Letterkenny
Encyclopedia
Letterkenny with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal
, part of the Province of Ulster
in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly
. Letterkenny, located in East Donegal, and the nearby city of Derry
, form the major economic core of northwest Ireland.
In 2011, Letterkenny was named as the tidiest town in County Donegal, receiving 306 points, only four points behind the overall national winner, which was Killarney
in County Kerry
. It received a total of 47/50 points in the landscaping category and this was the highest number of points scored of any town in this category. Out of the 821 entrants in the 2011 competition, Letterkenny came in 8th place overall and received a gold medal for the 9th consecutive year.
In recent years, The town was voted 'Best Kept Urban Centre' in the 2007 'Best Kept Town Awards' and 'Tidiest Large Urban Centre' in the 2007 Tidy Towns competition, an improvement on 2002 when, after a National Anti-Litter League survey carried out by An Taisce
, the town was compared to The Liberties
in Dublin in relation to litter. The region has maintained its litter free status according to the latest study by business group Irish Business Against Litter, published on 23 August 2010.
Ballybofey
- 21.3 km - 21 minutes;
Ballyshannon
- 68.7 km - 58 minutes;
Buncrana - 40.1 km - 40 minutes;
Carndonagh
- 60.1 km - 1 hour;
Creeslough
- 26.2 km - 27 minutes;
Donegal Town - 48.5 km - 45 minutes;
Dunfanaghy
- 36.1 km - 36 minutes;
Dungloe
- 50.1 km - 52 minutes;
Falcarragh
- 39.7 km - 42 minutes;
Glenties
- 44 km - 46 minutes;
Gweedore
- 46.4 km - 48 minutes;
Killybegs
(via Donegal Town) - 75.7 km - 1 hour & 8 minutes;
Lifford
- 25.4 km - 26 minutes;
Milford
- 19.9 km - 25 minutes.
Letterkenny is around 17 miles from Derry
and around 92 miles from Belfast
.
at the start of the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster
. It may have been established on the site of an earlier Gaelic
settlement. It was the first crossing point of the River 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 Conwall (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 flat-lands between Oldtown and 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 of Tír Conaill. He engaged the Norman lord Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly
, in battle at Credan in the north of what is now County 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
of Tyrone
- taking advantage of Godfrey's fatal illness - demanded submission, hostages and pledges from the Cenél 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 as he was being carried through the town. He was buried in Conwall 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 the Plantation of Ulster
(which began around 1609
), when a 4 square kilometres (988.4 acre) area was granted to a Scotsman
Patrick Crawford, the compact community formed.
The honour of formally launching the town fell to Sir 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 where the 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 mart days of the recent past which are sadly not present today.
An ancient castle once stood near where the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba stands today. Letterkenny Castle, built in 1625, was located south of Mount Southwell on Castle Street. Outlaw Redmond O' Hanlon
found refuge there in 1690. No remains of the castle exist today.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1798
, on 12 October, a large French
force consisting of 3,000 men, and including Wolfe Tone
, attempted to land in County Donegal
near Lough Swilly. They were intercepted by a large British Royal Navy force, and finally surrendered after a three hour battle without ever landing in Ireland. After Wolfe Tone
was captured he was held for a short time at Laird's Hotel (opposite the Market Square) in the Main Street of Letterkenny before being transferred to the nearby Derry Gaol
. He was later tried by court-martial in Dublin and found guilty. He committed suicide 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 of Ballyraine
, 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.
Letterkenny achieved town status in the early 1920s following the partition of Ireland
. When the Irish punt
replaced the British Pound Sterling
in Co. Donegal in 1928, many Irish banks that had been previously located in Derry
(in the new Northern Ireland
) opened branches in Letterkenny.
The O'Cannons are allegedly descended from two of Ireland's most renowned Kings:
Conn of the Hundred Battles
and Niall of the Nine Hostages
. The O'Cannons have been described as 'Ancient Princes of Tír Connaill' and 'Valiant Chiefs'. However, their 350 year dynasty in Tír Connaill ended in 1250
. Their ancient territory would seem to have been Tír Aeda (now the barony of Tirhugh). After the deaths of Ruairí Ó Canannain (Rory O'Cannon) and his son Niall Ó Canannain in 1250, the sept 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 subserviant to the O'Donnell Clan, the Kings of Tír Chonaill from the early thirteenth century onwards. The personal name Canannain is a diminutive of Cano meaning 'wolf cub'. Canannain was fifth in descent from Flaithbertach mac Loingsig
(died 765), high-king
of Ireland; they were the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages
(Irish: Niall Noigiallach), who died c. 405 A.D. by his son, Conall Gulban
who gave his name to Tír Conaill, the 'Land of Conall', now County Donegal.
By the early 17th century the name Uí Canannain had been anglicised to O'Cannon. Further anglicisation took place during the Penal Laws
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the name in County Donegal became Cannon. In the early 1880s, there were just 200 families bearing the Cannon surname living in Co. Donegal, who were mainly tenant farmers. The Cannons/O'Canannains were of the ancient sept of Cenell Conaill, a branch of the northern Ui Neill 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. One of Neill's most famous descendants was George Washington
(?), the first President of the United States
. 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 on good authority (?) to represent the hillside of the O'Cannons (English translation).
Letterkenny is the largest town in County Donegal. Despite having a long tradition of emigration that continued up until the early 1990s, Letterkenny has gained cultural diversity over many years, with people immigrating from all over the world, particularly from Poland
, Romania
, Latvia
and various African nations. This is reflected in the recent growth of international restaurants and shops, including Chinese and Indian restaurants, Italian pizzerias, as well as specialised shops run by and providing goods for Africans, Asians, South Americans, and Eastern Europeans. Letterkenny is home to the only Hindu temple
in the Republic of Ireland.
Moreover, the hospital, Pramerica (software development and contact centre of Prudential
), and LYIT employ quite a number of international professional people.
The figures for ethnic and cultural background for people in the State in 2006 reveals that 16% of Letterkenny's population are non-nationals. The figures also show that most of Donegal's non-national population are living in the town. Of the town's total population 2,709 are non-nationals. 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. The 2006 census also revealed that there were 199 travellers
living within the towns environs.
Oceanic
(Köppen
Cfb) and is significantly milder than some other locations in the world at a similar latitude, this is due to the towns position near the Atlantic Coast and exposure to the warmth of the Gulf Stream
. Due to its northerly latitude, Letterkenny experiences long summer days and short winter days. Summers are cool with temperatures rarely exceeding 25°C, while winters are relatively mild with daytime temperatures rarely dropping below 0°C. 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. Snow is not uncommon and the town receives on average 25 days of recorded snowfall per year. Humidity is high year round and rainfall is spread quite evenly throughout the year, with winter months receiving the most rainy days.
Services such as waste disposal/recycling, maintenance of town parks, provision of social housing and traffic management are the remit of Letterkenny Town Council
, elected by the town's electorate every four years. It is one of only four town councils in the Donegal County Council
area. The make-up of the current town council following the last election is one Fine Gael
, four Fianna Fáil
, one Sinn Féin
, one Letterkenny Residents' Party, and two Independents
.
For elections to Donegal County Council
, the town is part of the Letterkenny local electoral area which elects seven councillors.
constituency of Dáil Éireann
. There are three TDs (Teachtaí Dáil
) in this constituency, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
of Sinn Féin
, Joe McHugh
of Fine Gael
, and Charlie McConalogue
of Fianna Fáil
.
Many of Letterkenny's more notable buildings were built in the early 1850s—or earlier. These include educational and ecclesiastical buildings. The town's tallest building is the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba, which was completed in 1901. The Cathedral was designed by William Hague from County 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, is Conwal Parish Church
, parts of which date from the 17th century.
Another dominant building in the town is the historic St Eunan's College. St Eunan's is a three-storey castelated structure with four round towers at each corner of the building. It was constructed in the Edwardian version of the neo-Hiberno-Romanesque style.
Other architecturally notable buildings can be found at Mount Southwell Terrace, which is located at the top of the Market Square, just off Castle Street. This Georgian
-style terrace of red brick was built in 1837 by Lord Southwell. The terrace contains five of the most distinctive examples of Georgian houses in Letterkenny and also served as the holiday home of Maud Gonne
who stayed here while on holiday in Donegal. St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
is a large Victorian neo-Georgian structure located on the Kilmacrennan Road in the town. One of the most notable buildings in West Ulster, the oldest parts date from the 1860s. The hospital's chapel was built in the neo-Norman style in the 1930s.
