotel in the town.[9] In 2015, Letterkenny was judged as the tidiest town in Ireland.[10]
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Letterkenny takes its name from the IrishLeitirceanainn, meaning "Hillside of the O'Cannons" – the O'Cannons being the last of the ancient chieftains ofTír Conaill. While no evidence of forts or castles belonging to the O'Cannon clan exists in the Letterkenny district, eight miles west of Letterkenny is located Doon Rock, believed by some to be an ancient inauguration site of the O'Cannon Kings.
The O'Cannon dynasty is descended fromConn of the Hundred Battles andNiall of the Nine Hostages, two of Ireland'sancient High Kings. The O'Cannons have been described as 'Ancient Princes of Tír Connaill' and 'Valiant Chiefs'. Their 350-year dynasty in Tír Connaill ended in 1250. Their ancient territory is recorded as being in Tír Aeda (now thebarony ofTirhugh) in what is now South Donegal. After the deaths of Ruairí Ó Canannain (Rory O'Cannon) and his son Niall Ó Canannain in 1250, thesept declined greatly in power. Brian Ó Néill (Brian O'Neill) died ten years later in 1260; he had supported an Ó Canannain claimant to Tír Conaill, i.e. to the Kingdom of Tír Conaill (Tirconnell). However, the O'Cannon Clan remained subservient to theO'Donnell Clan, the Kings of Tír Chonaill from the early thirteenth century onwards after Gofraid O'Donnell helped the English defeat the O'Cannons in 1250. The personal name Canannain is a diminutive of Cano meaning 'wolf cub'. Canannain was fifth in descent fromFlaithbertach mac Loingsig (died765),high-king of Ireland; they were the descendants ofNiall of the Nine Hostages (Irish: Niall Noigiallach), who diedc.405 A.D., by his sonConall Gulban, who gave his name toTír Conaill, the 'Land of Conall', now County Donegal.
By the early 17th century, the name Uí Canannain had beenanglicised to O'Cannon. Further anglicisation took place during thePenal Laws in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the name in Co. Dun na nGall became Cannon. In the early 1880s, there were just 200 families bearing the Cannon surname living in County Donegal, who were mainly tenant farmers. The Cannons/O'Canannains were of the ancient sept of Cenell Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill and descend from Ruaidrí ua Canannain (died 30 November 950), King of Cenel Conaill, and grandson of Canannain, who flourished in the second half of the 9th century. The site of the ancient seat of the Ó Canannain was near Letterkenny (the largest town of County Donegal only since the 1950s), which is said to represent the countryside of the O'Cannons (English translation).
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The modern town of Letterkenny began as amarket town at the start of the 17th century, during thePlantation of Ulster. It may have been established on the site of an earlierGaelic settlement. It was the first crossing point of theRiver Swilly. In the recent past, Letterkenny was a largely agricultural town, surrounded by extensive cattle and sheep grazing on what was then untilled hillside – at a time when Conwal (3 km west of Letterkenny) was the ecclesiastical and seaport centre. The waters of the Atlantic had not yet retreated from the basin of the Swilly, whose estuary at that time extended up almost as far as New Mills – proof of this may be found in those alluvial flatlands between theOldtown and the Port Road.
Rory O'Cannon, the last chieftain of the O'Cannon Clan, was killed in 1248. Godfrey O'Donnell succeeded Rory O'Cannon as King ofTír Conaill. He engaged the Norman lordMaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly, in battle atCredan in the north of what is nowCounty Sligo in 1257 in which both were badly wounded – Fitzgerald immediately fatally so. Godfrey (also dying from his wounds) retired to a crannóg in Lough Beag (Gartan Lake).O'Neill ofTír Eoghain — taking advantage of Godfrey's fatal illness — demanded submission, hostages and pledges from theCenél Conaill since they had no strong chieftain since the wounding of Godfrey. Godfrey summoned his forces and led them himself, although he had to be carried on a litter (stretcher). O'Neill and his men were completely defeated by the Swilly in 1258. Godfrey died however after the battle near where the town of Letterkenny is today. He was buried inConwal Cemetery. A cross-shaped coffin slab marks his grave to this day.
The receding of the waters of the Atlantic eastwards enabled progress, and with the building of bridges etc., the town of Letterkenny started to take the shape it has today. In the wake of thePlantation of Ulster (which began around 1609), when a 4 square kilometres (990 acres) area was granted to aScotsman Patrick Crawford, the compact community formed.
