This is a list of people from

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrcon ...

Sport

Packie Bonner Patrick Joseph Bonner (born 24 May 1960) is an Irish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper and spent his entire career at Celtic. He earned a total of 80 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team after making his debut on h ...

, former

Glasgow Celtic The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic (), is a Scottish professional football club based in Glasgow, which plays in the Scottish Premiership. The club was founded in 1887 with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the immigran ...

and

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...

goalkeeper *

Séamus Coleman Séamus Coleman (; born 11 October 1988) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a right-back and captains both Premier League club Everton and the Republic of Ireland national team. Originally a Gaelic footballer, Coleman started h ...

plays right back for Everton and

Philip Deignan Philip Deignan ( ga, Pilib Ó Duígeannáin; born 7 September 1983) is an Irish former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2005 and 2018 for the , , , and squads. A former Olympian, Deignan won a stage in the 200 ...

, former professional cyclist *

Ronan McLaughlin Ronan McLaughlin (born 11 March 1987) is an Irish cyclist who currently rides for amateur team Dan Morrissey–MIG.ie–Pactimo. He also rode for UCI Continental team from 2008 until 2013, and competed in the road race at the 2012 UCI Road Worl ...

, former professional cyclist *

Gary Doherty Gary Michael Thomas Doherty (born 31 January 1980) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a defender, having previously also played as a forward. He gained international honours for the Republic of Ireland. He began his care ...

, former professional

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player *

John Dunleavy John Francis Dunleavy (born 3 July 1991) is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender. He currently plays for Finn Harps in the League of Ireland. Career Dunleavy joined Wolverhampton Wanderers academy in October 2006, rejecting the chance ...

Sligo Rovers F.C. Sligo Rovers Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Ruagairí Shligigh) is an Irish professional football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club is based in Sligo in the west of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 ...

centre-back *

Sharon Foley Sharon Gallen ( ; ; born 20 May 1972) is an Irish former track and field athlete who specialised in the high jump. She also competed in the triple jump, pentathlon and heptathlon. A winner of 22 Irish national titles, she competed in the high ju ...

, international athlete *

Dave Gallaher David Gallaher (30October 1873 – 4October 1917) was an Irish-born New Zealand rugby union footballer best remembered as the captain of the " Original All Blacks"—the 1905–06 New Zealand national team, the first representative New Zealan ...

, former

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

Rugby Union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

player and captain *

Shay Given Séamus John James Given (born 20 April 1976) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. With 134 caps, he is the second-highest capped Republic of Ireland player. Given started his career at Celtic, however he neve ...

, former

and current

Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...

goalkeeper *

Caitriona Jennings Caitriona Jennings (born 17 June 1980; from Letterkenny, County Donegal) is an Irish long distance runner who competed in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. Early life Jennings attended Loreto Convent Secon ...

, international athlete and Olympian *

Sinéad Lynch Sinéad Lynch (born 30 September 1976; née Jennings; in Letterkenny, County Donegal) is an Irish rower. She is a member of St Michael's Rowing Club. In August 2015 she was a member of the lightweight women's double scull which qualified ...

, Olympic rowing finalist *

Conrad Logan Conrad Joseph Logan (born 18 April 1986) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Anstey Nomads. Logan joined the Leicester City academy in 2001, making his professional debut in 2005. He largely served Leicester as a ...

Rochdale A.F.C. Rochdale Association Football Club is a professional football club based in the town of Rochdale, Lancashire, England. The team currently compete in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Dale', they ha ...

goalkeeper *

Brian McEniff Brian McEniff (born 1 December 1942) is a former Gaelic football manager, administrator and player. McEniff played as a wing-back for the St Joseph's combination of clubs from Bundoran and Ballyshannon. He won seven Donegal Senior Football ...

, former

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

county manager * Michael Murphy,

Gaelic Football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by ki ...

player *

Colm McFadden Colm Anthony McFadden ( ga, Colm Antóin Mac Pháidín; born 1982/3) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays at full forward for St Michael's and, from 2002 to 2016, for the Donegal county team. McFadden is Donegal's most-capped Championship ...

, Gaelic Football player *

Kevin McHugh Kevin McHugh ( ga, Caoimhín MacAodha); born 19 January 1980 in Letterkenny, Ireland) is an Irish former footballer and current manager of Finn Harps F.C. under-15 League of Ireland team. He is considered one of Donegal's best-known sportstars. ...