The Donegal County Museum
is housed in the old workhouse and is located on the High Road. It was built in 1843 in the neo-Tudor style typical of this kind of building.
In more recent years, Letterkenny has seen more unusual architectural development. The new Letterkenny Town Council Offices, known locally as "The Grasshouse", were designed by Donegal-based MacGabhann Architects
. One of its most notable features is its distinctive sloping grass roof situated above a broad band of aluka matt cladding although it is also noticeable for its runway-like ramp to the first-floor concourse. It is said to be a building of international interest.
There is a large cinema complex in the town. Located on Canal Lane, Century Cinemas is an eight-screen cinema. An Grianán Theatre
, the largest theatre in County Donegal with a seating capacity of 383. There is the Letterkenny Arts Centre and recent additions to the arts infrastructure include modern additions to Letterkenny Library and Arts Centre
and the Cristeph Gallery. Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre
, located behind An Grianán Theatre, opened on 9 July 2007. The town has an active music scene.
for two consecutive years. Both festivals were organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
. The town has also hosted the international Pan Celtic Festival
for two consecutive years (2006 and 2007). Celts from Ireland, Wales
, Scotland
, Isle of Man
, Brittany
and Cornwall
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 also featured.
In 2008 Letterkenny represented Ireland in the Entente Florale
, having scooped Gold in the Large Urban Centre category of the 2007 National 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 controversial Union Jack
flag hanging from a pole adjacent to the library and Paddy Delap's newsagent. The flag is still upsetting to many people angered by continuing British rule in Northern Ireland
and as such led to an intensely heated debate on local radio station Highland Radio
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.
- especially at the weekends and particularly for visitors from nearby Derry City. The Main Street
, originally the retail centre of the town, has become a centre for popular night clubs and pubs, boosted by the remnants of its old shopping district. There are several nightclubs in the area including Milan Nightclub which often hosts international tours and DJs and The Pulse
who offer live bands regularly.The Grill Music Venue
is a popular nightclub on Sundays, which regularly plays host to acts such as Shane McGowan, Ash
, Hot Chip
, Dirty Sanchez
, Fun Lovin' Criminals
. Club Voodoo
is a highly regarded bar and night-club on Lower Main Street and has attracted figures such as Sander Van Doorn
, Markus Schulz
, Paul Van Dyk
, Eddie Halliwell
and Marco V
in recent years. There are many pubs such as The Central Bar (established 1808), The Cavern, Sister Sara's, Josie's Bar and The Cottage Bar.
, a local television station based in Derry
. The national broadcaster RTÉ
has a studio located in the Ballyraine
district.
The local radio station is Highland Radio
which broadcasts from the town to north, east and west County Donegal
, West Tyrone
and the City of Derry
. It began broadcasting in 1990.
Letterkenny is home to several media companies. The main regional newspaper in the town and county is The Donegal Democrat
(owned by The Derry Journal
), whose offices also prints two other titles every week - the Donegal People's Press on Tuesday and also Donegal on Sunday
. Another local paper is The Derry People Donegal News
(popularly known locally as The Derry People). It is distributed on a Friday, as well as having a Monday edition. The Milford
-based Tirconaill Tribune
, printed in Letterkenny, is distributed throughout the county. The town also produces two freesheet newspapers, the Letterkenny People
(previously the Letterkenny Listener), which is distributed on a Thursday, and the Letterkenny Post
, which prints on a Thursday night for Friday circulation. The Derry Journal
itself is also a major newspaper in the town and it's environs.
and Clondalkin
. This should be placed in the context of the size of Letterkenny, and against a backdrop of a busy nightlife in town, especially on weekends. For the resident population, crime is not a significant factor in their daily lives.
Recent years have seen serious crimes in Letterkenny being linked with feuds between gangs within certain areas of the town, mainly the Mountain Top and Oldtown
and the surrounding areas. In one such incident a man was seriously injured when attacked with pitchforks and slash hooks in the Mountain Top area of the town. The Oldtown area has seen several feuds in recent years - dubbed the "Battle of the Oldtown" by the media. In one incident a man was stabbed and another taken to hospital. The gangs used ninja
-type weapons of chains and swords. They only calmed upon the intervention of a local priest. Daggers, knives, chains and rapier-type swords were later confiscated by gardaí.
The Main Street
has seen numerous assaults, stabbings, sexual assaults, drug raids and attacks on Gardaí in the past. Drug crime has become a problem in recent years, notably in the now demolished mart
building.
In recent years local community organizations, ranging from the local authority to local businesses, have all set about addressing social issues.
The retail trade in Letterkenny includes modern shopping centres and family owned local shops - often providing hand-made crafts.
Many High Street stores operate in Letterkenny. The town is the north-west regions major shopping centre and helps to serve outlying areas including rural County Donegal and Derry
. The three main shopping malls are the Courtyard Shopping Centre, the Forte Shopping Centre
and the Letterkenny Shopping Centre
, the latter being the oldest. These centres feature numerous international and Irish chains such as Marks & Spencer
, Tesco
, Eason and others. There are also many other small centres such as the Glencar Shopping Centre and the Market Centre.
Previously, 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, and Speers Department Store. Newer shopping areas in the town include the Letterkenny Retail Parks
on Pearse Street and Canal Lane. Smaller streets such as Church Street and Castle Street have grown in recent years with businesses such as bakeries, pharmacies and fashion outlets having opened. The Market Square has also attracted fresh business.
The town's major employers include the General Hospital
(which grew from St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
), Pramerica
, 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 from Dublin.
Letterkenny is at the centre of industry in the northwest of Ireland. Eircom
, Boston Scientific
and Pacificare 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. 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 is also home of the confectionery manufacturers Oatfield
. It is based at the entrance to Ballyraine
, near the town's central area. Rockhill Barracks
was once a major contributor to the local economy but closed in January 2009 due to military cuts. Modern Timber Homes
, a timber-frame manufacturing company is located at Bonagee.
Construction work on a private hospital, which is to provide radiotherapy services to the northwest region, commenced in June 2008. Construction of the first independent hospital in the county will cost €70 million. The hospital will provide four surgical theatres, renal dialysis and an MRI and PET scan. The 1,100m² (12,000 ft²) Wyndale Clinic was due to be completed in 2009.
The economy in the town is strongly dependent on cross-border trade, and times of economic boom are determined mostly by the currency exchange rate
between the Euro
and the British Pound
.
The Letterkenny Institute of Technology
(LYIT; known locally as the Regional), which is situated east of the town centre on the Port Road, is a centre for engineering, information technology, materials science, design, business and nursing humanities. The institute has a student population of 3000 and is one of the largest institutes of third level education anywhere in Ulster
.
St Eunan's College is a major secondary education centre in Letterkenny. Situated just north-west of the town centre, it was built in 1906.
Primary and secondary education in the town is organised similarly to the rest of Ireland. There are 5 primary schools in Letterkenny, including Scoil Colmcille
and Woodland School, while there are 4 secondary schools.
Coláiste Ailigh
is one of the "gaelscoileanna" in Letterkenny. It is a secondary school specifically designed for education through the Irish language. It was opened in 2000.
The Loreto Convent
Secondary School, adjacent to St Eunan's Cathedral, is over 150 years old.
, boxing, karate, kick-boxing, handball, bowling, golf, swimming and gymnastics.
and Letterkenny Gaels Link label who play their home games at O'Donnell Park
and at Páirc na nGael, The Glebe respectively. Almost uniquely in Ireland, Letterkenny Rugby Club and Letterkenny Gaels GAA Club share facilities. Gaelic football, like most of County Donegal, is the predominant sport, although soccer is also very popular.
, which was founded in 1973, is the major rugby club in the town. It has recently forged links with New Zealand
rugby fraternities due to the fact the first All-Black captain, Dave Gallaher
was born in Ramelton
, 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 captain Tana Umaga
.
are one of the most well-known soccer clubs in the town. The team play their home games at Leckview Park
, at Canal Road, in the town. Bonagee United F.C.
are another local team and play their home games at Dry Arch Park
and Glencar Celtic F.C are another team from the town who play in the Donegal League and recent winners of the Saturday League Cup . There 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.
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 skate park, is located on the edge of the town. Letterkenny Athletic Club
is also located in the town. The town also hosts the Donegal International Rally
on the third weekend of June every year and the Donegal 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.
