Discover Donegal: Castle, Bay and Railway History

Donegal Town combines its location on Donegal Bay with a history that can be discovered at specific sites. The town lies on the Wild Atlantic Way and looks out over the bay, with the Bluestack Mountains in the background. Other highlights include a castle above the River Eske, the ruins of a Franciscan friary and a railway museum. This gives you a mix of local history, a boat trip around the bay and insights into the railways of County Donegal to help plan your trip.

Castle and Abbey Ruins on the River Eske

Donegal Castle stands in the heart of Donegal Town, overlooking the River Eske. Red Hugh O’Donnell built the castle in the 15th century as his personal stronghold. If you are interested in the town’s history, it offers a specific point of interest right in the centre of Donegal Town.

Another historical landmark is the ruin of the Old Abbey of Donegal, a Franciscan friary dating from the 15th century. It stands where the River Eske flows into the broad, shallow estuary of Donegal Bay. The Abbey of Donegal was founded in 1474 at the request of Nuala O’Connor. The castle and the abbey ruins tell different chapters of the town’s history: one, the personal stronghold of Red Hugh O’Donnell; the other, the founding of an abbey.

Railway History and Walking Tours

The Donegal Railway Museum commemorates the various railways that operated in County Donegal from 1863 to 1959. It is housed in one of the few surviving original railway station buildings, built in 1889. The exhibits include the famous Donegal steam locomotive Drumboe. The museum also has an interactive railway cabin, described as Ireland’s first. The Donegal Railway Museum is considered a weather-independent attraction in Donegal Town and is 300 metres from the town centre.

If you would like to discover Donegal Town on a guided tour, Donegal Town Walking Tours offers a 90-minute walk covering the town’s historical and cultural sights. The tour is led by a guide recognised by Fáilte Ireland. This gives you the option of including a guided tour of the town’s history in your travel plans.

Experience Donegal Bay from the Water

Since 2006, the Donegal Bay Waterbus has offered sightseeing tours departing from Donegal Town. The trip takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. On the outbound journey, the crew provides commentary on local history and places of particular interest in the bay. You can also see a seal colony on Seal Island from the waterbus. The tour is suitable for families, tour groups and independent travellers.

Departure times depend on the weather and tides; trips usually take place in the morning, afternoon or evening. The waterbus is easily accessible from the pier, and there are plenty of parking spaces at the quay. When planning your day, this weather- and tide-dependent trip offers a different way to explore than a museum visit in town. If the bay and its history are among your travel interests, you can make the waterbus one of the highlights of your stay.

Arts and Crafts Nearby

Nearby, visitors can tour workshops at Donegal Craft Village. They showcase glass, ceramics, paintings, jewellery and handmade felt art. This complements the historical sights and boat trip with an insight into a range of crafts.

Other places in this overview: Derrybeg, Raphoe, Kindrohid, Treantagh, Naran, Carrowreagh, Castlecooley and Ballyshannon.

For the broader travel overview: County Donegal.