Finn Harps F.C. Finn Harps Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Chláirsigh na Finne) are an Irish football club that play in the First Division of the League of Ireland, as of 2023. The club was founded in 1954 and elected to the league in 1969. However, it was te ...

under-15 manager * Carl McHugh,

ATK Mohun Bagan FC ATK Mohun Bagan FC () is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The club competes in Indian Super League, the top flight of Indian football. The club, which was formed as a merger between the football section of m ...

defender *

Stephen McLaughlin Stephen Antony McLaughlin (born 14 June 1990) is an Irish footballer who plays for League Two club Mansfield Town as a defender. Career Early years McLaughlin began his career at his local club St. Mary's, and played all his under-age foo ...

Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Stags', they play in a blue and ye ...

winger *

Larissa Muldoon Larissa Muldoon (born 11 March 1991), from Ballybofey, Co Donegal, is a rugby union player for Railway Union, Ulster rugby and the Irish Rugby Football Union. Her first sport was ladies gaelic football which she played for Donegal at Under-14 ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

women's

scrum-half *

Jason Quigley Jason Quigley is an Australian rules football field umpire in the Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AF ...

, professional boxer *

Ricky Simms PACE Sports Management is a sports management and marketing company based in Monaco and London, directed by Ricky Simms. Background KIM McDonald International management was founded in the 80's by former middle distance runner Kim McDonald. Th ...

, London-based manager of

Usain Bolt Usain St. Leo Bolt, , (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay. An eight-ti ...

; Simms is a native of Milford *

Nora Stapleton Nora Stapleton is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Stapleton represented Ireland at the 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations ...

women's

fly-half In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards (wearing jerseys numbered 1–8) and seven backs (numbered 9–15). In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16– ...

* Mark English,

middle-distance runner Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distance event. The 1 ...

Churchmen

Adomnán Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of ...

– also known as Saint Eunan; Abbot of

Iona Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though ther ...

679–704. *

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is tod ...

– or Saint Colmcille, one of the three

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

s of Ireland. * Francis Alison – prominent

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

minister in the

Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centu ...

and a leading member of the

Synod of the Trinity Synod of the Trinity is an upper judicatory of the Presbyterian Church headquartered in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The synod oversees sixteen presbyteries covering all of Pennsylvania, most of West Virginia, and a portion of eastern Ohio. Hist ...

. At least three of the signatories of the

United States Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ( ...

were former students of Alison, who was born and raised in the

Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

of Leck, on the outskirts of Letterkenny. * Stopford Brooke –

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

and, later, Unitarian clergyman and literary historian. He served as chaplain to The Crown Princess Friedrich of Prussia, 1863–1865, and later served as chaplain-in-ordinary to her mother,

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

, 1875–1880. Was born and raised in Glendowan, just west of Letterkenny. *The Rev.

Francis Makemie Francis Makemie (1658–1708) was an Ulster Scots clergyman, considered to be the founder of Presbyterianism in the United States of America. Early and family life Makemie was born in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland (part of the Province o ...

– founder of

Presbyterianism Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

in what later became the United States. He was from

Ramelton Ramelton (; ), also Rathmelton, is a town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. , its population was 1,266. History Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny and 4 km south of Milford, on ...

. *

George Simms George Otto Simms (4 July 1910 – 15 November 1991) was an archbishop in the Church of Ireland. Early life and education George Otto Simms was born on 4 July 1910 in North Dublin in Ireland to parents John Francis A Simms & Ottilie Sophie Sta ...

–

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the sec ...

Primate of All Ireland and

Archbishop of Armagh In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

. A well known historian, he was from

Lifford Lifford (, historically anglicised as ''Liffer'') is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland, the administrative centre of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken as holding ...

Arts

Music

* Altan, folk band *

Moya Brennan Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing pr ...

, Celtic folk singer *

Clannad Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including ...

, folk band * John Doherty, fiddler *

Enya Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...

, singer *

Aoife Ní Fhearraigh Aoife Ní Fhearraigh (), or simply Aoife, is an Irish singer. A well-known interpreter of Irish Gaelic songs, she released her first recording in 1991 and worked with Moya Brennan to produce her much acclaimed 1996 album ''Aoife''. She reached int ...

