- Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher was an Irish blues/rock guitarist, born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, grew up in Cork City in the south of Ireland. He is best known for his tenure in Taste and his solo work.
- Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell MBE (born December 12, 1961) is an Irish singer from County Donegal. With his mix of country and easy listening music, he has achieved success in both Europe and North America. He has starred in seven concert specials seen on public television stations (PBS) throughout America. To date he has sold over 10 million records worldwide.
- Moya Brennan
Máire Ní Bhraonáin, IPA: better known as Máire Brennan or Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Grammy Award-nominated Celtic folk singer. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970.
- Maire Brennan
Máire Ní Bhraonáin, IPA: better known as Máire Brennan or Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Celtic folk singer. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970. Brennan released her first solo album in 1992, "Máire", on Atlantic Records. "Misty Eyed Adventures" on BGM followed three years later.
- Paul Brady
Paul Brady (born Paul Joseph Brady, 19 May 1947, Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was into a wide variety of music from an early age. During his career he has passed through several major bands and on to a successful solo phase. Brady began performing as a hotel piano player in Donegal at the age of sixteen before becoming a guitarist, during the 1960s, …
- Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt (6 September 1813 - 5 May 1879) was the founder and first leader of a number of parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home Rule League. He also founded the Dublin University Magazine and for much of his life was a member of the Irish Conservative Party. He was Member of Parliament for Youghal from 1852 to 1865, and for Limerick from 1871 to 1879.
- Frank McGuinness
Frank McGuinness (born 29 July 1953 in County Donegal, Ireland) is an Irish playwright, translator and poet.
- Derek Hill
Arthur Derek Hill (1916-30 July 2000) was an English portrait and landscape painter, born in Hampshire. Son of a wealthy sugar trader, Hill first worked as a theatre designer in Leningrad in the 1930s and later as an historian. His long association with Ireland began when he visited Glenveagh Castle, County Donegal to paint the portrait of the Irish-American art collector, Henry McIlhenny, whose grandfather had emigrated to the US from the nearby village of Milford, …
- John White
John White (May 6 1833 - September 24 1894) was an Ontario machinist and political figure. He represented Hastings East in the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative member from 1871 to 1887. He was born in Donegal, County Donegal, Ireland in 1833 and grew up there. In 1856, he married Esther Johnston. He operated a cheese factory on the Moira River near the town of Roslin. White served as reeve for Tyendinaga.
- Patrick MacGill
Patrick MacGill (24 December 1889-November 1963) was an Irish journalist, poet and novelist, known as "The Navvy Poet" because he had worked as a "navvy" (itinerant labourer) before he began writing. Patrick was born in Glenties, County Donegal. A statue in his honor is on the bridge where the main street crosses the river in Glenties. During the First World War, MacGill served with the London Irish Rifles (1/18th Battalion, …
- Tír Conaill
Tír Conaill was the name of a kingdom which covered much of what is now County Donegal. It was founded in the fifth century by a supposed son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Conall Gulban, the eponymous ancestor of the Cenél Conaill. His descendants ruled the kingdom till the Flight of the Earls in September 1607, which marked the end of the kingdom.
- Francis Makemie
Francis Makemie (1658 - 1708) is considered to be the founder of Presbyterianism in United States of America. Born in County Donegal, Ireland, he became a clergyman and was ordained by the Presbytery of Laggan in Ireland in 1682. At the call of Colonel William Stevens, he was sent as a missionary to America arriving in Maryland in 1683. In 1684, Makemie founded the first Presbyterian community in the Town of Snow Hill. The Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church in Snow Hill, …
- William Allingham
William Allingham (March 19, 1824 or 1828 - November 18, 1889) was an Irish man of letters and poet. He was born at Ballyshannon, Donegal, and was the son of the manager of a local bank who was of English descent. He obtained a post in the custom-house of his native town and held several similar posts in Ireland and England until 1870, when he had retired from the service, and became sub-editor of "Fraser's Magazine", which he edited from 1874 to 1879, …
- Pat Doherty
Pat Doherty was born and educated in Glasgow where his parents had migrated to from Donegal in search of work. After working as a site engineer, Doherty returned to Ireland in 1968 and soon became involved in the republican movement. This has frequently led to allegations, which he has always denied, that he was an important member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and at times has served on its ruling body, the Army Council.
