Book Launch | Donegal town, 1474–1974

Join us for the launch of Donegal town, 1474–1974 by Mathew Potter.

Former President of the Donegal Historical Society, Helen Meehan will launch the book at 7.00pm on Thursday 29 October 2026 in Donegal Castle, Castle Street, Donegal, F94 P996.

All welcome. No RSVP necessary.

 

Donegal town is one of the most historic places in Ireland, and has given its name to Co. Donegal. It has been a Gaelic town, a Plantation town, an estate town and a market town. 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. 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.

Matthew Potter is a native of Donegal town but has been resident in Limerick since 1974. He is curator of Limerick Museum and an associate fellow in the School of History and Geography, University of Limerick. He has published extensively on urban history and local government history.