, singer *

Rory Gallagher William Rory Gallagher ( ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Due to his virtuosic playing, but relative lack of fame compared to some others, he has been referred to as "the greatest ...

, blues/folk singer * Conal Gallen, singer * Mickey Joe Harte, singer/songwriter *

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (; born 26 July 1959) is an Irish fiddle, Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Folk music of Ireland, Irish folk music band Altan (band), Altan, which she co-founded with her late husband Frankie Kennedy in 1987. To ...

, fiddler *

Lee Mulhern Lee Mulhern (born 12 June 1988), now known as Lee Matthews, is an Irish singer-songwriter. Starting age 8, Lee Mulhern (his birth name) had performed as a child star prodigy covering pop and country songs on many Irish and UK radio and televisi ...

, singer/songwriter, member Of Stateside *

Daniel O'Donnell Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...

, singer * Margo O'Donnell, singer *

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh Proinsias Ó Maonaigh () or Francie Mooney (28 April 1922 – 28 March 2006) was a fiddler from Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish musi ...

, fiddler * Tommy Peoples, fiddler * The Revs, indie rock band

Literary

William Allingham William Allingham (19 March 1824 – 18 November 1889) was an Irish poet, diarist and editor. He wrote several volumes of lyric verse, and his poem "The Faeries" was much anthologised. But he is better known for his posthumously published ''Di ...

, poet * E. Rentoul Esler, Late Victorian and

Edwardian era The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Vic ...

novelist. Born in

Manorcunningham Manorcunningham, or Manor (, meaning "the manor of Fort Cownyngham") is a small village and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located 7 kilometers from Letterkenny on the main road to Derry. It is known locally and throughout Donegal ...

. * Neil McBride poet, author * Frank McGuinness, playwright, poet, translator *

Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Mícheál Ó Cléirigh (), sometimes known as Michael O'Clery, was an Irish chronicler, scribe and antiquary and chief author of the ''Annals of the Four Masters,'' assisted by Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh, Fearfeasa Ó Maol Chonaire, and Per ...

, one of the Four Masters * Séamus Ó Grianna, writer *

Cathal Ó Searcaigh Cathal Ó Searcaigh (born 12 July 1956), is a modern Irish language poet. His work has been widely translated, anthologised and studied. "His confident internationalism", according to Theo Dorgan, has channeled "new modes, new possibilities, i ...

, poet *

John Toland John Toland (30 November 167011 March 1722) was an Irish rationalist philosopher and freethinker, and occasional satirist, who wrote numerous books and pamphlets on political philosophy and philosophy of religion, which are early expressions o ...

, philosopher, writer * Patrick MacGill, writer * Annemarie Ní Churreáin, poet

Artists

Felim Egan Felim Egan (8 November 1952 – 19 November 2020) was an Irish painter. Biography Born in County Donegal, Egan attended St. Columb's College in Derry before studying Art in Belfast and Portsmouth and at the Slade School of Art in London. He liv ...

, painter *

Kenneth King (artist) Kenneth King, born in Dublin, Ireland (1939 - 2019) was a notable international marine artist who was a Chaplain in the Royal Navy before he became a full-time artist. King's studio, "Straid Studio-Gallery", is in Glencolmcille, a Gaeltacht or ...

* Patsaí Dan Mac Ruairí, painter and " King of Tory" *

Sheila McClean Sheila McClean, RUA, (13 August 1932 – 5 August 2016) was an Irish painter, whose work was in the impressionist style. Life and work Sheila McClean was originally from Moville, County Donegal, Ireland and attended Thornhill College in Derr ...

, painter * Kevin Sharkey, painter

Actors

Ray McAnally Ray McAnally (30 March 1926 – 15 June 1989) was an Irish actor. He was the recipient of three BAFTA Awards in the late 1980s: two BAFTA Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor (for ''The Mission'' in 1986 and ''My Left Foot'' in 1989), and ...

, actor * Keith McErlean, actor * Seán McGinley, actor * Gavin Ó Fearraigh, actor, model *

Art Parkinson Art Parkinson (born 19 October 2001) is an Irish actor from Moville in Inishowen, County Donegal, in Ireland. He began his professional acting career at the age of seven. He is best known for his role as Rickon Stark on the HBO series ''Game of ...

