Donegal

Donegal, a maritime county in Ulster province, washed by the Atlantic on the north and west. Its greatest length is 84 miles, its greatest breadth, 41; area, 1870 sq. m. The bold and rugged coast-line (166 miles long) is indented by many deep bays and loughs; and there are numerous islands and islets off the coast, many of them inhabited. The surface generally is mountainous, moory, and boggy, with many small lakes and rivers, associated with endless fairy tales and traditions; here is excellent fishing. The highest hill, Erigal, rises 2462 feet, and several other hills exceed 2000 feet. The largest stream is the Foyle, running 16 miles north-east into Lough Foyle. Lough Derg is the largest lake. There is enormous wealth in beautiful granites, prior to 1889 almost unworked; and at Mountcharles there is a freestone unsurpassed by any other, of which the new Science and Art Buildings in Dublin are built. White marble occurs at Dunlewy. The climate in most parts is moist, raw, and boisterous from violent west and north-west winds. There are manufactures of woollens, worsted stockings, worked muslins, and kelp (now greatly depreciated), and extensive fisheries. Within recent years successful efforts have been made by philanthropists to revive and extend home industries. Trade is chiefly through Londonderry. Railway communication, though still much restricted, has of late developed encouragingly. Pop. (1841) 296,448; (1851) 255,160; (1871) 218,334; (1881) 206,035; (1891) 185,611—76 per cent. Catholics. Donegal sends four members to parliament. The towns are small, the chief being Lifford, the county town, Ballyshannon, Letterkenny, Rathmelton, Donegal, Glenties, Raphoe, Ballybofey and Stranorlar (twin towns), and Killybegs. Substantial farmers and artisans occupy the low fertile tracts, the home of the 'planted' race. The population of the mountain districts, said to be the remnant of the old Irish sept or clans, has been much diminished by emigration. Till 1612, when James I. planted Ulster with English and Scotch settlers, the south part of Donegal was called Tyrconnel, and belonged to the O'Donnells, who, from the 12th century, were inaugurated as Princes of Tyrconnel on Douna Rock, near Kilmaerenan. Donegal has many ruins and traces of forts, of religious houses and castles, and of the palace of the North Irish kings on a hill near Lough Swilly. Near Derry is the coronation-stone of the ancient Irish kings. Donegal contains many memorials of St Columba. Off Tory Isle, towards the entrance to Lough Swilly, which contains the remains of seven churches, two stone crosses, and a round tower, Warren, in 1798, captured a French fleet. Amongst the prisoners of war was the rebel, Theobald Wolfe Tone. St Patrick's Purgatory, a famous place of pilgrimage, is on an isle in Lough Derg. See Stephen Gwynn's Donegal and Antrim (1899).