, which is located about 48 kilometres (29.8 mi) to the east at Eglinton
. There are daily flights to London (Stansted), London (Luton), Dublin
, Birmingham, Glasgow
, and Liverpool
, and twice weekly flights to Alicante
in Spain.
Donegal Airport
(locally known as Carrickfinn Airport) is also less than an hour away, located to the west in The Rosses
. Aer Arann provide two flights daily from Carrickfinn Airport to Dublin and flights daily to Glasgow
(Prestwick).
The nearest major international airport to Letterkenny is Belfast International Airport
(popularly known as Aldergrove Airport), located around seventy-five miles to the south-east at Aldergrove
, near Antrim
, in County Antrim
.
Letterkenny has a small privately operated airfield situated on the outskirts of the town. It is run and operated by the Letterkenny Flying Club. The airstrip is 550 metres of grass and has also a very narrow tarmac strip running alongside it for use by ultralights. The airfield is home to quite a few ultralights and the Flying Club run a big open weekend each June where many planes fly in to attend it. The airfield is only suitable for small private aircraft and ultralights and there is no commercial traffic whatsoever there, it is occasionally used by businessmen to land their small aircraft at and it is approximately 3 miles from the town. The flying club has a website at http://www.LetterkennyFlyingClub.com
and Burtonport, and to Carndonagh
, 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 using British government subsidies, described as an attempt to kill the Home Rule movement "with kindness". Only a couple of decades later, political events 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 1960.
Today, the closest railway station to County Donegal is Waterside Station
in the nearby City of Derry
. This station is owned and run by Northern Ireland Railways
(N.I.R.) and runs - via Coleraine
- to Belfast
.
operates a number of bus services from its bus depot to Dublin(n.32), Derry
(n.64) and Galway
(n.64) a number of times each day. Many private coach companies have daily services to and from the town. The Lough Swilly Bus Company
(popularly known locally as Lough Swilly or the Swilly Bus) operates a local transport service in cooperation with Bus Éireann. Currently, access from Dublin is improving with motorway status roads being constructed along the route, allowing cars to complete the Dublin-Letterkenny journey in about 3hours 30mins. Galway, to the south, is 4 hours away by car, while Belfast
, to the south-east, by car, is only 2 hours away.
A number of private companies provide daily bus services to Belfast several times per day, especially Patrick Gallagher Coaches, who are based at Brinalack in Gaoth Dobhair. Rather surprisingly, Letterkenny has no state bus service (in other words, a service provided from the Bus Station by Bus Éireann and Ulsterbus
) linking it directly to Belfast. This means that (as of October 2010) Letterkenny is the only major town in all of Ulster
not to have a state bus service linking it directly to Belfast.
Taxi services are available from a rank on the Main St. at the Market Square.
Two national primary roads serve the town: the N13 from the South (Stranorlar
) and the N14 from the East (Lifford
).
The Loft LK (Learning Opportunities For Teens) is located on Port Road on a site previously occupied by the old cinema. Opened in April 2006, the LOFT provides a supervised meeting environment, offering music, computer games, satellite TV, a pool table, and other amenities. Band nights, a film club, and other social events are sometimes hosted. The LOFT offers courses in media studies, health, leadership, writing, arts and crafts, sign language, teambuilding, photography and personal development.
The Youth Information Centre (YIC) is located in the same building as the LOFT. It offers computers and broadband facilities, information that may be of interest to young people and also offers a wide range of courses and groups including a very successful media group where young people get the opportunity to work on radio and TV production.
Letterkenny Youth Theatre is run in association with An Grianán Theatre
and usually meets on Fridays. It offers young people the opportunity to gain experience in acting and stage management. It has run a number of small one-off productions and ran productions in early 2007 in An Grianán.
, United States Wieluń
, Poland Derry
, Northern Ireland
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, part of the Province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly
River Swilly
The River Swilly is a river in the Republic of Ireland, which flows in an eastern direction through Letterkenny, County Donegal. Letterkenny, the largest town in County Donegal, is built on the river and became the first crossing point on the river in the 17th century.-History:The river takes its...
. Letterkenny, located in East Donegal, and the nearby city of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, form the major economic core of northwest Ireland.
In 2011, Letterkenny was named as the tidiest town in County Donegal, receiving 306 points, only four points behind the overall national winner, which was Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. It received a total of 47/50 points in the landscaping category and this was the highest number of points scored of any town in this category. Out of the 821 entrants in the 2011 competition, Letterkenny came in 8th place overall and received a gold medal for the 9th consecutive year.
In recent years, The town was voted 'Best Kept Urban Centre' in the 2007 'Best Kept Town Awards' and 'Tidiest Large Urban Centre' in the 2007 Tidy Towns competition, an improvement on 2002 when, after a National Anti-Litter League survey carried out by An Taisce
An Taisce
An Taisce , also known as the National Trust for Ireland, was established in 1948 with a similar mission to that of the National Trust in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, the town was compared to The Liberties
The Liberties
The Liberties of Dublin, Ireland were jurisdictions that existed since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction. The most important of these liberties were the Liberty of St...
in Dublin in relation to litter. The region has maintained its litter free status according to the latest study by business group Irish Business Against Litter, published on 23 August 2010.
Geographical location
Letterkenny is County Donegal's largest and most important town, providing the county with the necessary commercial, retail, social and economic facilities. Hundreds of people travel to and from Letterkenny everyday for work, whether in the town's many I.T. companies, General Hospital, schools and retail outlets. The following indicates the distance and travel time (on main routeways) between Letterkenny and Donegal's other main centres:Ballybofey
Ballybofey
Ballybofey is a town located on the south bank of the River Finn, County Donegal, Ireland. Along with the smaller town of Stranorlar on the north side of the River Finn, Ballybofey makes up the Twin Towns....
- 21.3 km - 21 minutes;
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located where the N3 and N15 cross the River Erne, and claims to be the oldest town in Ireland.-Location:...
- 68.7 km - 58 minutes;
Buncrana - 40.1 km - 40 minutes;
Carndonagh
Carndonagh
Carndonagh is a town on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland and is home to the Irish Space Exploration Mission. The town is located near Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland and lies close to the shores of Trawbeaga Bay...
- 60.1 km - 1 hour;
Creeslough
Creeslough
Creeslough is a village in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. It lies 12 km south of Dunfanaghy on the N56 road, 54 m above sea level and overlooking an arm of Sheephaven Bay...
- 26.2 km - 27 minutes;
Donegal Town - 48.5 km - 45 minutes;
Dunfanaghy
Dunfanaghy
Dunfanaghy is a small village, formerly a fishing port and commercial centre, in County Donegal, Ireland....
- 36.1 km - 36 minutes;
Dungloe
Dungloe
Dungloe is a Gaeltacht town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in the Rosses and the largest in the Donegal Gaeltacht...
- 50.1 km - 52 minutes;
Falcarragh
Falcarragh
An Fál Carrach , sometimes called Na Crois Bhealaí is a small Gaeltacht town and townland in northwest County Donegal, Ireland. The settlement is in the old parish of Cloughaneely.-Etymology:...
- 39.7 km - 42 minutes;
Glenties
Glenties
Glenties is a village in the northwest of Ireland in central County Donegal. It is situated where two glens meet, northwest of the Blue Stack Mountains, near the confluence of two rivers. Glenties is the largest centre of population in the parish of Iniskeel...
- 44 km - 46 minutes;
Gweedore
Gweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
- 46.4 km - 48 minutes;
Killybegs
Killybegs
Killybegs is the largest fishing port in County Donegal and in Ireland. It is located on the south coast of the county, north of Donegal Bay, near Donegal Town. The town is situated at the head of a scenic harbour and at the base of a vast mountainous tract extending northward...
(via Donegal Town) - 75.7 km - 1 hour & 8 minutes;
Lifford
Lifford
Lifford is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland. It is the administrative capital of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken for fulfilling this role...
- 25.4 km - 26 minutes;
Milford
Milford
- England :* Milford, Derbyshire* Milford, Devon, a place in Devon* Milford on Sea, Hampshire* Milford, Shropshire, a place in Shropshire* Milford, Staffordshire* Milford, Surrey** served by Milford railway station* Milford, Wiltshire, a place in Wiltshire...
- 19.9 km - 25 minutes.