The honour of formally launching the town fell toSir George Marbury who married Patrick Crawford's widow — Crawford having died suddenly while on a return visit to his native Scotland. Initially, there were possibly fifty simple habitations sited wherethe Oldtown is situated today.
The main streets, though now suffering traffic congestion, were simple pony tracks used by the hill farmers to come to the markets. The markets — started by Patrick Crawford with only a few animals — grew into much busier markets which are not present today.
An ancient castle once stood near where theCathedral of St Eunan and St Columba stands today. Letterkenny Castle, built in 1625, was located south of Mt Southwell on Castle Street. No remains of the castle exist today.
During theIrish Rebellion of 1798, on 12 October, a large French force consisting of 3,000 men, includingWolfe Tone, attempted to land inCounty Donegal near Lough Swilly. They were intercepted by a large BritishRoyal Navy force, and finally surrendered after a three-hour battle without ever landing in Ireland. AfterWolfe Tone was captured he was held for a short time at Laird's Hotel (opposite the Market Square) in the Main Street of Letterkenny[11] before being transferred to the nearbyDerry Gaol. He was later tried by a court-martial in Dublin and found guilty. His death through suicide occurred in prison.
In 1824, when the first description of Letterkenny as a modern town was written, it was stated that:"Within half a mile is the Port ofBallyraine, whither vessels of 100 tons bring iron, salt and colonial produce and whence they export hides and butter". Nothing remains now except the warehouses with the example of 19th-century warehouse architecture.[12]
Letterkenny achieved town status in the early 1920s following thepartition of Ireland. When theIrish punt replaced the Britishpound sterling in County Donegal in 1928, many Irish banks that had been previously located inDerry (in the newNorthern Ireland) opened branches in Letterkenny.
Climate data for Letterkenny is recorded at Malin Head in the far northern tip of the county. Malin Head's climate is classified asTemperateOceanic (KöppenCfb) and is significantly milder than some other locations in the world at a similar latitude; this is due to the station's position near the Atlantic Coast and exposure to the warmth of theGulf Stream. Due to its northerly latitude, Malin Head experiences long summer days and short winter days. Summers are cool with temperatures rarely exceeding 25 °C (77 °F), while winters are relatively mild with daytime temperatures rarely dropping below 0 °C (32 °F). Extreme heat is very rare; however, the town can on occasion receive extreme cold from the Arctic where temperatures drop several degrees below 0 °C (32 °F). Snow is relatively uncommon and the station receives on average 20 days of recorded snowfall per year, the vast majority of this occurring between December and March. Humidity is high year-round and rainfall is spread quite evenly throughout the year, with winter months receiving the rainiest days.
| Climate data for Letterkenny,Donegal (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8 (46) | 8 (46) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | 14 (57) | 16 (61) | 17 (63) | 18 (64) | 16 (61) | 13 (55) | 10 (50) | 8 (46) | 12.2 (54.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4 (39) | 3 (37) | 4 (39) | 6 (43) | 8 (46) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | 12 (54) | 11 (52) | 9 (48) | 6 (43) | 4 (39) | 7.5 (45.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 117.4 (4.62) | 84.8 (3.34) | 85.9 (3.38) | 63.1 (2.48) | 56.9 (2.24) | 69.1 (2.72) | 76.8 (3.02) | 93.2 (3.67) | 91.8 (3.61) | 118.4 (4.66) | 104.5 (4.11) | 114.2 (4.50) | 1,076.1 (42.35) |
| Average precipitation days | 18 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 172 |
| Average snowy days | 5.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 20.3 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 38.2 | 65.0 | 94.1 | 152.9 | 201.5 | 166.0 | 142.7 | 140.1 | 112.2 | 80.6 | 44.3 | 34.1 | 1,271.7 |
| Source 1:ECA&D | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Met Éireann | |||||||||||||
A number of Letterkenny's more notable buildings were built in the early 1850s—or earlier.[citation needed] These include educational and ecclesiastical buildings. The town's tallest building is theCathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, which was completed in 1901. The cathedral was designed by William Hague fromCounty Cavan. It is built in a light Victorian neo-Gothic version of the French 13th-century Gothic style. Located opposite the cathedral, at the junction of Church Street with Cathedral Square, isConwal Parish Church, parts of which date from the 17th century.
