County Donegal

County Donegal ( DUN-ig-AWL, DON-ig-AWL; Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county in the Republic of Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is the northernmost county on the island of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small border with one county of the rest of the Republic; its nickname is "The Forgotten County". The county, the fourth-largest, is named after the town of Donegal in the south, although Lifford is the county town. It has also been known as County Tyrconnell or Tirconaill (Tír Chonaill), after the historical territory on which, along with Inishowen, it was based. Its territory hosted one of the most powerful families of late Gaelic Ireland, the O'Donnells. Donegal County Council is the local council. The population was 167,084 at the 2022 census. Donegal is home to a Gaeltacht community, notably including Gweedore, and contains centres of traditional cultural activity; it is the home county of Clannad and Enya. Mountains and cliffs feature, and the county has one of the longest coastlines on the island of Ireland.