, actor * John D Ruddy, actor * Andrew Simpson, actor

Film

* Gerard Lough, Film director

Politics

Ian Anderson Ian Scott Anderson (born 10 August 1947) is a British musician, singer and songwriter best known for his work as the lead vocalist, flautist, acoustic guitarist and leader of the British rock band Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist ...

, prominent Manx politician who was a long-serving member of the

Tynwald Tynwald ( gv, Tinvaal), or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald ( gv, Ard-whaiyl Tinvaal) or Tynwald Court, is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of two chambers, known as the branches of Tynwald: the directly elected House ...

. From

Rathmullan Rathmullan () is a seaside village and townland on the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly, north-east of Ramelton and east of Milford. Rathmullan has historical significance as the ...

. *

Harry Blaney Harry Blaney (18 February 1928 – 29 April 2013) was an Irish Independent Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal North-East constituency. His father was Neal Blaney, who was a TD from 1927 to 1948. Blaney was de ...

, former Irish politician *

Neil Blaney Neil Terence Columba Blaney (1 October 1922 – 8 November 1995) was an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) representing Donegal East. A high-profile member of the party, Blane ...

, former Irish politician *

Niall Blaney Niall Blaney (born 29 January 1974) is an Irish politician who has been a Senator for the Agricultural Panel since April 2020. He was a member of Independent Fianna Fáil until he joined Fianna Fáil in 2006, he served as a Teachta Dála (TD) ...

, Irish politician * Brian Brady, Irish politician * Joseph Brennan, Irish politician *

Isaac Butt Isaac Butt (6 September 1813 – 5 May 1879) was an Irish barrister, editor, politician, Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, economist and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist part ...

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and givin ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

and founder of the

Home Rule movement Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wi ...

. Born and raised in Glenfin, a district near

Ballybofey Ballybofey ( , ; ) is a town located on the south bank of the River Finn, County Donegal, Ireland. Together with the smaller town of Stranorlar on the north side of the River Finn, the towns form the Twin Towns of Ballybofey-Stranorlar. B ...

. *

Francis Campbell Francis Martin-Xavier Campbell (born 20 April 1970) is a British diplomat and academic. Since January 2020, he has been the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia. From 2014 to 2020, he was the Vice-Chancellor of St Mary's Un ...

, former American politician * Sir Bob Cooper, former Deputy Leader of the

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), or simply Alliance, is a liberal and centrist political party in Northern Ireland. As of the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, it is the third-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembl ...

and formerly the long-serving head of the

Equality Commission for Northern Ireland The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (Irish language, Irish: ''Coimisiún Comhionannais do Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Equalitie Commission fer Norlin Airlan'') is a non-departmental public body in Norther ...

. Born and raised in East Donegal. * Mary Coughlan, former

Tánaiste The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Tao ...

and former TD for Donegal South-West. First woman to be appointed as

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine ( ga, An tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Historically, the agriculture portfol ...

in the Irish Government. *

Pat "the Cope" Gallagher Pat "the Cope" Gallagher ( ir, Pádraig Ó Gallchóir; born 10 March 1948) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 2016 to 2020 and as a Minister of State from 1987 to 1994 and from 20 ...

, Irish politician * Tommy Gallagher,

SDLP The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Irela ...

politician who was formerly an MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone *

Paddy Harte Patrick Harte (26 July 1931 – 8 January 2018) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served for 36 years as Teachta Dála (TD) for Donegal North-East. Early life and family He was born in 1931 in Lifford, County Donegal. His son, Jimmy H ...

, retired Irish politician * The Baron Hay of Ballyore, served as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 2007–2014. Lord Hay of Ballyore also served as an MLA for Foyle up until 2014. * Samuel Hays (1783–1868), American politician *

Cahir Healy Cahir Healy (2 December 1877 – 8 February 1970) was an Irish politician. Background Born in Mountcharles in County Donegal, he became a journalist working on various local papers. He joined Sinn Féin on its foundation in 1905. He later cam ...

, journalist who was a very prominent

Irish nationalist Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of c ...

politician and who was a long-serving Member of Parliament for

County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 ...

. Born and raised near

Mountcharles Mountcharles () is a village and townland (of 650 acres) in the south of County Donegal, Ireland. It lies 6 km from Donegal Town on the Killybegs road ( N56). It is situated in the civil parish of Inver and the historic barony of Banagh. ...