Letterkenny is around 17 miles from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and around 92 miles from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
History
The modern town of Letterkenny began as a market townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
at the start of the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
. It may have been established on the site of an earlier Gaelic
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
settlement. It was the first crossing point of the River Swilly
River Swilly
The River Swilly is a river in the Republic of Ireland, which flows in an eastern direction through Letterkenny, County Donegal. Letterkenny, the largest town in County Donegal, is built on the river and became the first crossing point on the river in the 17th century.-History:The river takes its...
. In the recent past, Letterkenny was a largely agricultural town, surrounded by extensive cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and sheep grazing on what was then untilled hillside - at a time when Conwall (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 flat-lands between Oldtown and Port Road.
1248 in Ireland
-Events:*King’s Bench in Dublin is instituted .*Coleraine Castle is built.*Goffraidh is inaugurated as "The O'Donnell", i.e...
. Godfrey O'Donnell succeeded Rory O'Cannon as King of Tír Conaill. He engaged the Norman lord Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly
Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly
Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly was a Norman-Irish peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1232 to 1245. He mustered many armies against the Irish, and due to his harsh methods as Justiciar, he received criticism from King Henry III of England...
, in battle at Credan in the north of what is now County Sligo in 1257
1257 in Ireland
-Events:*Death of Maurice Fitzgerald; his lordship of Sligo ravaged by Godfrey O’Donnell, king of Tir Conaill.*Normans in Thomond defeated by Conor O’Brien and his son, Tadhg....
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
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
of Tyrone
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
- taking advantage of Godfrey's fatal illness - demanded submission, hostages and pledges from the Cenél Conaill
Cenél Conaill
The Cenél Conaill is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history. They were also known in Scotland as the Kindred of Saint Columba....
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
1258 in Ireland
-Events:*Meeting at Caol-Uisce on the Erne between Aodh, son of O’Connor, Tadhg, son of O’Brien and Brian O’Neill, self-styled “King of the kings of Ireland” ....
. Godfrey died however after the battle as he was being carried through the town. He was buried in Conwall 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 the Plantation of Ulster
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
(which began around 1609
1609 in Ireland
-Events:* John Taylor is granted 1,500 acres of arable land in Ballyhaise, County Cavan.* Kilkenny was granted a royal charter in 1609 by James I of England.-Births:*William Tirry, martyred Roman Catholic priest, executed ....
), when a 4 square kilometres (988.4 acre) area was granted to a Scotsman
Scotsman
Scotsman may mean:* a man from Scotland, in common parlance - see also Scottish people.* No true Scotsman, a common logical fallacy.*The Scotsman, a national newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland....
Patrick Crawford, the compact community formed.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Initially there were possibly fifty simple habitations sited where the 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 mart days of the recent past which are sadly not present today.
An ancient castle once stood near where the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba stands today. Letterkenny Castle, built in 1625, was located south of Mount Southwell on Castle Street. Outlaw Redmond O' Hanlon
Redmond O'Hanlon (outlaw)
Redmond O'Hanlon was a 17th-century Irish tóraidhe or rapparee , and an important figure in the Irish Rebellion of 1641.- Early life :...
found refuge there in 1690. No remains of the castle exist today.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
, on 12 October, a large French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
force consisting of 3,000 men, and including Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
, attempted to land in County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
near Lough Swilly. They were intercepted by a large British Royal Navy force, and finally surrendered after a three hour battle without ever landing in Ireland. After Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
was captured he was held for a short time at Laird's Hotel (opposite the Market Square) in the Main Street of Letterkenny before being transferred to the nearby Derry Gaol
Derry Gaol
Derry Gaol, also known as Londonderry Gaol, refers to one of several gaols constructed consecutively in Derry, Northern Ireland...
. He was later tried by court-martial in Dublin and found guilty. He committed suicide 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 of Ballyraine
Ballyraine
Ballyraine is a district located in the parish of Aughaninshin in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. Ballyraine National School is a co-educational primary school which is under joint management of the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian Church...
, 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.
Letterkenny achieved town status in the early 1920s following the partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
. When the Irish punt
Irish pound
The Irish pound was the currency of Ireland until 2002. Its ISO 4217 code was IEP, and the usual notation was the prefix £...
replaced the British Pound Sterling
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
in Co. Donegal in 1928, many Irish banks that had been previously located in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
(in the new Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) opened branches in Letterkenny.
Etymology
Letterkenny takes its name from the Irish 'Leitir Ceanainn' – meaning the 'Hillside of the O'Cannons' – the O'Cannons being the last of the ancient chieftains of Tír Conaill. Although the O'Cannons were the last ruling chieftains in Tír Conaill, no evidence of forts or castles belonging to the clan exists in or around the Letterkenny district (leading to speculation on a possible derivation of the name Letterkenny: from the Irish 'Leitir Ceann-Fhoinn', meaning 'Fairheaded Hillside').The O'Cannons are allegedly descended from two of Ireland's most renowned Kings:
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn Cétchathach , son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland, and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early middle ages, and...
and Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall Noígíallach , or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was an Irish king, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century...
. The O'Cannons have been described as 'Ancient Princes of Tír Connaill' and 'Valiant Chiefs'. However, their 350 year dynasty in Tír Connaill ended in 1250
1250 in Ireland
-Events:*Leap Castle in County Offaly, was built in by the O'Bannon family and was originally called "Leim ui Bhanain," or "Leap of the O'Bannons."...
. Their ancient territory would seem to have been Tír Aeda (now the barony of Tirhugh). After the deaths of Ruairí Ó Canannain (Rory O'Cannon) and his son Niall Ó Canannain in 1250, the sept 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 subserviant to the O'Donnell Clan, the Kings of Tír Chonaill from the early thirteenth century onwards. The personal name Canannain is a diminutive of Cano meaning 'wolf cub'. Canannain was fifth in descent from Flaithbertach mac Loingsig
Flaithbertach mac Loingsig
Flaithbertach mac Loingsig was a High King of Ireland. He was a member of the Cenél Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Loingsech mac Óengusso , a previous high king...
(died 765), high-king
High-King
is a Japanese idol group within Hello! Project. The group was created to promote Morning Musume's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, titled . Their sound is said to have an R&B feel....
of Ireland; they were the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall Noígíallach , or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was an Irish king, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century...
(Irish: Niall Noigiallach), who died c. 405 A.D. by his son, Conall Gulban
Conall Gulban
Conall Gulban was an Irish king who founded the kingdom of Tír Conaill in the 5th century, comprising much of what is now County Donegal. He was the son of Niall Noígiallach....
who gave his name to Tír Conaill, the 'Land of Conall', now County Donegal.
By the early 17th century the name Uí Canannain had been anglicised to O'Cannon. Further anglicisation took place during the Penal Laws
Penal Laws (Ireland)
The term Penal Laws in Ireland were a series of laws imposed under English and later British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters in favour of members of the established Church of Ireland....
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the name in County Donegal became Cannon. In the early 1880s, there were just 200 families bearing the Cannon surname living in Co. Donegal, who were mainly tenant farmers. The Cannons/O'Canannains were of the ancient sept of Cenell Conaill, a branch of the northern Ui Neill 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. One of Neill's most famous descendants was George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
(?), the first President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. 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 on good authority (?) to represent the hillside of the O'Cannons (English translation).
Demographics
The population of Letterkenny and environs is 17,723 (based on the 2006 census carried out by the CSO), of which 15,062 live in the town and 2,524 live in the town's environs. The population of the town, if the current growth rate continues, is expected to reach 50,000 by 2020.Letterkenny is the largest town in County Donegal. Despite having a long tradition of emigration that continued up until the early 1990s, Letterkenny has gained cultural diversity over many years, with people immigrating from all over the world, particularly from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and various African nations. This is reflected in the recent growth of international restaurants and shops, including Chinese and Indian restaurants, Italian pizzerias, as well as specialised shops run by and providing goods for Africans, Asians, South Americans, and Eastern Europeans. Letterkenny is home to the only Hindu temple
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
in the Republic of Ireland.
Moreover, the hospital, Pramerica (software development and contact centre of Prudential
Prudential plc
Prudential plc is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.Prudential's largest division is Prudential Corporation Asia, which has over 15 million customers across 13 Asian markets and is a top-three provider of life insurance in mainland China, Hong...
), and LYIT employ quite a number of international professional people.
