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Letterkenny Attractions

Letterkenny (Leitir Ceanainn in Irish) is the largest town in County Donegal, and is situated at the base of the picturesque Lough Swilly. with the town’s three quarter mile main street housing the many bars...more info>> quality restaurants...more info>>, a buzzing nightlife and boasts a variety of recreational facilities including a leisure centre and pool, a golf course, a six screen multiplex cinema and An Grianán Theatre, the north-west's premier entertainment venue for music and drama. Click here for a detailed map of Letterkenny town.

Letterkenny  is located 35 miles north of Donegal Town and 20 miles west of Derry in Northern Ireland. Its name is an anglicisation of the Irish language name (Leitir Ceanainn), which, translated literally, means "The Slope of the Cannon Family". Some prominent buildings in Letterkenny include St. Eunan's Cathedral, St. Eunan's College, the Workhouse (now functioning as the town's museum), and St. Conal's Hospital. Letterkenny Institute of Technology is a higher education institution established in the town since 1971.

Since 2002 there has been a significant expanision in the retail sector. Allied to this growth has been the development of the cultural infrastructure. This includes the opening of An Grianan theatre and the development of a new arts centre. The town also draws in significant numbers of people to its pubs, restaurants and nightclubs. Having a number of pubs and nightclubs, there is a very significant social scene especially at the weekends. 

Letterkenny plays host to a number of major events including,
The Earagail Arts Festival, which features international music, drama, art and children's events taking place in July, with over 100 events in more than thirty venues throughout .
The Donegal Car Rally takes place in June of each year throughout Donegal.

Pennsylvania House can also be used as a base to explore northern Ireland, particularly the giants causeway in Antrim, and many other beautiful sights.

 
Useful links Useful Phone Numbers

Religious

  • St Eunans Cathedral (Parochial House) 074 9121021
  • Church Of The Irish Martyrs (Parochial House) 074 917600
  • Church Of Ireland Rectory 074 9122573
  • Presbyterian Manse 074 9122956
  • Letterkenny Baptist Church Tel: +353 (0)74 9126695

Entertainment/Leisure

  • Leisure Centre High Road Tel: +353 (0)74 9125251
  • Paintball Lurgy Tel: +353 (0)74 9128086
  • Letterkenny Golf Club Barnhill Tel: +353 (0)74 9121150 
  • Snooker Centre Port Road Tel: +353 (0)74 9121384
  • Pitch & Putt Ballyraine Tel: +353 (0)74 9125688 
  • An Grianán Theatre074 912077
  • Community Centre Pearse Road Tel: +353 (0)74 9122761 
  • Karting Centre Ballymaleel Tel: +353 (0)74 9129077
  • Cinema 074 9121976
  • County Museum 074 9124613
  • Quad Safari  Killylastin Tel: +353 (0)74 9124604 

 

Local Attractions

Glenveagh National Park
Glenveagh Castle and National Park is 16,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, woods and wild bogs. It is home to many species of wildlife including Irelands largest herd of red deer. Beside Glenveagh are Donegal's two highest mountains, Errigal and Muckish. Along with the park, the Castle and gardens are also open to the public.
 

Ards Forest Park
Over a thousand acres of forest park containing many plants and wildlife. With its sandy beaches, rivers and nature walks it is the most northerly forest park in the country.

Beaches
Donegal has some of the finest beaches in Ireland with its wild Atlantic coastline, beautiful golden sand and clear water.

Glebe Gallery
The Glebe Gallery houses the art collection of Derek Hill, the famous landscape and portrait painter who lived and worked here from 1954 until he presented his house and art collection to the state in 1981. The house is a regency style building decorated in authentic William Morris wallpapers, fabrics, carpets, oriental prints, modern paintings and eastern rugs. His studio has been converted into a very charming modern gallery with works by Corot, Degas, Braque, Renoir, Picasso, Graham Sutherland and Jack B. Yeats.
 

The Dunfanaghy Workhouse
Built in 1845 on the eve of the Great Irish Famine, the building now houses an exhibition that recalls the desperate days of the famine when people fled to the workhouse in search of food and shelter.
 

Newmills Corn and Flax Mills
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills are on the Glenties Road out of Letterkenny and here you can see one of the largest working waterwheels in Ireland, made by the Stevenson Foundry of Strabane in 1867.

Colmcille Heritage Centre
Colmcille Heritage Centre, located at Gartan, Churchill, Letterkenny. The centre houses a unique interpretative exhibition featuring the life and times of Saint Colmcille (Columba) - Patriarch of the Irish monastic system and founder of the Scottish Church. The centre is located in a beautiful stone building on the shores of Lough Gartan, within the Derryveagh mountain range.

Fort Dunree Military Museum
Fort Dunree Military Museum located in Buncrana houses a fine display of military memorabilia and artefacts, together with an array of large guns from the twentieth century. Using vibrant and colourful interactive displays the unique history of Fort Dunree is explained and recreated.

Other attractions nearby include:

  • Colmcille Heritage Centre

  • Derryveagh Crystal

  • Donegal China

  • Donegal County Museum

  • Dunfanaghy Workhouse

  • Errigal Mountain

  • Glebe Gallery

  • Glenveagh National Park

  • Inishowen Peninsula

  • Letterkenny Cathedral

  • McGee’s Tweed

  • Muckish Mountain

  • Newmills Corn and Flax

  • Ring Fort

  • Ards Forest Park.

  • Doe Castle

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