List of people from Letterkenny

The following is a list of notable people who were born in, lived in for a significant length of time or are buried in Letterkenny, the largest town in County Donegal, Ireland.

Arts

• Stopford Augustus Brooke – writer
• Jean Glover – entertainer
• Redmond Herrity – sculptor
• Gerard Lough – filmmaker
• Amybeth McNulty – actress
• John Nee – actor
• Paddy Tunney – singer

Ecclesiastical

• Philip Boyce – Bishop of Raphoe (1995–2017)
• Séamus Hegarty – Bishop of Raphoe (1982–1994)
• William MacNeely – Bishop of Raphoe (1923–1963); oversaw the completion of the town's cathedral
• James Whyte – Third Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, New Zealand (1920–1957)

Media

• Richard Crowley – RTÉ reporter
• Shaun Doherty – Highland Radio broadcaster
• Declan Harvey - Journalist and main presenter of Newsline on BBC Northern Ireland; he is also a presenter on Evening Extra on BBC Radio Ulster.
• Enda McClafferty - Political Editor of BBC Northern Ireland; born and raised in Letterkenny, he now lives just outside St. Johnston
• Noel Slevin – Donegal Democrat journalist and Donegal on Sunday columnist

Politics

• Harry Blaney – T.D.; brother of Neil; father of Niall
• Neil Blaney (known as "Neil T. Blaney") – T.D. and Minister; brother of Harry; uncle of Niall
• Niall Blaney – T.D.; son of Harry; nephew of Neil
• Ciaran Brogan – Politician
• Jimmy Harte – Politician
• Rev John Kinnear – M.P. and 1870s tenant rights campaigner
• Dessie Larkin – Mayor
• Don Lydon – Senator
• Seán Maloney – Politician
• Jim McDaid – T.D. and Minister
• Terry McEniff – Politician; businessman
• Ian McGarvey – Politician
• Bernard McGlinchey – Senator
• Joe McHugh – T.D. and Minister
• Gerry McMonagle – Politician
• John O'Donnell – Politician
• Walter Patterson – first British colonial governor of Prince Edward Island

Sport

• Tony Blake – Gaelic footballer
• Brendan Boyce – athlete and 2012 London Olympian
• Eddie Brennan – Gaelic footballer^[1]
• Martin Carney – Gaelic footballer and RTÉ Sport commentator
• Paul Carr – Gaelic footballer
• Jim Clarke – Gaelic footballer
• Gary Crossan – athlete
• Mark Crossan – Gaelic footballer
• Philip Deignan – cyclist and 2008 Beijing Olympian
• Brendan Devenney – Gaelic footballer^[2]
• Eamonn Doherty – Gaelic footballer^[3]
• Conall Dunne – Gaelic footballer
• Paul Durcan – Gaelic footballer
• Mark English – Olympic middle-distance runner; multiple European Athletics Championships medalist^[4]
• Sean Ferriter – Gaelic footballer
• Dale Gorman – association footballer^[5]
• Gareth Gorman – association footballer
• Ciara Grant – association footballer
• Ciaran Greene – Gaelic footballer and association footballer^[6]
• John Hannigan – Gaelic footballer
• John Haran – Gaelic footballer
• Seamus Hoare – Gaelic footballer
• Sinead Jennings – Olympian rower
• Rory Kavanagh – Gaelic footballer^[7]
• Karl Lacey – Gaelic footballer^[8]
• Conrad Logan – association footballer
• Christopher Malseed – association footballer
• Danny McDaid – Olympian; marathon champion
• Colm McFadden – Gaelic footballer
• Mark McGowan – Gaelic footballer
• Kevin McHugh – association footballer
• Denis McLaughlin – association footballer
• Patrick McMillan – alpine ski racer
• Seán McVeigh – hurler^[9]
• Cillian Morrison – Gaelic footballer and association footballer^[10][11]
• Conor Morrison – Gaelic footballer
• Charlie Mulgrew – Gaelic footballer
• Michael Murphy – Gaelic footballer^[12]
• Niall O'Donnell – Gaelic footballer
• Conor Parke – hurler
• Shaun Patton – Gaelic footballer and association footballer
• Kevin Rafferty – Gaelic footballer^[13]
• Tommy Ryan – Gaelic footballer
• Caolan Ward – Gaelic footballer
• Ross Wherity – Gaelic footballer and Australian rules footballer
• Joe Winston – Gaelic footballer

Others

• Francis Alison (1705-1779) – founder of the University of Delaware
• Edward Boyce (1862-1941) – trade unionist
• Conrad Gallagher (born 1971) – chef
• Pat Gibson (born 1961) – quizzer; won the UK version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (2004); won Mastermind (2005); won the BBC Radio 4 quiz show Brain of Britain (2006); won Mastermind Champion of Champions (2010); features as the Seventh Egghead on Eggheads^[14]
• Sheelagh Harbison (1914-2012) - Irish medieval historian
• Frank Larkin (1972-2020) – disability rights activist
• Redmond O'Hanlon (1640-1681) – outlaw

See also

• List of Donegal people

References

1. Foley, Cliona (19 September 2002). "Furious Killybegs thrown out of championship". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 19 September 2002. Ardara argued that Eddie Brennan, a Sligo county panellist, should not have been allowed transfer from his native Drumcliffe to Letterkenny last March, because he was a student at the Donegal IT. But the County Board upheld Letterkenny's argument that Brennan qualified to transfer because he is living and working locally.
2. "Devenney's future in balance". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 10 May 2002.
3. Scott, Ronan (4 June 2020). "Doherty's mood has changed to optimism". Donegal News. p. 54. The Letterkenny man has listened… 'I am lucky in that I live in Letterkenny, that there is a forest walk not far from me and I can get out for a run'. Also published in Gaelic Life.
4. "Mark English is the pride of Letterkenny". Highland Radio. 19 August 2014.
5. "Letterkenny lad signs professional contract with English soccer team". 5 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
6. Foley, Alan (26 January 2012). "Green checks in at Harps". Democrat. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2012. Greene [...] works as a financial advisor at Gallagher/McCahey Financial Services Ltd in Letterkenny...
7. "Kavanagh named as new St Eunan's senior team manager". Donegal News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020. A native of Letterkenny, Rory Kavanagh is a teacher at Scoil Cholmcille NS in Letterkenny.
8. McKenna, Ewan (23 August 2012). "Forward-thinking McGuinness and Horan have turned old ruins into new empires". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 23 August 2012. There's a clip on YouTube of Karl Lacey doing gym work at 7.0 in the morning before going to work in Letterkenny, and he trained again that night.
9. "McVeigh's Donegal numbers crunched". Donegal News. 23 June 2022. p. 64. The Letterkenny man also got to sample Christy Ring hurling and helped Donegal climb up through the ranks in the league, and they are now an established Division 2B side.
10. Walsh, Harry (1 July 2014). "Morrison taken by Cork City appeal". Donegal News. Retrieved 1 July 2014. Cillian is the son of Seamus and Marjorie from Glebe in Letterkenny.
11. "Derry City sign Cillian Morrison from Cork City". BBC. BBC Sport. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
12. "Up Close and Personal with...Michael Murphy". GAA.ie. 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
13. "Picture special: Rory Kavanagh returns to Scoil Cholmcille with Sam". Donegal Daily. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. Pupils at Scoil Cholmcille – the boys school – formed a guard of honour for Rory and his teammates Colm McFadden, Frank McGlynn and Kevin Rafferty. Both Kevin and Rory are also past pupils of the school.
14. "Ex- St. Eunan's student wins Mastermind championship". Donegal People's Press. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010.