The figures for ethnic and cultural background for people in the State in 2006 reveals that 16% of Letterkenny's population are non-nationals. The figures also show that most of Donegal's non-national population are living in the town. Of the town's total population 2,709 are non-nationals. 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. The 2006 census also revealed that there were 199 travellers
Irish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
living within the towns environs.
Climate
Letterkenny's climate is classified as TemperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
Oceanic
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfb) and is significantly milder than some other locations in the world at a similar latitude, this is due to the towns position near the Atlantic Coast and exposure to the warmth of the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
. Due to its northerly latitude, Letterkenny experiences long summer days and short winter days. Summers are cool with temperatures rarely exceeding 25°C, while winters are relatively mild with daytime temperatures rarely dropping below 0°C. 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. Snow is not uncommon and the town receives on average 25 days of recorded snowfall per year. Humidity is high year round and rainfall is spread quite evenly throughout the year, with winter months receiving the most rainy days.
Local
Letterkenny Town Council
Letterkenny Town Council governs the town of Letterkenny, in County Donegal, Ireland. It was the first of four local councils to be established in County Donegal. It oversees functions of the town such as planning and financial issues. The town council offices are located in the Public Services...
, elected by the town's electorate every four years. It is one of only four town councils in the Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
area. The make-up of the current town council following the last election is one Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
, four Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
, one Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, one Letterkenny Residents' Party, and two Independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
For elections to Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
, the town is part of the Letterkenny local electoral area which elects seven councillors.
National
Letterkenny is part of the Donegal North EastDonegal North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency of Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
. There are three TDs (Teachtaí Dáil
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
) in this constituency, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn is an Irish Sinn Féin politician from Buncrana in County Donegal. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency at the 2011 general election.-Early life:...
of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, Joe McHugh
Joe McHugh
Joe McHugh is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency since May 2007.-Background and personal life:...
of Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
, and Charlie McConalogue
Charlie McConalogue
Charlie McConalogue is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency since the 2011 general election.-Background:...
of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
.
Architecture
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
. 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, is Conwal Parish Church
Conwal Parish Church (Church of Ireland)
Conwal Parish Church is a Church of Ireland church located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is located opposite the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba at the top of Church Street. The church dates back to the 17th Century.- Building :...
, parts of which date from the 17th century.
Another dominant building in the town is the historic St Eunan's College. St Eunan's is a three-storey castelated structure with four round towers at each corner of the building. It was constructed in the Edwardian version of the neo-Hiberno-Romanesque style.
Other architecturally notable buildings can be found at Mount Southwell Terrace, which is located at the top of the Market Square, just off Castle Street. This Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
-style terrace of red brick was built in 1837 by Lord Southwell. The terrace contains five of the most distinctive examples of Georgian houses in Letterkenny and also served as the holiday home of Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne MacBride was an English-born Irish revolutionary, feminist and actress, best remembered for her turbulent relationship with William Butler Yeats. Of Anglo-Irish stock and birth, she was won over to Irish nationalism by the plight of evicted people in the Land Wars...
who stayed here while on holiday in Donegal. St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
St. Conal’s Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is adjacent to Letterkenny Town Park near Letterkenny General Hospital. It is the only psychiatric hospital located in County Donegal and is considered to be "one of the finest buildings in the...
is a large Victorian neo-Georgian structure located on the Kilmacrennan Road in the town. One of the most notable buildings in West Ulster, the oldest parts date from the 1860s. The hospital's chapel was built in the neo-Norman style in the 1930s.
The Donegal County Museum
Donegal County Museum
Donegal County Museum , located on High Road in the town of Letterkenny in Ireland, is a county museum. The building opened to the public in 1845 as the Warden's House of the Letterkenny Workhouse during the Famine...
is housed in the old workhouse and is located on the High Road. It was built in 1843 in the neo-Tudor style typical of this kind of building.
In more recent years, Letterkenny has seen more unusual architectural development. The new Letterkenny Town Council Offices, known locally as "The Grasshouse", were designed by Donegal-based MacGabhann Architects
MacGabhann Architects
MacGabhann Architects are an award-winning architect firm based in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland.-History:MacGabhann Architects was founded in 1975 by Antoin MacGabhann Snr. The company expanded in 1997 when his sons Antoin and Tarla returned from Glasgow and Berlin respectively. Head...
. One of its most notable features is its distinctive sloping grass roof situated above a broad band of aluka matt cladding although it is also noticeable for its runway-like ramp to the first-floor concourse. It is said to be a building of international interest.
Theatre
An Grianán Theatre
An Grianán Theatre , with a seating capacity of 383, is the largest theatre in Letterkenny and in the whole of County Donegal. It is located on Port Road in Letterkenny, across from The Oak Tree restaurant. It is run by Patricia McBride. It also boasts the largest stage in Ireland. An Grianán...
, the largest theatre in County Donegal with a seating capacity of 383. There is the Letterkenny Arts Centre and recent additions to the arts infrastructure include modern additions to Letterkenny Library and Arts Centre
Letterkenny Library and Arts Centre
The Letterkenny Library and Arts Centre is located on St. Oliver Plunkett Road in the County Donegal town. It is the central library in the county and is an integral part of Donegal County Council's arts provision. It is the first arts centre operated by a local authority in Ireland.- History :The...
and the Cristeph Gallery. Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre
Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre
Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre is a cultural centre located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The centre is located behind An Grianán Theatre in the town and is the leading cultural centre in north-west Ireland. It has been described as a cultural beacon by The Irish Times.- Opening...
, located behind An Grianán Theatre, opened on 9 July 2007. The town has an active music scene.
Festivals
The town recently hosted the annual Irish traditional music festival, the Fleadh CheoilFleadh Cheoil
The Fleadh Cheoil is an Irish music competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann or more commonly known as "Comhaltas" ....
for two consecutive years. Both festivals were organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is the primary Irish organisation dedicated to the promotion of the music, song, dance and the language of Ireland. The name of the organisation is often abbreviated to Comhaltas or CCÉ...
. The town has also hosted the international Pan Celtic Festival
Pan Celtic Festival
The Féile Pan Cheilteach or Pan Celtic Festival is held in the Republic of Ireland and was first held in 1971 in Killarney, Ireland. It has been held annually in the week following Easter annually since then....
for two consecutive years (2006 and 2007). Celts from Ireland, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
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
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
and dance contests also featured.
In 2008 Letterkenny represented Ireland in the Entente Florale
Entente Florale
The Entente Florale is an international horticultural competition established to recognise municipalities and villages in Europe for excellence in horticultural displays. Trophies are presented annually by tourist boards and horticultural societies of European countries...
, having scooped Gold in the Large Urban Centre category of the 2007 National Tidy Town Awards
National Tidy Town Awards
May refer to:*Australian Tidy Town Awards*Tidy Towns *Newfoundland and Labrador Tidy Towns Competition...
. 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 controversial Union Jack
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
flag hanging from a pole adjacent to the library and Paddy Delap's newsagent. The flag is still upsetting to many people angered by continuing British rule in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and as such led to an intensely heated debate on local radio station Highland Radio
Highland Radio
Highland Radio is an Irish radio station operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and is the licenced local radio service for the County Donegal franchise. It began broadcasting on March 15, 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. Highland's headquarters are...
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.
Social
The town is a popular nightlife location for the local catchment area and, indeed, for the rest of UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
- especially at the weekends and particularly for visitors from nearby Derry City. The Main Street
Main Street, Letterkenny
Main Street is an important thoroughfare in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is the longest street in Ireland. The street is divided into two sections. Lower Main Street runs from the junction at Oldtown Road to the Market Square. Upper Main Street runs from the Market Square to the...
, originally the retail centre of the town, has become a centre for popular night clubs and pubs, boosted by the remnants of its old shopping district. There are several nightclubs in the area including Milan Nightclub which often hosts international tours and DJs and The Pulse
The Pulse
- Radio :* The Pulse , a hot AC channel on Sirius XM Radio* The Pulse , The original Sirius incarnation on channel 9 until November 12, 2008* The Pulse of West Yorkshire, a UK radio station originally known as Pennine Radio...
who offer live bands regularly.The Grill Music Venue
Grill Music Venue
The Grill Music Venue, also known as The Grill, formerly The Golden Grill, is a major nightclub located in Letterkenny, County Donegal , Ireland. DJs and live acts that have played in the Grill include Shane McGowan, Ash, Hot Chip, Dirty Sanchez, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Paul Van Dyk, Judge Jules,...
is a popular nightclub on Sundays, which regularly plays host to acts such as Shane McGowan, Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
, Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
, Dirty Sanchez
Dirty Sanchez (TV series)
Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, a reality film based upon the series, was released on 22 September 2006. It is in the format of a world tour and incorporates stunts related to the Seven Deadly Sins. Stunts are on a larger scale and more extreme than stunts shown in the TV show.The film also features the...
