Boasting 78 annual festivals, over 3,400 archaeological monuments, an acclaimed Regional Culture Centre & flagship An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, Donegal is a showcase of culture, heritage & the arts. While through its’ Film Office, Malin Head (Donegal’s most Northerly point) was selected as one of the exclusive locations for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. We value and nurture musical, artistic & creative talent. We’re also home to a host of outstanding traditional musicians with global recognition such as Altan and Clannad.
We’ve also got a vibrant trad scene on the ground, which goes back through centuries of informal get togethers. In many other parts of Ireland, this kind of scene hasn’t survived. But in Donegal, it’s still in our DNA and we’ve held fast to this valuable Irish tradition. So anyone can come along and join in the many Donegal traditional music ‘sessions’ in pubs and local venues across the county.
We have a strong infrastructure for our arts and culture scene. These include world-class festivals and events, great art galleries, theatres, museums and unspoilt archaeological sites, like Grianán of Aileach. They also include large multi-purpose venues like the Regional Culture Centre, which hosts year-round events and programmes. And we’ve lots of small local venues, like pubs and arts centres across the county.
The Earagail Arts Festival is Donegal’s premier summer festival, offering 21 days of activity spanning the entire county. Events encompass everything from music, theatre, visual arts, film, literature, and dance, to circus, carnival and family days out.
Other Donegal festivals include Bundoran’s Sea Sessions, The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival, Clonmany Country Festival, and a range of trad music festivals.