Another dominant building in the town isSt Eunan's College. It is a three-storey castellated structure, built in 1904 in theEdwardian variant of the neo-Hiberno-Romanesque style. It has four turretedround towers andflying buttresses which are modelled on the nearby cathedral.
Other architecturally notable buildings can be found at Mount Southwell Terrace, which is located at the top of Market Square, just off Castle Street. ThisGeorgian-style terrace of red brick was built in 1837 by Lord Southwell. The terrace contains five Georgian houses and served as a holiday home forMaud Gonne when she stayed here while holidaying in Donegal.[13]St Conal's Hospital is a large Victorian neo-Georgian structure located on theKilmacrennan Road in the town. While the oldest parts of the building date from the 1860s,[14] the hospital's chapel was built in the neo-Norman style in the 1930s.[15]
TheDonegal County Museum is housed in the old workhouse on High Road which was completed in May 1843.[16]
In later years, Letterkenny has seen more modern architectural developments. The newLetterkenny Town Council offices, known locally as "The Grasshouse", were designed by Donegal-basedMacGabhann Architects. It features a sloping grass roof situated above a broad band of aluka matt cladding and a runway-like ramp to the first-floor concourse. A 2002 article inThe Sunday Times reportedly described it as a "building of international interest".[17] The town council had previously been based in a house known as "Murrac-a-Boo", off the Port Road, which was badly damaged in a fire in 2004 and subsequently demolished.[18][19]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 3,691 | — |
| 1926 | 3,631 | −1.6% |
| 1936 | 4,080 | +12.4% |
| 1946 | 4,410 | +8.1% |
| 1951 | 4,622 | +4.8% |
| 1956 | 4,561 | −1.3% |
| 1961 | 4,679 | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 4,967 | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 5,568 | +12.1% |
| 1979 | 7,537 | +35.4% |
| 1986 | 9,864 | +30.9% |
| 1991 | 10,726 | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 11,996 | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 15,231 | +27.0% |
| 2006 | 17,586 | +15.5% |
| 2011 | 19,588 | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 19,274 | −1.6% |
| 2022 | 22,549 | +17.0% |
| Source:CSO[2][1][20][21] | ||
Letterkenny is the largest town in County Donegal. Despite having a long tradition of emigration that continued until the early 1990s, Letterkenny has since had net immigration. The recent immigrants include people from Central Europe, Africa, and Asia. This is reflected in the recent[when?] growth of immigrant restaurants and shops, including Chinese and Indian restaurants, as well as specialised shops run by and providing goods for Africans, Asians, South Americans, and Central Europeans. Letterkenny is home to one of Ireland's fewHindu temples.[7][22]
The figures for the ethnic and cultural background of people in the state in 2006 revealed that 16% of Letterkenny's population are non-nationals. The figures also show that most of Donegal's non-national population live in the town. Of the town's total population, 2,709 are non-nationals.[23] According to the 2006 census 4,957 people have a disability illness, 640 people have a registered disability, 537 have a chronic illness while 345 suffer from a psychological or an emotional condition.[24] The 2006 census also revealed that there were 199travellers living within the town's environs.[25]
Primary and secondary education in the town is organised similarly to the rest of Ireland. There are 5 primary schools in Letterkenny, includingScoil Colmcille and Woodland School, while there are 4 secondary schools.[26]
Of the four secondary schools, the most noteworthy isSt Eunan's College — aday school and formerboarding school located on Sentry Hill close to the Glencar district of Letterkenny, just northwest of its centre. The College, as it is known locally to distinguish it from thecathedral andGAA club,[27] is named afterAdomnán or Eunan (theAbbot of Iona who was native toTír Chonaill, mainly modern County Donegal, and ispatron saint of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe).
Coláiste Ailigh is aGaelcholáiste (a secondary school with the stated purpose of providing education through the Irish language). It opened in 2000. TheLoreto Convent Secondary School, adjacent to St Eunan's Cathedral, is more than 150 years old.
TheATU Donegal Letterkenny (formallyLetterkenny Institute of Technology[28]) (LYIT; known locally asThe Regional andThe IT), which is situated east of the town centre on the Port Road, is a training centre for technicians, offering courses in engineering, information technology, materials science, design, business and nursing. The institute is one of the smaller places ofthird level education in the historic province of Ulster, with a lower student intake than other colleges such asBelfast Metropolitan College and the regional colleges of theNorth West,South,South East andSouth West, all of which themselves are smaller than the universities in Northern Ireland -Queen's University Belfast andUlster University.
Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded in 1965. It is the only Donegal Chamber of Commerce affiliated toChambers Ireland, meaning it "provides input into national and regional lobbying policies", according to its website.[29]
In February 2020, theDonegal News reported that the "number of vacant commercial properties in Letterkenny had risen by 8.7 per cent by the end of [the previous year], meaning that out of 720 recorded commercial premises in the town, 134 are vacant".[30]
The retail trade in Letterkenny includes modern shopping centres and family-owned local shops – often providing handmade crafts.
Many High Street stores operate in Letterkenny. The town is the northwest region's major shopping centre[31] and helps to serve outlying areas including rural County Donegal andDerry. The three main shopping malls are theCourtyard Shopping Centre, the Letterkenny Retail Park and the Letterkenny Shopping Centre, the latter being the oldest. Built in 1984, it is the largest shopping centre inCounty Donegal,[32] and was the first of several such complexes in Letterkenny. While originally built on the outskirts of the town, urban expansion means it now lies in the town proper. Letterkenny has been identified as one of Europe's fastest-growing towns by business owners.[33] The centre remained largely unchanged until 2004, when the centre was expanded,[34] and new lighting, flooring and decor were added. More retail units were constructed along with the expansion of the Tesco outlet and thus becoming "one of the Major developments in Ireland".[35][36] These centres feature numerous international and Irish chains such asTesco,Penney's (Primark) and others. There are also many other small centres such as theGlencar Shopping Centre and theMarket Centre.
Previously,Letterkenny's Main Street served as the main shopping area in the town but trade has now shifted further afield expanding the town in the process. The Main Street is home to many older establishments including R. McCullagh Jewellers (dating from 1869),[37][38][39] Magees Pharmacy (dating from 1928)[40] and Ernest Speer Clothing Store. Newer shopping areas in the town include theLetterkenny Retail Parks onPearse Road andCanal Lane. Smaller streets such asChurch Street andCastle Street have grown in recent years[when?] with businesses such as bakeries, pharmacies and fashion outlets having been opened. TheMarket Square has also attracted fresh business.[citation needed]
In August 2012, two winningLotto tickets using the same numbers for the same draw were bought at two different locations in the town – Mac's Mace on the High Road and The Paper Post on Main Street. The occurrence made national news. A spokesperson for Lotto HQ in Dublin said it was the first time this had happened.[41]
In April 1970, theDonegal News reported that local politicians acknowledged "a very real problem" in attracting industrialists to come to the town, even in spite of grants being available to do so.[42]
The town's major employers include theLetterkenny University Hospital,Pramerica, Optum Health Care and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the latter having decentralised to the town in 1990, following a government decision to relocate 200 civil service jobs fromDublin.
Letterkenny is at the centre of industry in the northwest of Ireland.Eircom,Boston Scientific andUnitedHealth Group (Optum) are significant employers in the region. As the main commercial centre of north Donegal, Letterkenny also has a host of financial service institutions, legal firms and small businesses.
Pramerica was established in Letterkenny in 2000. It was a business and technology operations subsidiary of U.S.-based Prudential Financial Inc. (NYSE: Pru)and grew to over 2,000 employees before being taken over byTata Consultancy Services in 2020.[43] Prudential still retains some staff on site as PGIM.[44]
There has been a significant decline in the manufacturing base, while employment has grown in the service sector. Since 2002 there has been a significant expansion in the retail sector. Allied to this growth has been the development of the cultural infrastructure. This includes the opening of An Grianán Theatre and the development of a new arts centre.
Letterkenny was also home of the confectionery manufacturersOatfield. It was based at the entrance toBallyraine, near the town's central area. The factory was demolished in the summer of 2014.Rockhill Barracks was once a major contributor to the local economy but closed in January 2009 due to military cuts.[45] The Rambling Man distillery was located at the Eastend until 1976, and was not named after its owner Stephen Rambling.[46]
The economy in the town is strongly dependent on cross-border trade, and economic growth is dependent somewhat on the currencyexchange rate between theEuro and theBritish Pound.[citation needed]
Letterkenny receives all of the national television stations on the Saorview DTT platform from the local Letterkenny transmitter. Due to its close proximity to Derry City and Strabane in Northern Ireland, the town and its surrounding areas have been able to receive overspill analogue television signals from the Derry City transmitter since December 1957 and the Strabane transmitter since February 1963. The town can also receive satellite services and broadband television services too.