, Fun Lovin' Criminals
Fun Lovin' Criminals
The Fun Lovin' Criminals is an American alternative hip hop / alternative rock group from New York City. Their musical style is primarily eclectic, covering styles such as hip hop, rock, funk, blues and jazz. Their songs often deal with life in New York City, as well as urban life in general...
. Club Voodoo
Club Voodoo
Club Voodoo is an award-nominated bar and nightclub located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It opened in 2006 and is located on the Main Street.In 2011 a Garda officer and three nightclub bouncers were repeatedly stabbed outside the Voodoo Nightclub...
is a highly regarded bar and night-club on Lower Main Street and has attracted figures such as Sander Van Doorn
Sander van Doorn
Sander van Doorn Sander van Doorn Sander van Doorn (born Sander Ketelaars [] on February 28, 1979 in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands is a Dutch tech trance DJ and producer...
, Markus Schulz
Markus Schulz
Markus Schulz, born , is a German trance music DJ and producer who resides in Miami, Florida, USA. He is best-known for his weekly radio show titled Global DJ Broadcast that airs on Digitally Imported radio, After Hours FM and other online stations...
, Paul Van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
, Eddie Halliwell
Eddie Halliwell
Eddie Halliwell is an international Trance DJ. Halliwell has held residencies at Goodgreef, Gatecrasher and Cream in Ibiza, was named DJ of the year by leading dance music magazine Mixmag in 2003 and 2005...
and Marco V
Marco V
Marco V is a Dutch electronic music DJ.-Artist albums:-Singles/EPs:* 2009: Unprepared* 2008: Sessions* 2008: Dudak* 2006: 200V - UK EP* 2006: False Light* 2005: Second Bite...
in recent years. There are many pubs such as The Central Bar (established 1808), The Cavern, Sister Sara's, Josie's Bar and The Cottage Bar.
Events
Annual events include the:- St. Patrick's Day Parade (March)
- North West 10K (May)
- Donegal International RallyDonegal International RallyThe Donegal International Rally is an annual sporting event held in County Donegal, Ireland. It is one of Ireland's oldest annual rally competitions and is a top event in the Irish Rallying calendar. It has a reputation for being one of the country's most challenging rallies...
(June) - Earagail Arts FestivalEaragail Arts FestivalThe Earagail Arts Festival is an annual festival which takes place in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland, every June/July...
(June/July) - Donegal Harvest Rally (October)
Media
Letterkenny can receive all national radio stations, television stations and cable and satellite services. The area can also receive many Northern Irish stations, including C9TVC9TV
C9TV is a local television station based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The station's licences were awarded by the ITC in 1996 and allow the station to broadcast to Derry, Limavady, Coleraine and Strabane. The channels signal also spills into County Donegal in the Republic and can be picked up in...
, a local television station based in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. The national broadcaster RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
has a studio located in the Ballyraine
Ballyraine
Ballyraine is a district located in the parish of Aughaninshin in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. Ballyraine National School is a co-educational primary school which is under joint management of the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian Church...
district.
The local radio station is Highland Radio
Highland Radio
Highland Radio is an Irish radio station operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and is the licenced local radio service for the County Donegal franchise. It began broadcasting on March 15, 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. Highland's headquarters are...
which broadcasts from the town to north, east and west County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, West Tyrone
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
and the City of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. It began broadcasting in 1990.
Letterkenny is home to several media companies. The main regional newspaper in the town and county is The Donegal Democrat
Donegal Democrat
The Donegal Democrat is a twice-weekly local newspaper, covering County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster, in the northwest of Ireland. The paper was traditionally based in the town of Ballyshannon in the south of the county, but now has offices in Donegal Town and Letterkenny...
(owned by The Derry Journal
Derry Journal
The Derry Journal is a newspaper based in Derry, Northern Ireland, serving County Londonderry as well as County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It is operated by a Johnston Press holding company entitled Derry Journal Newspapers. The paper is published on Tuesday and Friday and is a sister...
), whose offices also prints two other titles every week - the Donegal People's Press on Tuesday and also Donegal on Sunday
Donegal on Sunday
Donegal on Sunday is a local tabloid newspaper published in County Donegal, Ireland that was launched in March 2004 as an edition of the Sunday Journal published by the Derry Journal. It was originally called the Sunday Democrat and is based in Letterkenny...
. Another local paper is The Derry People Donegal News
Derry People/Donegal News
The Donegal News is a twice-weekly local newspaper in the northwest of the island of Ireland, first published in 1902. Originally covering Derry, Northern Ireland, it moved across the border to Letterkenny, County Donegal, at the beginning of World War II and took on more of a Donegal focus...
(popularly known locally as The Derry People). It is distributed on a Friday, as well as having a Monday edition. The Milford
Milford, County Donegal
Milford or Millford, historically called Ballynagalloglagh , is a small town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. The population at the 2006 census was 829.-History and name:...
-based Tirconaill Tribune
Tirconaill Tribune
The Tirconaill Tribune is a local newspaper which circulates in County Donegal, Ireland. The paper is circulated every Friday. The newspaper's headquarters is in Milford....
, printed in Letterkenny, is distributed throughout the county. The town also produces two freesheet newspapers, the Letterkenny People
Letterkenny People
The Letterkenny People is a weekly freesheet published in Letterkenny, County Donegal in northwest Ireland. The paper was originally distributed as the Letterkenny Listener in 2000 and took its current title in 2005. It is owned by Johnston Press through the holding company, Derry Journal Newspapers...
(previously the Letterkenny Listener), which is distributed on a Thursday, and the Letterkenny Post
Letterkenny Post
The Letterkenny Post is a freesheet newspaper published by River Media in Letterkenny, County Donegal. It was the first paper from River Media. The newspaper specialises in property, motoring, entertainment, farming and fashion. Its offices are located at the Dry Arch Business Park, Bonagee...
, which prints on a Thursday night for Friday circulation. The Derry Journal
Derry Journal
The Derry Journal is a newspaper based in Derry, Northern Ireland, serving County Londonderry as well as County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It is operated by a Johnston Press holding company entitled Derry Journal Newspapers. The paper is published on Tuesday and Friday and is a sister...
itself is also a major newspaper in the town and it's environs.
Crime
Letterkenny is one of the worst towns in Ireland for public order offences. There were a total of 777 public order offences recorded in the town in 2003 with 1505 recorded in 2008. These statistics place Letterkenny as the sixth worst town in Ireland for public order offences, worse than the notoriously dangerous Dublin suburbs of CoolockCoolock
Coolock is a large suburban area, centred on a village, on Dublin city's Northside in Ireland. Coolock is crossed by the Santry River, a prominent feature in the middle of the district, with a linear park and ponds...
and Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
. This should be placed in the context of the size of Letterkenny, and against a backdrop of a busy nightlife in town, especially on weekends. For the resident population, crime is not a significant factor in their daily lives.
Recent years have seen serious crimes in Letterkenny being linked with feuds between gangs within certain areas of the town, mainly the Mountain Top and Oldtown
Oldtown, Letterkenny
Oldtown is a district located in the parish of Conwal and Leck in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. As its name suggests, it is the oldest part of the town and became the starting point of the town's development...
and the surrounding areas. In one such incident a man was seriously injured when attacked with pitchforks and slash hooks in the Mountain Top area of the town. The Oldtown area has seen several feuds in recent years - dubbed the "Battle of the Oldtown" by the media. In one incident a man was stabbed and another taken to hospital. The gangs used ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
-type weapons of chains and swords. They only calmed upon the intervention of a local priest. Daggers, knives, chains and rapier-type swords were later confiscated by gardaí.
The Main Street
Main Street, Letterkenny
Main Street is an important thoroughfare in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is the longest street in Ireland. The street is divided into two sections. Lower Main Street runs from the junction at Oldtown Road to the Market Square. Upper Main Street runs from the Market Square to the...
has seen numerous assaults, stabbings, sexual assaults, drug raids and attacks on Gardaí in the past. Drug crime has become a problem in recent years, notably in the now demolished mart
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
building.
