County Donegal - People

People

• Adomnán – or Saint Eunan, Abbot of Iona 679–704.
• William Allingham – Victorian poet.
• Altan – folk group.
• Ian Anderson - prominent Manx politician who was a long-serving member of the Tynwald. From Rathmullan.
• Kay Maunchly Antonelli (née McNulty) - One of the original programmers of the ENIAC during the Second World War. Born in Creeslough and raised in Philadelphia.
• Sir Alexander Armstrong – Arctic explorer.
• General Sir Andrew Barnard - famous senior British Army commander, particularly associated with the Napoleonic Wars. Born at Fahan in Inishowen.
• Bibi Baskin - former television presenter with RTÉ. Now a businesswoman and practitioner of Ayurveda in Kerala. Born and raised in Ardara.
• Neil Blaney – formerly a long-serving TD for the county and a former Irish Government minister. Founder of Independent Fianna Fáil.
• Oliver Bond (died in 1796) – a possible St Johnston native who was a Dublin-based member of the United Irishmen.
• Packie Bonner – former goalkeeper for both the Republic of Ireland and Celtic FC.
• Ed Boyce - former trade unionist and former radical socialist in Idaho and Montana who later became a wealthy businessman. Helped form the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) in 1893.
• Isaac Butt – barrister, MP and founder of the Irish Home Rule movement.
• John Carr - former General Secretary of the INTO, 2001-2009. From Kilcar.
• Clannad – folk and pop group.
• Columba – or Saint Colmcille, one of the three patron saints of Ireland.
• Sir Bob Cooper - a former Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and formerly the long-serving head of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland. Born and raised in East Donegal.
• Mary Coughlan – former Tánaiste and former TD for Donegal South–West. First woman to be appointed as Minister for Agriculture in the Irish Government.
• Eithne Coyle - famous Irish republican and socialist. Was a prominent member of both Conradh na Gaeilge and Cumann na mBan. From Killult, near Falcarragh.
• Commissioner Éamonn Doherty (1923-2010) - Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, 1987-1988. Born and raised in Buncrana.
• John Doherty - famous Manchester-based Victorian trade unionist. From Buncrana.
• Michelle Doherty – Dublin-based model and radio/television presenter from north Inishowen.
• Moya Doherty – producer and co-founder of Riverdance, born in Pettigoe but raised in Dublin.
• Pearse Doherty, TD - currently a TD for Donegal South–West and Sinn Féin Spokesman for Finance in the Oireachtas. Born in Glasgow and raised, and still living, in Gaoth Dobhair.
• Kathy Donaghy - Dublin-based correspondent with RTÉ News, and formerly a reporter with The Derry Journal. Married to Richard Curran, who is both Deputy Editor of The Sunday Business Post and presenter of Dragon's Den on RTÉ One. From Drung, near Quigley's Point.
• Felim Egan - artist based in Sandymount.
• Enya – musician and singer.
• E. Rentoul Esler - Late Victorian and Edwardian novelist. Born in Manorcunningham.
• WD (Billy) Flackes, OBE (1921-1993) - legendary Belfast-based correspondent for BBC News and BBC Northern Ireland. Born and raised in Burt.
• Patsy Gallacher (or Patsy Gallagher) - famous footballer popularly known as 'the Mighty Atom'. Played for both Ireland and Celtic FC. Born in Milford and raised in Glasgow.
• Bridie Gallagher – singer.
• Dave Gallaher – first All Blacks Rugby captain.
• Paddy 'the Cope' Gallagher - Businessman, writer and campaigner for West Donegal. Founder of The Cope. He was commemorated by An Post with a postage stamp in early 2006.
• Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher – MEP and former TD. Grandson of Paddy 'the Cope'.
• Rory Gallagher – guitarist and singer.
• Tommy Gallagher – an SDLP politician who was formerly an MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
• Shay Given – former goalkeeper for both the Republic of Ireland and Newcastle United FC.
• Paddy Harte - formerly a long-serving Fine Gael TD for Donegal North–East and a former Irish Government minister. From Lifford but based in Raphoe.
• Willie Hay, MLA – current Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
• Cahir Healy – a journalist who was a very prominent Irish Nationalist politician and who was a long-serving MP for County Fermanagh.
• Prof. John Kells Ingram – economist, Irish patriot and poet who was based at Trinity College, Dublin.
• Major-General Sir James Murray Irwin - famous senior doctor in the British Army. From Manorcunningham.