The regional radio station isHighland Radio which broadcasts from the town to north, east and westCounty Donegal, WestTyrone and the City ofDerry. It began broadcasting in 1990.
Letterkenny is home to several media companies. The main regional newspaper in the town and county is theDonegal Democrat (owned by theDerry Journal), whose offices also print two other titles every week – theDonegal People's Press on Tuesday and alsoDonegal on Sunday. Another local paper is theDerry People/Donegal News (popularly known locally as theDerry People). It is distributed on a Friday, as well as having a Monday edition. TheMilford-basedTirconaill Tribune, printed in Letterkenny, is distributed throughout the county. The town also produces two freesheet newspapers, theLetterkenny People (previously theLetterkenny Listener), which is distributed on a Thursday, and theLetterkenny Post, which is printed on a Thursday night for Friday circulation. TheDerry Journal, based in Derry itself, is also a major newspaper in the town and its environs.
Letterkenny became anurban district in 1899 under theLocal Government (Ireland) Act 1898.[47] This became atown council in 2002.[48] In common with all town councils, it was abolished in 2014.[49][50][51]
In November 2012, Letterkenny Town Council passed a unanimous vote of no confidence inPhil Hogan, theMinister for the Environment, Community and Local Government who had proposed the abolition of town councils.[52] In November 2013, they planned to protest Hogan's visit to the town to officially open a new wastewater treatment works at Magherenan but then decided against out of respect for those involved in the project - Mayor Paschal Blake and Deputy Mayor Tom Crossan attended to pass comment against Hogan in their speech.[53]
In 2008, Letterkenny represented Ireland in theEntente Florale, having scooped Gold in the Large Urban Centre category of the 2007National Tidy Town Awards. Locally there was a minor furore as all flags of competing nations were displayed in prominent areas of the town, with some difficulty encountered when locals discovered the controversialUnion Jack flag hanging from a pole adjacent to the library and Paddy Delap's newsagent.[54] The flag is still upsetting to many people angered by continuing British rule inNorthern Ireland and as such led to an intensely heated debate on local radio stationHighland Radio[55][56] on the day the judges were in town. The flag was first mounted the previous day (7 August) and had to be taken down when some concerns were raised about its safety on a busy Thursday night. It was remounted the following day. Nevertheless, the town won gold in the competition.[57]
Letterkenny is alocal electoral area in County Donegal, and returns five councillors toDonegal County Council. With the 3-seat LEA of Milford, it forms the municipal district of Letterkenny–Milford.[58]
Until the2016 general election, Letterkenny was part of theDonegal North-East constituency. In 2016, it became part of the county-wide five-seatDonegal constituency.
Crime rates vary widely across different areas of Letterkenny. Recorded crime has been rising in Letterkenny, notably violent crime and fraud, while links with Romanian criminals are also evident.[59][60]
A niece ofJane Austen, daughter of her brotherEdward, is buried in the town alongside her husbandLord George Hill. Two other nieces, also daughters of Edward, are buried just outside the town, close to Ballyarr.[61]
Annual events of note include theSaint Patrick's Day Parade in March andEaragail Arts Festival in June/July.
An Grianán Theatre,[62] is the largest theatre in County Donegal with a seating capacity of 383, and provides live performances.
Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre, located behind An Grianán Theatre, opened on 9 July 2007.
Letterkenny hosted the annual Irish traditional music festival, theFleadh Cheoil, for consecutive years (2005 and 2006).Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann organised both festivals. Letterkenny has also hosted the internationalPan Celtic Festival for consecutive years (2006 and 2007). Celts from Ireland, Wales, Scotland,Isle of Man, Brittany andCornwall visited Letterkenny for the "craic agus ceoil". Along with the daily street performances on Market Square, An Grianán Theatre and The Courtyard Shopping Centre, song,fiddle,harp and dance contests are also featured.
Century Cinemas,[63] located on Canal Lane, is an eight-screen cinema complex.