In recent years local community organizations, ranging from the local authority to local businesses, have all set about addressing social issues.
Retail
Many High Street stores operate in Letterkenny. The town is the north-west regions major shopping centre and helps to serve outlying areas including rural County Donegal and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. The three main shopping malls are the Courtyard Shopping Centre, the Forte Shopping Centre
Forte Shopping Centre
Forte Shopping Centre is a shopping complex located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland at the junction of Canal Road with Neil T. Blaney Road. The complex emerged in 2007 as the best in the country in terms of rent versus footfall...
and the Letterkenny Shopping Centre
Letterkenny Shopping Centre
The Letterkenny Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Letterkenny, Ireland. Built in 1984, it is the largest shopping centre in County Donegal, and was the first of several such complexes in Letterkenny. It is also the third largest in the Harcourt Developments retail portfolio. While originally...
, the latter being the oldest. These centres feature numerous international and Irish chains such as Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Eason and others. There are also many other small centres such as the Glencar Shopping Centre and the Market Centre.
Previously, Main Street
Main Street, Letterkenny
Main Street is an important thoroughfare in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is the longest street in Ireland. The street is divided into two sections. Lower Main Street runs from the junction at Oldtown Road to the Market Square. Upper Main Street runs from the Market Square to the...
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, and Speers Department Store. Newer shopping areas in the town include the Letterkenny Retail Parks
Letterkenny Retail Parks
Letterkenny Retail Park and Riverside Retail Park are retail parks on the Paddy Harte/Link Road in Letterkenny town centre. The retail parks are the largest in the county. The parks have come out as the best in the country in terms of rent versus footfall...
on Pearse Street and Canal Lane. Smaller streets such as Church Street and Castle Street have grown in recent years with businesses such as bakeries, pharmacies and fashion outlets having opened. The Market Square has also attracted fresh business.
Industry
Letterkenny General Hospital
Letterkenny General Hospital is an acute hospital serving 147,000 inhabitants of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. The hospital currently employs over 1700 people, with more than 565 of these being nursing staff . It contains around 360 beds at present.- History :The General Hospital...
(which grew from St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital
St. Conal’s Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is adjacent to Letterkenny Town Park near Letterkenny General Hospital. It is the only psychiatric hospital located in County Donegal and is considered to be "one of the finest buildings in the...
), Pramerica
Prudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
, 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 from Dublin.
Letterkenny is at the centre of industry in the northwest of Ireland. Eircom
Eircom
Eircom Group LTD is a telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland, and a former state-owned incumbent. It is currently the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Ireland and operates primarily on the island of Ireland, with a point of presence in Great Britain.As Bord...
, Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific
The Boston Scientific Corporation , is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, neuromodulation, neurovascular intervention,...
and Pacificare 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. 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 is also home of the confectionery manufacturers Oatfield
Oatfield (confectionery)
Oatfield is a chocolate and confectionery manufacturer located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The company is over 100 years old making it the oldest confectionery manufacturer in Ireland.- The Beginning :...
. It is based at the entrance to Ballyraine
Ballyraine
Ballyraine is a district located in the parish of Aughaninshin in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. Ballyraine National School is a co-educational primary school which is under joint management of the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian Church...
, near the town's central area. Rockhill Barracks
Rockhill Barracks
Rockhill Barracks was an Irish Army barracks located in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The Barracks was forced to close due to the 2008 economic downturn.- History :...
was once a major contributor to the local economy but closed in January 2009 due to military cuts. Modern Timber Homes
Modern Timber Homes
Modern Timber Homes was an Irish business established in 2004 by Shaun McColgan . It built timber frame homes, roof trusses and door systems from a premises, where it employed twenty people....
, a timber-frame manufacturing company is located at Bonagee.
Construction work on a private hospital, which is to provide radiotherapy services to the northwest region, commenced in June 2008. Construction of the first independent hospital in the county will cost €70 million. The hospital will provide four surgical theatres, renal dialysis and an MRI and PET scan. The 1,100m² (12,000 ft²) Wyndale Clinic was due to be completed in 2009.
The economy in the town is strongly dependent on cross-border trade, and times of economic boom are determined mostly by the currency exchange rate
Exchange rate
In finance, an exchange rate between two currencies is the rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another. It is also regarded as the value of one country’s currency in terms of another currency...
between the Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
and the British Pound
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
.
Education
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
Letterkenny Institute of Technology , formerly Regional Technical College, Letterkenny, is located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is a third level institution serving County Donegal and the North West of Ireland. The institute is usually known locally as the Regional. Today, it is one...
(LYIT; known locally as the Regional), which is situated east of the town centre on the Port Road, is a centre for engineering, information technology, materials science, design, business and nursing humanities. The institute has a student population of 3000 and is one of the largest institutes of third level education anywhere in Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
.
St Eunan's College is a major secondary education centre in Letterkenny. Situated just north-west of the town centre, it was built in 1906.
Primary and secondary education in the town is organised similarly to the rest of Ireland. There are 5 primary schools in Letterkenny, including Scoil Colmcille
Scoil Colmcille, Letterkenny
Scoil Colmcille is the largest all-male national school in County Donegal, Ireland located in Letterkenny. It is located on the Convent Road on the town, across from the Loreto Convent. The current principal is Pauric Cannon.-History:...
and Woodland School, while there are 4 secondary schools.
Coláiste Ailigh
Coláiste Ailigh (Letterkenny)
Coláiste Ailigh is an Irish language secondary school located at Sprackburn House in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland. It opened in 2000 becoming the VEC's third All-Irish School. Pupils from the surrounding areas of Carrigart, Termon and Strabane also enroled in the school. The school has an...
is one of the "gaelscoileanna" in Letterkenny. It is a secondary school specifically designed for education through the Irish language. It was opened in 2000.
The Loreto Convent
Loreto Convent
Loreto Convent is an all-girls secondary school located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is located beside the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba. It is one of nineteen Loreto Secondary Schools in Ireland.- History :...
Secondary School, adjacent to St Eunan's Cathedral, is over 150 years old.
Sport
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 practiced also, such as hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, boxing, karate, kick-boxing, handball, bowling, golf, swimming and gymnastics.
Gaelic games
There are two Gaelic Athletic Association Clubs in Letterkenny, St Eunan's GAASt Eunan's GAA
Naomh Adhamhnáin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. Their home ground is O'Donnell Park.- History :The club was founded in 1927...
and Letterkenny Gaels Link label who play their home games at O'Donnell Park
O'Donnell Park
O' Donnell Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is situated on the Churchill road in the town and is home to St Eunan's GAA Club...
and at Páirc na nGael, The Glebe respectively. Almost uniquely in Ireland, Letterkenny Rugby Club and Letterkenny Gaels GAA Club share facilities. Gaelic football, like most of County Donegal, is the predominant sport, although soccer is also very popular.
Rugby
Rugby is also popular in the town, being played at various levels, from school to senior league level. Letterkenny RFCLetterkenny RFC
Letterkenny RFC is an Irish rugby union club based in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The team plays its home games at Dave Gallaher Memorial Park in Letterkenny.- History :...
, which was founded in 1973, is the major rugby club in the town. It has recently forged links with New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
rugby fraternities due to the fact the first All-Black captain, Dave Gallaher
Dave Gallaher
David "Dave" Gallaher was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the All Blacks....
was born in Ramelton
Ramelton
Ramelton is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its population is 1,088 .Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny and 4 km east of Milford, on the western shores of Lough Swilly. The town is named from Ráth Mealtáin, , an early Gaelic chieftain...
, 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 captain Tana Umaga
Tana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
.
Association football
Letterkenny Rovers F.C.Letterkenny Rovers F.C.
Letterkenny Rovers Football Club is a football club from Ireland currently competing in the Ulster Senior League. The club is based in Letterkenny and the team play their home games at Leckview Park....
are one of the most well-known soccer clubs in the town. The team play their home games at Leckview Park
Leckview Park
Leckview Park is the home ground of Letterkenny Rovers F.C. The stadium is located near the town centre of Letterkenny on the banks of the River Swilly and will soon be subject to major renovations in the coming year due to Rovers' ambition to progress as a football team....
, at Canal Road, in the town. Bonagee United F.C.
Bonagee United F.C.
