Donard (historically ''Dunard'', from ) is a small village in
County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, located at the northern end of the
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ga, Gleann Uí Mháil) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain and Keadeen. Much of the glen is used by the Irish ...
, in the western part of the
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...
.
Donard takes its name from Dún Ard - High Fort - the ruins of which are still somewhat visible on a rise above the town. The tranquil village is surrounded by
Table Mountain
Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...
(702m),
Church Mountain
Church Mountain, also called Slieve Gad (), is the westernmost of the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is high. At the summit are the remains of a large ancient cairn of pagan origin. This cairn was partially destroyed and a small building, ap ...
Keadeen
Keadeen Mountain () at , is the 152nd–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 184th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the ...
(655m).
In the nearby village of Derrynamuck (also known as Dernamuck or Doire na Muc) is a cottage dedicated to the memory of
Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer (1772–1825) was an insurgent captain in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, leading the United Irish forces in battles in Wexford and Wicklow., Following the defeat and dispersal of the rebel hosts, in July 1798 Dwyer withdrew into ...
, an Irish insurgent active during the
1798 Rebellion
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a Irish republicanism, ...
. There, an engagement between British forces and a detachment of
United Irishmen
The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association in the Kingdom of Ireland formed in the wake of the French Revolution to secure "an equal representation of all the people" in a national government. Despairing of constitutional reform, ...
rebels led by Dwyer, known as the Dwyer-English engagement, occurred on 15 February 1799. During the battle, a fellow insurgent, Sam McAllister, intentionally drew the direction of British fire towards himself in order to allow Dwyer to escape.
The highest mountain in Wicklow and one of the highest mountains in Ireland, second only to Carrauntoohil in Co. Kerry is Lugnaquilla, which can be accessed near the village of Donard. This mountain has a height of 925 metres(3,035ft). The Wicklow Mountain Rescue team operates in the area.
Much of the surrounding
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ga, Gleann Uí Mháil) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain and Keadeen. Much of the glen is used by the Irish ...
(5,948 acres) has been used as an army artillery range since 1900.
A
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...
was opened in Donard in 1851 and
An Post
(; literally 'The Post') is the state-owned provider of postal services in Ireland. An Post provides a "universal postal service" to all parts of the country as a member of the Universal Postal Union. Services provided include letter post, p ...
closed it at the end of 2018.
There are two pubs in Donard. Toomey's Bar and Monaghan's Bar There is a shop, O'Keeffe's Country Store and there is also a Caravan Campsite (Moat Farm) in Donard