Picture Special: Donegal Town kicks off 550th birthday celebrations

Donegal Castle was the apt location for the launch of the Donegal Town 550th anniversary programme, as community and business representatives marked the beginning of an exciting calendar of events.

A bumper year is ahead for Donegal Town as they celebrate the town’s origins and culture.

The town’s beginnings can be traced back to 1474, when Lady Nuala O’Donnell established a Franciscan Abbey on the shores of Donegal Bay. Around the same time, her husband Red Hugh O’Donnell the First, Lord of Tir Chonaill founded Donegal Castle.  The Town of Donegal grew up around these two great buildings and became the capital of Tir Chonaill.

Since the time of Red Hugh the First and Lady Nuala, Donegal Town has been one of Ireland’s most historic places. Few Irish Towns have ever reached their 550th Birthday. Yet, Donegal is still young at heart, a flourishing and vibrant place, endowed with a remarkable and unique heritage and culture.

A committee has come together to create an exciting and varied calendar of events in 2024, which kicked off last Friday just before St. Patrick’s Day.

Here’s a flavour of the events to come, but make sure to follow the Donegal Town 550th Facebook page for updates:

1st March – 1st May: Donegal Town 550 Anniversary Exhibition

24th March: Palm Sunday Recital

31st March: Easter Sunday Dawn Services at the Old Abbey

24th May: Launch of 2024 Donegal Annual

17th August: 10th Anniversary Festival Regatta

17th-24th August: Heritage Week 2024 – Abbey of Donegal

24th-25th August: Donegal Town 550 History Symposium

See photos from Friday’s launch below, with thanks to Donegal Online.

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