The townland of Kirkstown lies to the northwest of the town of Letterkenny today, situated above Ballymacool, and is accessed by a road opposite the O’Donnell Park. Growing up in the town, many people (myself included), were led to believe that the townland got its name from the old Scottish name for a Presbyterian church
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Many visitors, and indeed locals, have seen the large statue outside the Cathedral and wondered who exactly was this man that warranted a statue in his likeness to be erected in the town. Unveiled by Bishop William McNeely in 1929, the statue is of Cardinal Patrick O’Donnell, the former Bishop of Raphoe who supervised the
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In 1659, a Census of Donegal took place and stated that the population of the town of Letterkenny was 73 people with 49 English/Scottish and 24 Irish residents. The principal landowners are given as Alexander Cunningham, James Cunningham, Alexander Ewing, Levinnis Sempill, Gilbert McIlwee, Peter Colhoune, William Jamisone, Walter Buchanan, Will...
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Approximately 20 km to the west of Letterkenny, in August 1857, a land speculator from Queen’s County, John George Adair made his first purchase of land on the Derryveagh Estate, having fallen in love with the scenery on a previous visit. Over the next couple of years, he acquired more and more land in the
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