The La Scala Cinema was formerly located in Letterkenny.Brendan Behan, while holidaying in County Donegal on Tuesday 22 August 1961, walked there to watchEamonn Andrews interviewing him in the newsreelMeet the Quare Fella.[64] According to theDerry People, Behan chose a balcony seat and sang along with his onscreen self, "the first duet sung by one person in Letterkenny".[64] Behan had previously visited the town in early June 1960 and attended the Rainbow Bar, where (reported a newspaper) "he regaled those fortunate enough to be present with some typical outspoken comments on affairs of the present".[64]
Letterkenny is a favoured nightlife location for the local catchment area, and also for the rest ofUlster — particularly at weekends and especially for visitors from the nearby city ofDerry. TheMain Street — originally the retail centre of Letterkenny — has become a centre for nightclubs and pubs, boosted by the remnants of its old shopping district.
Letterkenny is also the namesake of the fictional town of Letterkenny, Ontario, the setting of the Canadian television show also calledLetterkenny. There is also a small locality elsewhere in Ontario named Letterkenny, now in the township ofBrudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan.
Letterkenny has a modern community purpose-built leisure and sports complex, comprising a swimming pool, football pitches (both natural grass and astroturf), and sports halls. Gaelic football, rugby and soccer are the most popular sports in the town, but many other minority sports are practised also, such ashurling, boxing, kickboxing, golf, swimming and gymnastics.
Letterkenny Rovers F.C. plays its home games atLeckview Park, at Canal Road, in the town.Bonagee United are another local team and play their home games atDry Arch Park and Glencar Celtic F.C. is another team from the town who play in the Donegal League. There also are a number of schoolboy soccer clubs within the town's environs and an annual league is played at Under 12, Under 14 and Under 16 age groups.[citation needed]
The closest professional football club isLeague of Ireland Premier Division sideFinn Harps inBallybofey, 12 miles from Letterkenny.
FormerArthurlie F.C. professional football playerDenis McLaughlin is from Letterkenny.[citation needed] Former professional footballersPaul Scholes andRory Delap also have ties to Letterkenny, as doesShane Duffy. Delap and Duffy often visit.[3][65]
Letterkenny has twoGaelic games clubs:St Eunan's and Letterkenny Gaels, who play their home games atO'Donnell Park and at Páirc na nGael in The Glebe, respectively. St Eunan's is one of Donegal's most successful clubs and has won various County and Ulster championships at underage level, as well as successes at the senior level since the turn of the 21st century.[citation needed] The Letterkenny Gaels club was formed in 1996. Letterkenny Gaels provide football, ladies' football, hurling and Scór activities to the people of the town and surrounding areas. The club currently plays in the Donegal Junior Championship. The Letterkenny Gaels club, which shares its facilities withLetterkenny Rugby Club, was promoted to Division 2 of the All-County League in 2021.[citation needed]
Rugby football is played locally at various levels, from school to senior league level.Letterkenny RFC, which was founded in 1973, is the largest rugby club in the town. It has forged links with severalNew Zealand rugby fraternities[citation needed] due to the fact thatDave Gallaher, the first captain of the All Blacks, was born inRamelton, a village eight miles (13 km) from Letterkenny. The club's rugby ground in Letterkenny was named the Dave Gallaher Memorial Park in his honour in November 2005 by a visiting contingent of All Black players, led by captainTana Umaga.[citation needed]
Letterkenny has two men's basketball teams, Letterkenny Heat and Letterkenny IT, as well as a junior basketball club, Letterkenny Blaze.[66]Letterkenny Golf Club is located just outside the town centre. There are also pitch and putt and tennis facilities in the town.Letterkenny Sports Complex, a state-of-the-art leisure centre complete with a skate park, is located on the edge of the town.Letterkenny Athletic Club is also located in the town. The town also hosts theDonegal International Rally on the third weekend of June every year and theDonegal Harvest Rally every October. There is a campaign being run by a local councillor for the construction of a horse racing track and facilities on land at the Big Isle, on the outskirts of the town.[67]
In 2014, the Donegal Marathon was relaunched in the town after a 30-year absence.[68] More than 800 participated in the 2014 race which was won by Benny Mullan.[69]
Annual events of note include the North West 10K (May),St Eunan's College 5K (May/April),Donegal International Rally (June), Gartan Triathlon (June/July) and Donegal Harvest Rally (October).
The nearest airport isCity of Derry Airport, which is located about 48 kilometres (30 mi) to the east atEglinton.Donegal Airport (locally known as Carrickfinn Airport) is less than an hour away, located to the west inThe Rosses. The closest main international airport to Letterkenny isBelfast International Airport (also known as Aldergrove Airport), located atAldergrove inCounty Antrim.