* The 4th Viscount Lifford,

peer Peer may refer to: Sociology * Peer, an equal in age, education or social class; see Peer group * Peer, a member of the peerage; related to the term "peer of the realm" Computing * Peer, one of several functional units in the same layer of a ne ...

who once served as the Deputy Lieutenant of County Donegal. He also served as

High Sheriff of Donegal The High Sheriff of Donegal was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland, from the late 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Irish Free State and replaced by the office of Doneg ...

, 1841–1845. Lord Lifford was also a prominent businessman in the county, serving as Chairman of the Finn Valley Railway c. 1860. He also served as Chairman of the

West Donegal Railway The West Donegal Railway (WDR) was a narrow gauge railway in Ireland. History The Finn Valley Railway had reached Stranorlar in 1863. The West Donegal Railway Company was incorporated by an act of July 1879 to extend the Finn Valley Railway ...

. He sat as an

Irish representative peers In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords. Until 1999, all members of the Peerage of England held the right to ...

in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

, 1856-1887 *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Sir Michael McCorkell,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

soldier who became a prominent

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule m ...

politician in

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

. He served as

Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry This is a list of people to have been Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry. There were lieutenants of counties in Ireland until the reign of James II of England, James II, when they were renamed governors. The office of Lord Lieutenant was recre ...

, 1975–2000. Born in

Buncrana Buncrana ( ; ) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is beside Lough Swilly on the Inishowen peninsula, northwest of Derry and north of Letterkenny. In the 2016 census, the population was 6,785 making it the second most populous town in ...

. * Basil McCrea, formerly a prominent Unionist politician in the

Northern Ireland Assembly sco-ulster, Norlin Airlan Assemblie , legislature = Seventh Assembly , coa_pic = File:NI_Assembly.svg , coa_res = 250px , house_type = Unicameral , house1 = , leader1_type = S ...

. He was the leader of

NI21 NI21 was a short-lived political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 2013 by ex-Ulster Unionist Party MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister. Although it explicitly supported Northern Ireland staying part of the United Kingdom (i.e. un ...

from 2013 to 2016, and was previously a member of the UUP. He was born in

. *

Jim McDaid James Joseph McDaid (born 3 October 1949) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal North-East constituency from June 1989 until he resigned in November 2010. He also served as Minister for To ...

, Irish politician *

Dinny McGinley Denis McGinley (born 27 April 1945) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal South-West constituency from 1982 to 2016. Background McGinley w ...

, Irish politician *

Joe McHugh Joe McHugh (born 16 July 1971) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Chair of the Committee on European Union Affairs since September 2020. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal constituency since 2016, and previously ...

, Irish politician * James McNulty, Irish political activist *

Charles James O'Donnell Charles James O'Cahan O'Donnell (1849 – 3 December 1934) was an Irish colonial administrator in the British Raj, and later a member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. O'Donnell was born in Donegal in 1849. He was educated at Queens ...

, politician *

Peadar O'Donnell Peadar O'Donnell ( ga, Peadar Ó Domhnaill; 22 February 1893 – 13 May 1986) was one of the foremost radicals of 20th-century Ireland. O'Donnell became prominent as an Irish republican, socialist activist, politician and writer. Early life Pea ...

, Irish Republican *

Alexander Porter Alexander Porter (June 24, 1785January 13, 1844) was an attorney, politician, and planter, who served as United States Senator from Louisiana from 1833 to 1837. Born in Ireland, he emigrated in 1801 at the age of 16 to the United States. He ser ...

, U.S. Senator in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

. *

Bríd Rodgers Bríd Rodgers (; born 20 February 1935) in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland, is an Irish nationalist former politician. Although born and brought up in a Gaeltacht area in the west of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, she was po ...

, former MLA who formerly served as

Deputy Leader and was formerly Northern Irish Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. Born and raised in

Gweedore Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the north to Croll ...

. *

Patrick Stone Patrick Stone (14 March 1854 – 23 December 1926) was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1901 to 1904, and from 1905 to 1908. Born in Buncrana in Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland, on 14 March 1854, Patrick Stone w ...

, Member of the

Western Australian Legislative Assembly The Western Australian Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Western Australia, an Australian state. The Parliament sits in Parliament House, Perth, Parliament House in the Western Australian capi ...

