Letterkenny History Trail

Letterkenny Museum, formerly Letterkenny Workhouse

High Road, Letterkenny

The Letterkenny Workhouse, which now houses the Letterkenny Museum, was originally built in 1845 to cater for the poorest of the poor, who had no other option but to go there.Before 1870, these buildings were officially known as Poorhouses. Letterkenny Workhouse was one of 8 such workhouses built in the county, following the Poor Law of Ireland in 1838. George Wilkinson was the architect who designed all the workhouses in Ireland, and as a result, all the buildings are similar apart from their size. Letterkenny workhouse was originally designed to cater for 500 inmates, but at the time of the Great Famine in 1847, there were 573 people housed there (527 in the workhouse + 46 in Fever Hospital). This is the largest number ever recorded there.

In 1923, the newly -formed Dáil of the Free State, passed an act that abolished all workhouses in Ireland, and any remaining inmates in Letterkenny at that time were sent to the County Home in Stranorlar.

Click on Learn more below to watch our video of the curator of the museum, Caroline, give a description of what life was like for those unfortunate to enough to end up in a workhouse in Ireland, and to hear about how the former workhouse has been used following its closure in 1923.

St Eunan's College

Sentry Hill

St Eunan's College is an imposing castle-like building, which has been a feature of the educational landscape in Letterkenny since it was opened in 1906. The Cathedral of Saints Eunan and Columba had just been completed in 1901, and Bishop O'Donnell then turned his attention to the development of an educational institution for young men.He commisioned Thomas Francis McNamara, the architect who took over from William Hague during the construction of the cathedral, to design the new school. Fourteen months after the first sod was turned, St Eunan's College opened its doors on the 6th of July 1906.

Click on Learn more below to watch the video of former teacher Edward Harvey giving a tour of the college, explaining its history and recounting stories and anecdotes relating to this historic institution.

St Eunan's Cathedral

Sentry Hill

This cathedral is perhaps Letterkenny's most recogniseable landmark. Designed by Dublin architect William Hague in the Victorian neo-Gothic style, it opened on 16 June 1901. Hague died before the cathedral was completed, and is commemorated in one of the cathedral's many stained glass windows. At the time of its completion, it was the most expensive church in Ireland, having cost £300,000 (equivalent to about £50 million today). For more information, select Learn more below to bring you to our video.

Conwal Parish Church

Sentry Hill

Conwal Parish Church is a Church of Ireland church located opposite the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba at the top of Church Street (at the time, near the home of the founders of Letterkenny, George and Joanna Marbury). The church was initially built in 1636, as indicated by the original date stone located in the tower, and although most of the building underwent extensive renovation, in 1766, the tower is probably the oldest built structure in Letterkenny.

Select Learn more below, to see the video to learn more about the history and interesting people who were buried in the grounds of Conwal Parish Church.

The Market Square

Market Square, Letterkenny

The Market Sqaure in Letterkenny, is an example of the type of town plan that was developed following the Plantation of Ulster, after the flight of Earls in 1607.Towns were built around a central location that would serve as the social and economic hub of the community, where markets, fairs, military parades or celebrations would be held. Sometimes these areas were square shaped, like Letterkenny, Lifford or Derry, while others such as Donegal Town, Raphoe, or Castlefinn, were actually tiangular shaped. Strangely, as in the case of Donegal Town, Derry, Raphoe and Castlefinn, these areas were called The Diamond! The fine red-bricked terrace of houses at the top of The Square is known as Mount Southwell Place, and there are other buildings and structures of note that are well worth visiting.

Click Learn more below to watch our video of the Market Square and to hear Hugh Devlin , a local historian, recount the history and stories of this area.

Speers' Shop

Lower Main Street

Speers' is a shop at the heart of Letterkenny, on the Main Street. It's one of those shops that sells everything from a needle to an anchor, and has barely changed at all since it was first built.

Select Learn more below to watch the fascinating virtual tour of the shop and to hear the story of how it all began.