• Brigadier-General Andrew Lewis - military commander, on the American side, in the Revolutionary War. Born in County Donegal and raised in the Colony of Virginia.
• Dr Michael Cardinal Logue – Cardinal-Archbishop of Armagh.
• Prof. Pat Loughrey - current Warden of Goldsmith's College, part of the University of London. Formerly Controller (or Head) of BBC Northern Ireland, 1994-2000, and former Director of BBC Nations and Regions, 2000-2009. From Ray, near Ramelton.
• Micí Mac Gabhann - writer, farmer and businessman from Cloughaneely. Famous for writing Rotha Mór an tSaoil, which is mainly the story of his life as a miner in Butte and in the Klondike in the 1880s and 1890s.
• Patrick MacGill - writer.
• Pádraig MacLochlainn, TD - currently a Sinn Féin TD for Donegal North–East.
• Ray McAnally – actor and theatrical director, famed for his parts in A Very British Coup, The Mission and My Left Foot.
• Enda McCallion - film and television director and producer. Particularly famous for directing the Forrest advertisement made for the Metz alcopop in 2001. The ad is best known for featuring a character called 'the Judderman'.
• Brian McEniff - businessman who was formerly the long-serving manager of the Donegal senior football team, a team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1992. Manager of the Ireland Compromise rules team, 2000-2001.
• Dr Daniel McGettigan – Archbishop of Armagh.
• Dinny McGinley, TD - a long-serving Fine Gael TD for Donegal South–West and currently a Minister of State in the Irish Government.
• Seán McGinley – actor.
• Frank McGuinness – playwright.
• Jim McGuinness - current manager of the Donegal senior football team, a team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2012. Has also served, since November 2012, as Performance Consultant at Celtic F.C..
• Joe McHugh, TD - currently a Fine Gael TD for Donegal North–East. Married to Olwyn Enright, a businesswoman and former TD for Laois-Offaly. Deputy McHugh is from Carrigart.
• Martin McHugh - businessman and commentator on Gaelic football for BBC Northern Ireland. Was a member of the Donegal senior football team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in the 1992 Final.
• Commissioner Patrick McLaughlin (1921-2004) - Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, 1978-1983. Born and raised in north Inishowen.
• Peter McLoone - prominent Dublin-based trade unionist who served as the President of the Ictu, 2005-2007. He was the General Secretary of IMPACT, 1995-2010. Was appointed to The Irish Times Trust in November 2012. From Ballyshannon.
• Charles Macklin - London-based actor, director and writer from north Inishowen. Particularly associated with The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane.
• General Sir Robert Montgomery - soldier and proconsul in British India. A native of Moville, he was the grandfather of Field Marshal The 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
• Blessed Conor O'Devany – Martyr.
• Maghnus Ó Domhnaill (Manus O'Donnell) - King of Tír Chonaill for much of the first half of the sixteenth-century and learned Irish Renaissance prince. Commissioned the Life of Columba to be written.
• Daniel O'Donnell – singer.
• Dr Patrick Cardinal O'Donnell – Cardinal-Archbishop of Armagh.
• Peadar O'Donnell – Irish revolutionary and socialist.
• Red Hugh O'Donnell – second-last King of Tyrconnell.
• Séamus Ó Grianna – Irish-language novelist.
• Cathal Ó Searcaigh – Irish-language poet.
• Sir Gerry Robinson – businessman and former head of Granada Television. Presented Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS? on BBC 2, which was broadcast in January 2007. Born in Dunfanaghy, he now has a second home near Raphoe.
• Bríd Rodgers – a former MLA who was the former SDLP Deputy Leader and the former Northern Irish Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.
• Kevin Sharkey - Dublin-based actor, artist, businessman and former model. Was a television presenter on The Roxy on ITV in the late 1980s. Raised and educated in Killybegs.
• Kevin Sharkey - currently a broadcast journalist with BBC Northern Ireland.
• Dr George Otto Simms – Archbishop of Armagh and historian.
• Sir Jim Starritt - Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London in the early 1970s. Born in Carrigans.
• Major-General Joe Sweeney - senior IRA commander during the War of Independence. He later served as a senior Irish Army commander during the Irish Civil War. In the early 1920s he served as MP and TD for West Donegal in the 1st Dáil and, later, as Pro-Treaty TD for Donegal. From Burtonport, but spent most of his life in Dublin.
• Pauric Sweeney - London-based luxury handbag designer. Born in County Donegal and educated at Blackrock College and Temple University.
• John Toland – philosopher.