The incident is said to have happened late on Saturday night.
The incident happened at a house at Ballyheerin in Kilmacrennan, 8km north of Letterkenny, at about 11.45 pm on Saturday last.
During the incident two masked men armed with a small hatchet and a handgun broke into the house and threatened a 50-year old woman before fleeing empty-handed 10 minutes later.
The woman was alone in the house at the time of the incident.
Gardaí are seeking to identify the two men involved in the incident and also wish to speak to the occupants of a blue van observed in the vicinity prior to the attack.
The first man was wearing a dark coat and leggings. There were two distinctive white stripes down the back of the coat. He spoke with what is described as a local accent.
The second male is described as being tall and of thin build. He wore dark clothing and a grey scarf and dark woollen cap.
Both are thought to be aged in their 40s or 50s.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at the weekend is asked to contact gardai on 074 91 53114.
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