- Enya
Enya, birth name Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin, sometimes presented in the media as Enya Brennan, was born on 17 May 1961, in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland, and is a four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, an Academy Award-nominated songwriter, and Ireland's best-selling solo artist and one of that nation's best known musicians. As a musical group, "Enya" represents a partnership between three people: Enya herself, …
- William Jackson
William Jackson is a Scottish harpist and composer, born in 1955 in Cambuslang, near Glasgow. Since his grandparents came from County Donegal, he visited Ireland many times. He trained as a music therapist at the Guildhall School of Music, London. In 1973 he joined the Scottish folk group Contraband, who released an album in 1974, then disbanded in 1975. Billy's brother George Jackson (died 1998) was also a member. In 1976 he became a founding member of Ossian.
- Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish football goalkeeper who currently plays for Newcastle United and the Republic of Ireland, and is regarded as one of the finest and most reliable custodians in the Premier League. He is also vice-captain of both his country and club. For Ireland, Given has been capped 80 times and was his country's starter at the 2002 World Cup.
- Dessie Larkin
Dessie Larkin has been a member of Letterkenny Town Council and Donegal County Council since first entering politics in 1999. He took a career break from his job at Unifi to concentrate fully on his role as a public representative. Larkin serves on the following committees: *Donegal County Council *Letterkenny Town Council *Donegal VEC *Chair of Donegal Sports Partnership *Board of Management of LYIT *Director of An Grianan Theatre Cllr.
- Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill
Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill is an Irish traditional singer from Ranafast, County Donegal and Ráth Cairn, County Meath. She is generally regarded as one of Ireland's finest traditional singers, with extraordinary sales of 500,000 records, such massive sales are rare in the traditional music industry. Maighread first came to prominence as a member of the group Skara Brae. The other members of the group were Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and Dáithí Sproule.
- Pearse Doherty
Pearse Doherty is a Sinn Féin politician and a TD candidate for the 2007 general elections. He was born in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. A civil engineer by profession, a member of Sinn Féin since 1994 he has served on the national executive of Ógra Shinn Féin. Doherty is a committed Irish speaker and a member of MIJAG, the national group that campaigns against the high cost of motor insurance.
- Mary Doherty
Mary Doherty is an Irish Christian Solidarity Party politician based in County Donegal. She was one of only seven Christian Solidarity Party candidates at the 2007 Irish general election and received only 339 votes.
- Dave Gallaher
David Gallaher (30 October 1873-4 October 1917) was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national team to be known as the All Blacks. Born in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland, Gallaher's family emigrated to New Zealand in 1878. Originally settling in Katikati in the Bay of Plenty, they moved to Auckland in the 1890s and it was there that Gallaher played his provincial rugby.
- Jimmy Harte
Jimmy Harte is an Irish Independence Party Politician for Donegal North East. He is located in Letterkenny, County Donegal. He has been a member of Donegal County Council since 1999 and the Letterkenny Town Council since 1994. His father Paddy is a retired Irish Fine Gael party politician who served for 36 years as TD for Donegal North-East. Jimmy is married to Mary Galligan from Carrigart and has four children.
- Packie Bonner
Patrick Joseph ("Packie") Bonner (born May 24, 1960 in Cloughglass, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland) is a former football goalkeeper for the Republic of Ireland, who earned 80 caps after making his debut on his 21st birthday. He is remembered for his famous penalty save from Daniel Timofte of Romania in the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals. In 1978 Jock Stein made Bonner his last signing for Celtic when he swooped for the promising young keeper, then with his local team, …
- James White
(James) "Jim" White is an Irish businessman and hotelier, and a former Fine Gael Teachtaí Dála (TD) for constituencies in County Donegal. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1973 general election as Fine Gael TD for the Donegal-Leitrim constituency. He was re-elected at the 1977 general election as the TD for the new Donegal constituency. After further boundary changes, he was re-elected at the 1981 general election as the TD for Donegal South West, …
- John McGinley
John McGinley is an Irish Labour Party politician from Lettermacaward, County Donegal. He is member of Kildare County Council representing the Leixlip Electoral Area, mainly the town of Maynooth where he lives. He has recently retired as a worker director from the board of the Electricity Supply Board, Ireland's national electricity generator and grid supplier.
- Dinny McGinley
Dinny McGinley (born 27 April, 1945) is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is a Teachta Dála (TD) for Donegal South West and is currently the Fine Gael Spokesperson for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs. Dinny McGinley was born in Gweedore, County Donegal. He was educated at St. Patrick's Teachers' Training College, Dublin, University College Dublin where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and Coláiste Íosagáin, Ballyvourney, County Cork.