Letterkenny has a small privately operated airfield situated on the outskirts of the town which is operational; it has both hard and grass of 620 metres, hangars available for overnight guests, ICAO EILT. There is also a small private airfield at Finn Valley approx 8 miles away. It is run and operated by the Finn Valley Flying Club. The airstrip is 700 metres of grass; it is mainly for use by ultralights and light aircraft. The airfield is home to a number of ultralights, and the flying club run an open weekend each August.[citation needed] The airfield is only suitable for small private aircraft and ultralights, with no commercial traffic whatsoever.[citation needed] It is approximately 8 miles from the town.
The town was, in times past, connected with the once extensive3ft (914mm)narrow-gauge rail network of County Donegal. The two railway companies that served Letterkenny were theCounty Donegal Railways Joint Committee and theLondonderry and Lough Swilly Railway. This provided connections to Derry (and through there to Dublin and Belfast), toLifford andStrabane, toGweedore andBurtonport, and toCarndonagh, north of Derry. The rail system was built in the late 19th century, with the last extensions opening in the 20th century. Some of these lines were never profitable, built usingthen UK government subsidies. Only a couple of decades later, the independence of theIrish Free State from the rest of the UK resulted in rail companies operating across two jurisdictions where there had previously been one. This had devastating effects on an already fragile economic situation, resulting eventually in the final closure of all parts of the rail system in the area by December 1959.
Today, the closest railway station to County Donegal isDerry~Londonderry railway station in the nearby City ofDerry. This station is owned and run byNI Railways (N.I.R.) and runs viaColeraine toBelfast Lanyon Place railway station andBelfast Grand Central station. The strategically importantBelfast-Derry railway line is to be upgraded to facilitate more frequent trains and improvements to the permanent way such as track and signalling to enable faster services.[70]
In July 2023, a draft report published by theDepartment of Transport andDepartment for Infrastructure recommended a new 160 km/h (99 mph) dual-tracked electrified line betweenPortadown andDerry, and a new single-track line between Derry and Letterkenny. The draft also recommends a direct rail service from Letterkenny toDublin andBelfast. The report proposed a possible construction timeframe of between 2030 and 2050.[71]
In November 2024, Northern Ireland'sTranslink began a feasibility study into reopening the Derry-Portadown railway line.[72]
In January 2025, Declan Meehan, aDonegal County Councillor for the Letterkenny-Milford MD, put forward a motion for the Council to seek funding for a feasibility study into a railway line between Letterkenny and Derry, to coincide with Translink's study. Additionally, the motion called for a delegation from Donegal County Council to meet theincoming Government andMinister for Transport to lobby for rail re-opening to be accelerated in the county. The motion was passed.[73][74][75][76]
Bus Éireann operates multiple daily services fromLetterkenny bus station to Ireland's larger urban areas likeDublin (number 32),Derry andGalway (both number 64). Private coach companies operate daily services to and from town. TheLough Swilly Bus Company (known locally asLough Swilly orthe Swilly Bus) operated a local transport service until they ceased trading in April 2014. Bus Éireann is now the main bus service provider in the town.
Letterkenny is also connected to other parts of the county viaTFI Local Link. Routes include Route 271[77] toBurtonport, Route 264 toBallyshannon,[78] Route 300 toFanad,[79] Route 953 toMoville[80] and Route 989 toCarrigans.[81]
Private companies provide daily bus services toDerry andBelfast. Letterkenny has nocross-border public transport service linking it directly to Belfast.
Twonational primary roads serve the town: theN13 from the South (Stranorlar) and theN14 from the east (Lifford). The N13 also links into theA2 road (Northern Ireland) toDerry. TheN56secondary road, beginning at the N14 in the town, travels in a loop around the county, ending inDonegal town.Regional roads include theR245, connecting Letterkenny northward to theFanad andRosguill peninsulas, and theR250 southwest toGlenties andChurchill.
Taxi services are available from a rank on Main Street at Market Square.
