Donegal town, 1474–1974

Matthew Potter

Donegal town is one of the most historic places in Ireland, and has given its name to Co. Donegal. Owned successively by three great families, the O’Donnells (1474–1610), the Brookes (1610–76) and the Gores (1676–c.1950s), the most striking feature of its history is its former political prominence. Under the O’Donnells, it was for 130 years the capital of Tír Chonaill – effectively an independent state and a minor international power (at least in a British/Irish context). As such, Donegal town was also the administrative centre of a huge area of north-western Ireland, stretching from Mayo to Antrim. Later, it suffered four sieges (1601, 1641, 1651, 1689) but was never captured, it was the principal estate town of the Gore family for 240 years, a parliamentary constituency for 187 years, the administrative centre of a poor law union for 85 years, and the archetypical Irish market town for two centuries.