- Séamus Ó Grianna
Séamus Ó Grianna [ʃ̪ʲeː(ə)mʷʊs̪ˠ oː ɟɼiː(ə)n̪ˠə] or known locally as Jimí Fheilimí was an Irish writer, under the pen-name "Máire" (1889-1969). Born into a family of poets and storytellers in Ranafast, County Donegal, Ireland. He attended local primary school until the age of 14. He spent several years at home and as a seasonal worker in Scotland.
- Damien Blake
Damian Blake is a Fianna Fáil member of Letterkenny Town Council. He was educated at Scoil Cholmcille & St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. In 2005 he earned a First Class BSc (Hons) Degree in E-Business & Connectivity from the University of Ulster at Magee College in Derry. Damian has been involved in setting up Ogra Fianna Fáil, the youth wing of Fianna Fáil. He was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Town Council.
- Paddy Harte
Paddy Harte OBE (born 26 July, 1931) is a retired Irish Fine Gael party politician who served for 36 years as TD for Donegal North-East. He was born in Lifford, County Donegal in 1931. He was first elected to the 17th Dáil in the 1961 general election, and re-elected at eleven further general elections. In the 22nd Dáil, from 1981–82, he was Minister of State at the Department of Posts & Telegraphs, in Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald's government.
- Eddie Fullerton
Edward "Eddie" Fullerton was a Sinn Féin councillor from County Donegal, Ireland. He was killed at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association. The eldest of John and Mary Fullerton's 20 children, Eddie Fullerton emigrated to Scotland at the age of 18, and then moved to England. He became involved in Irish republicanism in Birmingham, where he also met and married his wife Diana (with whom he would have 6 children).
- James Duffy
James Duffy VC (November 17, 1889- April 8, 1969) born in Crolly, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. He was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 28 years old, and a private in the 6th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, …
- Neil Blaney
Neil Blaney, was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil TD representing Donegal North East. Blaney served as Minister for Posts & Telegraphs (1957), Minister for Local Government (1957-1966) and Minister for Agriculture & Fisheries (1966-1970). He is a former Father of the Dáil. Blaney was born in County Donegal, the eldest in a family of eleven children.
- Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell (born 1833 in Dungloe, County Donegal, Ireland, died 21 June 1877, Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, Pennsylvania) was a businessman who, along with three other alleged Molly Maguires members, was hanged for the murders of two mine operatives. Campbell proclaimed his innocence to the end, and in doing so, slapped a muddy handprint on the wall of his prison cell, declaring that the mark would remain forever as a sign of his innocence.
- Mad Dog Coll
Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll was an Irish enforcer for the mafia in early 20th-century New York City. He was born in Gweedore, an Irish-speaking region of County Donegal, Ireland, but emigrated to the U.S. only a year later. He grew up on the streets of The Bronx, where he joined a street gang and befriended Dutch Schultz. As Schultz's criminal empire grew in power, he employed Coll as an assassin. Coll is distantly related to Northern Ireland MP Brid Rodgers.
- Michael Devine
Michael James (Mickey) Devine (Irish name: Mícheál Ó Duibhinn was an Irish Republican hunger striker and member (volunteer) of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).
- Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley (born December 16, 1966) is an Irish golfer who plays on the European Tour. He is most famous for holing the winning putt for the European team in the 2002 Ryder Cup. He currently resides in Sunningdale, England. McGinley was born in Dublin to his father Mick, originally from Letterkenny, County Donegal. He turned professional in 1991. He has won four events on the European Tour.
- Marian Harkin
Marian Harkin is an Irish politician. She was elected as an independent TD to Dáil Éireann in the 2002 general election for the Sligo-Leitrim constituency, receiving the highest number of first preference votes in that election. She was subsequently elected to the European Parliament in 2004 and retired from her Dáil seat at the 2007 general election to concentrate on her European seat.
- Joseph Brennan
Joseph Brennan, was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil Party politician. He was born in Dunkineely in County Donegal. He was educated locally and developed great skill at Gaelic Football, playing for his county team. Brennan was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Donegal West constituency at the 1951 general election and was re-elected at each election until his death. As constituency boundaries were changed, he represented Donegal South West from 1961-1969, …
- Jimmy Kelly
James ("Jimmy") Kelly (born 1912 in Ballybofey, County Donegal, died 1970) is a former Irish international soccer player. Kelly played for Coleraine FC, Liverpool FC and Derry City FC for which he scored three hundred and sixty-three goals over a period of twenty years. He represented the Irish League sixteen times and played for the League of Ireland three times.