Letterkenny has a long history in Ireland's nationalTidy Towns competition, first entering in 1959 and achieving its best result in 2015.[82]
In 2002, a National Anti-Litter League survey carried out byAn Taisce compared Letterkenny's excess litter to that normally associated withThe Liberties, a litter blackspot located in Dublin's impoverishedinner city.[83] It was voted "Best Kept Urban Centre" in the 2007 'Best Kept Town Awards' and took top prize in the "Large Urban Centre" category at the 2007 Tidy Towns competition.[84] It appeared to maintain its litter-free status for the remainder of that decade, judging by the results of a study by business group Irish Business Against Litter, published on 23 August 2010.[85]
In 2011, it was named its county's tidiest town, receiving 306 points, four less than the overall winnerKillarney. This included 47/50 points for its landscaping, the highest number of points scored by any town in this category. Out of the 821 entrants in the 2011 competition, Letterkenny finished in eighth place and received a gold medal for a ninth consecutive year. In the 2012 competition, it was selected as the tidiest town in the north-west of the country.[86] In 2013, it was selected as one of Ireland's top ten towns.[87]
In 2015, Letterkenny achieved its best result in the Tidy Towns competition, being awarded top prize in the "Large Urban Centre" category and receiving the overall award as Ireland's tidiest, Ireland's best.[88][89][10] Letterkenny received the same points total in 2016 but this was not sufficient to retain the title.[90]
In December 2019, theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited Letterkenny as having higher levels ofair pollution than the Indian capitalNew Delhi. Professor John Wenger said: "I've been looking at figured [sic] from the EPA for the last few years and it's the highest I've seen. It is quite extraordinary".[91] Just over two months later, theDonegal News reported that the latest EPA graphs showed levels were "still off the charts"; more than 200 micrograms per cubic metre of fineparticulate matter at times during February 2020, "when the recommendedannual mean limit set by theWorld Health Organisation [sic] forPM2.5 is just 10 micrograms per cubic metre", while levels ofsulphur dioxide in Letterkenny surpassed 200μg/m3 "even though levels are not supposed to exceed 125 μg/m3 in 24 hours in the interest of the 'protection of human health'".[92]
Water quality in Letterkenny is a persistent problem.Lonely Planet lists Donegal, in which Letterkenny is located, as one of its Irish counties in which visitors should not drink the tap water due to its featuring "toxic chemicals".[93] In March 2020, theDonegal News reported on the concerns of residents in Letterkenny that their water supply was blue in colour and/or reeked ofchlorine. The report also stated that these features of the water were less noticeable while running a tap but much more noticeable when filling a bath.[94]
TheEuropean Commission has stated that Ireland has, since 2003, been in breach of a directive against high levels ofTrihalomethane (THM) in its water.[95] The Commission stated that large amounts of THM cause diseases of theliver,kidneys andcentral nervous system, cancers of thebladder andcolon, and damages to foetuses during pregnancy.[95] The highest levels of THM were recorded in County Donegal (in which Letterkenny is located), as well as inCounties Cork,Kerry andWicklow.[95]
The following places are twinned with Letterkenny:
Letterkenny has a "friendship agreement" withWest Dunbartonshire Council, the first such agreement in Ireland with a Scottish local authority.[99]
A son of Letterkenny native, John Delap, Rory keeps in regular contact with his uncles Paddy, Brendan and Anthony and visits the Cathedral Town at least once every year.
The College played with a strong breeze... The College boys beat them by one point last year...
One of the oldest established businesses in Letterkenny, McCullagh Jewellers has a had a presence on Main Street since 1869. In more recent times a second outlet has opened in the Letterkenny Shopping Centre. Gareth Ball has taken over their reins from father Julian and after five generations in business, he's continuing the family tradition of quality and friendly service whilst offering the latest in watch and jewellery designs.
Gareth (32) first started work in the family business as a young boy, sweeping the floor and helping with bits and pieces 'out the back' before taking on a full-time role after finishing college.
Shane, whose father Michael hails from Letterkenny...
For the first time since 1983 there will be a Donegal Marathon on Sunday, August 24 [..]
Letterkeny[sic] has retained its gold medal in the 2012 [...] competition, and has been named the tidiest town in the North West region, as well as in County Donegal.
Within the past five years, the Scottish National Party representative [Martin Docherty-Hughes (Dunbartonshire West)] told the debate, the West Dunbartonshire Council had taken the 'unusual but welcome step' to recognise the connections between West Dunbartonshire and Letterkenny, with the signing of a first-ever friendship agreement between a Scottish local authority and an Irish local authority. 'I was delighted to be there to welcome the then Mayor of Letterkenny' - Councillor Ian McGarvey - 'who was related which was great'.Speaking during the House of Commons debate on the Irish Diaspora in Britain, promoted by Rochdale Labour MPTony Lloyd, on 17 March 2022.
Letterkenny travel guide from Wikivoyage
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