Other

Sir Alexander Armstrong Sir Alexander Armstrong ( – 4 July 1899) was an Irish naval surgeon, explorer, naturalist and author. After obtaining a medical degree he joined the Royal Navy and was stationed on board , tasked with finding the lost expedition of ex ...

, explorer, was educated at

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, and at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...

. He entered the Medical Department of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

in 1842 and became its Director-General in 1869. * William C. Campbell, winner of 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, born in

* Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll, mafia enforcer in the United States of America *

, one of three patron saints of Ireland * Sir Jamie Flanagan, Chief Constable of the

Royal Ulster Constabulary The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)Richard Doherty, ''The Thin Green Line – The History of the Roya ...

(RUC), 1973–1976. Sir Jamie was born in

but was raised near

Killygordon Killygordon () is a small village in the Finn Valley in the east of County Donegal in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. , the population was 614. It is located on the N15 between Ballybofey and Castlefin. The separate hamlet and to ...

in East Donegal. *Professor John Kells Ingram, economist, Irish patriot and poet who was based at

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sir James Murray Irwin, senior-ranking doctor in the

. From

* Robert Johnston, recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

; rugby union international * Andrew Lewis, soldier * Hugh McLaughlin, inventor *

Sir Robert Montgomery Sir Robert Montgomery GCSI, KCB (2 December 1809 – 28 December 1887), was a British administrator and civil servant in colonial India. He was Chief Commissioner of Oudh during the period of 1858 to 1859 and later served as Lieutenant Govern ...

, colonial administrator in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. Grandfather of

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

The 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, British military commander during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Sir Robert was from

Moville Moville (; ) is a coastal town located on the Inishowen Peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland, close to the northern tip of the island of Ireland. It is the first coastal town of the Wild Atlantic Way when starting on the northern end. Locatio ...

Inishowen Inishowen () is a peninsula in the north of County Donegal in Ireland. Inishowen is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland. The Inishowen peninsula includes Ireland's most northerly point, Malin Head. The Grianan of Aileach, a ringfort ...

. *

Henry Musgrave Henry Musgrave (1827 – 2 January 1922), deputy Lieutenant, DL, was a Northern Irish businessman and philanthropist. He is perhaps best remembered for Musgrave Park, Belfast, Musgrave Park in Belfast, which he donated to the city. His ...

, DL, was an East Ulster businessman and philanthropist. Involved with many business concerns including the

Donegal Railway Company The Donegal Railway Company (DR) was a gauge railway in Ireland. History The company was formed in 1892 by a merger of the Finn Valley Railway and the West Donegal Railway. One of the first acts of the new company was to convert the former ...

.Art UK, Henry Musgrave by Henrietta Rae
/ref> In 1913, Henry Musgrave paid for a tower to be built on the

parish church at

Glencolumbkille ''Gleann Cholm Cille'', anglicised as Glencolumbkille or Glencolmcille, is a small district on the Atlantic coast of southwest County Donegal in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Named after Saint Colm Cille (Columba), it is also a ci ...

, near the family's country estate. He also left bequests to this church and

Kilcar ''Cill Charthaigh'' (anglicised as Kilcar) is a Gaeltacht village on the R263 regional road in the south west of County Donegal in Ireland. It is also a townland of 233 acres and a civil parish in the historic barony of Banagh. The villa ...

Parish Church in his will. On 1 March 1917, Musgrave was made an honorary burgess of the City of Belfast. He was also grand juror and

for 1909–10 and was made Deputy Lieutenant of both the City of Belfast and of Donegal. *

Hugh Roe O'Donnell Hugh Roe O'Donnell ( Irish: ''Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill''), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell (30 October 1572 – 10 September 1602), was a sixteenth-century leader of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. He became Chief of the Name of Clan O'Donne ...

, nobleman and soldier * Walter Patterson, first British colonial governor of

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

* Sir Gerry Robinson, businessman and former head of

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was its ...

* Pauric Sweeney, fashion designer * Frederick Young, from Culdaff was the founder of the Sirmoor Battalion later

2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Ba ...

, the first

Gurkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Go ...

regiment to fight for the British.

References

{{Reflist

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

Donegal Donegal may refer to: County Donegal, Ireland * County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster * Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland * Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...

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