Festivals & Events

23 May - 30 October 2019, Countywide Welcome to the 13th season of the Donegal Garden Trail. We are delighted Brown’s Farm, a lovely spring cottage garden and well worth a visit, has re-joined the Trail after a short absence. We extend a very warm welcome to Castle Grove House Hotel which joins us both as a hospitality provider and as an interesting and historical garden to visit with specim…

1st June to 28th October 2019 - Oideas Gael has been recognised, on a number of occasions, as one of Ireland’s unique cultural education providers and was the 1997 winner of the National Rural Tourism Award sponsored by Bord Fáilte, The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Allied Irish Banks. They also achieved the distinction of being the winner of the BARR 50 businesses in Irish, from the daily Ir…

Wednesday 18th & 25th September - 8.30 to 9.30pm - The Sandhouse Hotel Soul Survivor - A Titanic Tale of Discovery Told by Maura Logue Music by David Ison

Thursday Nights - 8pm to 10pm - Donegal English Language School, Bundoran Beginning Thursday 19th September in preparation for Carnival Ballyshannon performance

20th to 29th September 2019 - Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre - The free EURO 2020 Football Exhibition is made up of multiple zones designed to give visitors a flavour of the UEFA European Championships which celebrates its 60th Anniversary next year. A must visit for football fans and families. The National Football Exhibition will be making its way to Donegal in September as the football…

20th to 22nd September - Bundoran - The Bia Bundoran food festival will be a celebration of the food offering in the seaside town of Bundoran, County Donegal. It will happen from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 September. This is the first time the festival has run and is bringing together the food trade in the town to promote themselves, their menu and some new dishes. Food providers in Bundoran will offe…

21st September 2019, Glenveagh MAGNIFICENT DONEGAL – NEVER DULL ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. WILL IT CONQUER YOU? NEW DATE SAME RACE. NOW YOU HAVE THE SUMMER TO TRAIN. NO EXCUSES Journey through the unspoilt splendour of hidden Donegal. Explore deep valleys, winding trails, beautiful white sand beaches and breathe in the vast open spaces. 64KM FULL & 45KM SPRINT COURSES SPANNING WILD DONEGAL T…

Sat 21st & Sat 28th September @Rock Hall, Ballyshannon - 11am - 1pm ME HEARTIES ARE YE COMING HOME TO CARNIVAL BALLYSHANNON ON SAT 5th OCT. Want to be a PIRATE & SMUGGLER or a PIRATE QUEEN?? Join us for 2 X PIRATE themed fun workshops on saturday 21st & Saturday 28th September 11AM to 1PM Rock Hall, Ballyshannon. (No real pirates need apply,) KID MUST HAVE A TEEN OR ADULT PIRATE OR P…

23rd - 29th September 2019, Gweedore A week-long, creative writing holiday with a difference – scenic walks, fascinating talks and daily practical writing and editing workshops – all in a land that time forgot, in probably the most scenic part of Ireland, along the famous Wild Atlantic Way. Plus lively, traditional Irish music concerts; island and castle tours of an awe-inspiring lands…

26 Sept - 06 Oct 2019, South West Donegal The Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival is an initiative of Donegal County Council, supported by The Arts Council and Creative Ireland. The event which is now in its 19th year, is set to support artists and engage communities throughout South and South West Donegal, with another packed programme of theatre, music of all kinds, spectacle, literary and …

26 - 28 September 2019, Ramelton Gypsy Jazz, Jazz Manouche, Swing Gitan, Hot Club Jazz or whatever label you wish to put on it, was born from a unique style developed by a couple of guys back in the 1930s Parisian Jazz scene, namely Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. As Denis Chang writes, when Django first heard American jazz he immediately fell in love with the music; this hot jazz was…

27 - 29 September 2019, Ardara The Johnny Doherty Festival is a traditional music festival in memory of the late John Doherty, a local fiddle legend. Held in the scenic heritage town of Ardara in Co Donegal, The Johnny Doherty Festival aims to promote the music and dance traditions of the area. John Doherty was a world renowned traditional musician who was born in and spent much time in Ard…

27 September - 06 October 2019, Countywide ​ Donegal Connect is a collaborative project between the private and public sector in Donegal aimed at creating new opportunities for our county. Through the project we want to engage with our Diaspora, both overseas and within Ireland, and anyone considering coming to Ireland , to entice them to make the journey to Donegal to explore the county and t…

27 September 2019, Ballyliffin The Disappear Here Film Festival returns for its third year to Donegal, Ireland. The DHFF is a three day festival taking place in Ballyliffin, Co. Donegal from Friday 27th September 2019. The Disappear Here Film Festival will take place in a series of unique locations on the Wild Atlantic Way, in and around the picturesque village of Ballyliffin, Co Donegal. Fr…

10:30am 27th September 2019 - 4:30pm 6th of October 2019 - THE SALDANHA SUITE, FORT DUNREE, LINSFORT, BUNCRANA Entitled ‘A Long Farewell’ this exhibition documents the Emigration of Donegal Women from 1845 to 1950. It is a joint Donegal County Museum/Archives exhibition. Please note that a later closing time of 6pm may apply on Saturdays and Sundays.

27th - 29th September - Ballybofey is looking forward to a Big Birthday party celebrating it’s 400th anniversary from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th September. The plans look exciting already with many groups and community organisations getting involved. We want to celebrate our rich traditions of music and culture. And. as the original charter for was a market, we’re looking at ways to celebrat…

27th September 2019 - Buncrana, 7pm The Gala Tip ONeill Irish Diaspora awards Ceremony will be held in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel, Buncrana on the 27th September 2019. Donegal County Council will be recognising 4 members of the Diaspora at the awards ceremony this year. This prestigious award, which was first established in 2012 to mark the centenary of the great American politician Tip O’N…

27 - 29 September 2019, Dunfanaghy A festival highlighting the vast array of local artisan food producers with demonstrations, special offers, traditional music and entertainment. Now in its fourth year, the Dunfanaghy Food Festival continues to grow and this year it will take place over three days from the 27th to the 29th of September. The main festival will take place on the Village Green…

Fri 27th Sept - Atlantic Apartotel, Bundoran, Thurs 3rd & Fri the 4th Oct - Mc Intyre’s Bar, Ballyshannon 8.30pm THE HOUSEKEEPER KNOWS ALL … SEES ALL Audiences are loving Maura Logue’s newest production “The Housekeeper,” an authentic Irish story telling experience. Written, produced and performed by Maura and her partner, composer and guitarist David Ison, The Housekeeper opens the…

27th of September 2019 - Arnolds Hotel Dunfanaghy - Come and experience an evening your will not forget, sharing real food with the actual producers. In conjunction with the Dunfanaghy Food Festival, we host a very special evening and an opportunity for our guests to meet and chat with the makers and producers behind the dinner. Four Donegal food producers, four-star ingredients and four delicious…