Bonagee United Football Club is a football club from Ireland currently competing in the Ulster Senior League. The club are based in Letterkenny. Bonagee United play their home games at Dry Arch Park. The club hosts a number of teams at different age ranges...
are another local team and play their home games at Dry Arch Park
Dry Arch Park
Dry Arch Park is the home ground of Bonagee United. The stadium is located near the town centre of Letterkenny, across from the Clanree Hotel....
and Glencar Celtic F.C are another team from the town who play in the Donegal League and recent winners of the Saturday League Cup . There 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.
Other sports
Letterkenny has two men's basketball teams, Letterkenny Heat and Letterkenny IT, as well as a junior basketball club, Letterkenny Blaze. Letterkenny Golf ClubLetterkenny Golf Club
Letterkenny Golf Club is a golf club located on the banks of Lough Swilly in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The Club was founded in 1913.- History :...
is located just outside the town centre. There are also pitch and putt and tennis facilities in the town. Letterkenny Sports Complex
Letterkenny Regional Sports and Leisure Complex
Letterkenny Regional Sports and Leisure Complex is a sports complex located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The complex is located near O'Donnell Park and the total cost of the building of the complex was €22.7 million...
, a state of the art leisure centre complete with skate park, is located on the edge of the town. Letterkenny Athletic Club
Letterkenny Athletic Club
Letterkenny Athletic Club is an amateur athletic club based in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The club is based in the centre of Letterkenny on Pearse Street, beside the town's Community Centre. It has a 400m running track and clubhouse....
is also located in the town. The town also hosts the Donegal International Rally
Donegal International Rally
The Donegal International Rally is an annual sporting event held in County Donegal, Ireland. It is one of Ireland's oldest annual rally competitions and is a top event in the Irish Rallying calendar. It has a reputation for being one of the country's most challenging rallies...
on the third weekend of June every year and the Donegal Harvest Rally
Donegal Harvest Rally
The Donegal Harvest Rally is a rally that takes place annually in County Donegal, Ireland. The rally is organised by the Donegal Motor Club takes place in Gweedore in the Donegal Gaeltacht....
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.
Transport
Air
The nearest airport is City of Derry AirportCity of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport is an airport located northeast of Derry, Northern Ireland. It is located on the south bank of Lough Foyle, a short distance from the village of Eglinton and from the city centre...
, which is located about 48 kilometres (29.8 mi) to the east at Eglinton
Eglinton, County Londonderry
Eglinton is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies east of Derry, to which it serves as a sleeper village, and west of Limavady. Many inhabitants of the village work in Derry city and send their children to school there. Eglinton had a population of 3,165 people in the 2001...
. There are daily flights to London (Stansted), London (Luton), Dublin
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
, Birmingham, Glasgow
Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
, and Liverpool
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport serving the city of Liverpool and the North West of England. Formerly known as Speke Airport, RAF Speke, and Liverpool Airport the airport is located within the City of Liverpool adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey some southeast...
, and twice weekly flights to Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
in Spain.
Donegal Airport
Donegal Airport
Donegal Airport is located south-west of An Bun Beag , being located at Carrickfinn, a townland in The Rosses, a district in north-west County Donegal, Ireland. The small airport is located right on the county's north-west coast. It is about a 15 minute drive from Dungloe and Gweedore and 45...
(locally known as Carrickfinn Airport) is also less than an hour away, located to the west in The Rosses
The Rosses
The Rosses is a geographical and social region in the west of County Donegal, Ireland, centred around the town of Dungloe, which acts as the educational, shopping and civil centre for the area...
. Aer Arann provide two flights daily from Carrickfinn Airport to Dublin and flights daily to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Prestwick).
The nearest major international airport to Letterkenny is Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
(popularly known as Aldergrove Airport), located around seventy-five miles to the south-east at Aldergrove
Aldergrove
Aldergrove is the name of multiple places:* Aldergrove, British Columbia* Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, a village close to the site of:**RAF Aldergrove**Belfast International Airport* Aldergrove, Edmonton, a neighbourhood....
, near Antrim
Antrim, County Antrim
Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
, in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
.
Rail
The town was, in times past, connected with the once extensive narrow gauge rail network of County Donegal. This provided connections to Derry (and through there to Dublin and Belfast), to Lifford and Strabane, to GweedoreGweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
and Burtonport, and to Carndonagh
Carndonagh
Carndonagh is a town on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland and is home to the Irish Space Exploration Mission. The town is located near Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland and lies close to the shores of Trawbeaga Bay...
, 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 using British government subsidies, described as an attempt to kill the Home Rule movement "with kindness". Only a couple of decades later, political events 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 1960.
Today, the closest railway station to County Donegal is Waterside Station
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
in the nearby City of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. This station is owned and run by Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
(N.I.R.) and runs - via Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
- to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Road
Letterkenny is well served by road transport. Bus ÉireannBus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
operates a number of bus services from its bus depot to Dublin(n.32), Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
(n.64) and Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
(n.64) a number of times each day. Many private coach companies have daily services to and from the town. The Lough Swilly Bus Company
Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway
The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company is an Irish public transport and freight company incorporated in June 1853. Despite its name it operates no railway services. It formerly operated 99 miles of railways but closed its last line in July 1953...
(popularly known locally as Lough Swilly or the Swilly Bus) operates a local transport service in cooperation with Bus Éireann. Currently, access from Dublin is improving with motorway status roads being constructed along the route, allowing cars to complete the Dublin-Letterkenny journey in about 3hours 30mins. Galway, to the south, is 4 hours away by car, while Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, to the south-east, by car, is only 2 hours away.
A number of private companies provide daily bus services to Belfast several times per day, especially Patrick Gallagher Coaches, who are based at Brinalack in Gaoth Dobhair. Rather surprisingly, Letterkenny has no state bus service (in other words, a service provided from the Bus Station by Bus Éireann and Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
) linking it directly to Belfast. This means that (as of October 2010) Letterkenny is the only major town in all of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
not to have a state bus service linking it directly to Belfast.
Taxi services are available from a rank on the Main St. at the Market Square.
Two national primary roads serve the town: the N13 from the South (Stranorlar
Stranorlar
Stranorlar is a small town in the Finn Valley of County Donegal, in Ireland. Stranorlar and Ballybofey form the Twin Towns.-Transport:...
) and the N14 from the East (Lifford
Lifford
Lifford is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland. It is the administrative capital of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken for fulfilling this role...
).
Youth facilities
A number of youth groups provide services and support within Letterkenny.The Loft LK (Learning Opportunities For Teens) is located on Port Road on a site previously occupied by the old cinema. Opened in April 2006, the LOFT provides a supervised meeting environment, offering music, computer games, satellite TV, a pool table, and other amenities. Band nights, a film club, and other social events are sometimes hosted. The LOFT offers courses in media studies, health, leadership, writing, arts and crafts, sign language, teambuilding, photography and personal development.
The Youth Information Centre (YIC) is located in the same building as the LOFT. It offers computers and broadband facilities, information that may be of interest to young people and also offers a wide range of courses and groups including a very successful media group where young people get the opportunity to work on radio and TV production.
Letterkenny Youth Theatre is run in association with An Grianán Theatre
An Grianán Theatre
An Grianán Theatre , with a seating capacity of 383, is the largest theatre in Letterkenny and in the whole of County Donegal. It is located on Port Road in Letterkenny, across from The Oak Tree restaurant. It is run by Patricia McBride. It also boasts the largest stage in Ireland. An Grianán...
and usually meets on Fridays. It offers young people the opportunity to gain experience in acting and stage management. It has run a number of small one-off productions and ran productions in early 2007 in An Grianán.
Sister towns/cities
The following places are twinned with Letterkenny: Elizabethtown, PennsylvaniaElizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Elizabethtown is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census,...
, United States Wieluń
Wielun
Wieluń is a city in central Poland with 24,347 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , it was previously in Sieradz Voivodeship .- History :...
, Poland Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
See also
- Public art in LetterkennyPublic art in LetterkennyLetterkenny like many towns in Ireland has tried to improve its aesthetic appeal and commemorate its history and achievements with the commissioning of Public art and Monuments. Described below are examples of some of these.-Polestar:...
- List of Letterkenny People
- List of venues for All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Letterkenny 2005 & 2006)
- List of Donegal people
- List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- Market Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...
Footnotes
External links
- Letterkenny Online, Letterkenny's Online Information Centre
- Letterkenny Town Council
- Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Map of Letterkenny
- Letterkenny Community Centre