Ireland, Ulster, County Donegal, Letterkenny
St. Eunan's Cathedral
Work began on Saint Eunan and Saint Colmcille's Catholic Cathedral in 1890. It was designed by William Hague. It is built of white stone from Mountcharles and cost £300,000. The ceilings are the work of Amici of Rome, while the wonderful stained glass windows, which illuminate the Sanctuary and the Lady Chapel, are by the Mayer firm of Munich. The carvings show stories from the lives of Saint Eunan and Colmcille. It was dedicated in 1901. The spire stands at 212 ft (c.65m).
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is opposite the Cathedral and dates to the 17th Century. It is probable that when the ancient church at Conwal fell into ruins the first Church was erected in Letterkenny.
In 1733 Canon J.B. Leslie reported that the church was "slated and one side seated". The Rev. William Spann donated the Chalice and Paten in 1744, which are still in use. He died in 1752, and is buried under the Church. An obelisk at the east end of the church is dedicated to the memory of Rev. Dr. John Kinnear a Presbyterian Minister in Letterkenny, who was M.P. for Donegal from 1880 to 1885.
St Eunan's College
St. Eunan's College was built between 1904 and 1906. It was designed by the architect Mc Namara and is an interpretation of late French Romanesque with Celtic details. It was originally founded as a boarding school in 1906 by the then Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Patrick O'Donnell and was intended as a minor seminary to prepare students for the Roman Catholic priesthood. A new wing was added in 1953 to facilitate an ever-increasing enrollment of lay students and a new Church was added in 1950. The present Recreation Hall was built in 1958, and the Science Block in 1968. A new wing, which is called "the New Building" was opened in 1979. In 1992 the boarding wing was closed.
Loreto Convent
In 1854, Reverend Mother Ball was invited by Bishop Patrick Mc Gettigan to Letterkenny to establish a foundation of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary also known as the Loreto order. Enrolments [sic] were small at first but soon increased and an extension was built in 1861. Another extension was built in 1923 and a further wing was added in 1937. A new wing with a Concert Hall was built in 1939, and further extensions were added over the decades bringing the school to its present standard of accommodation and facilities. The school ceased to be a boarding school in 1978.
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Ardeaglais Naomh Adhamhnáin
Cuireadh tús leis an obair thógála ar Ardeaglais Chaitliceach Naomh Adamhnáin agus Naomh Cholmcille sa bhliain 1890. Ba é William Hague a dhearaigh í. Tá sí tógtha le cloch bhán a tháinig as Tamhnach as tSalainn agus chosain sí £300,000. Is cuid saothar Amici as an Róimh atá sna síleáil, agus is comhlacht Mayer ó Munich a rinne na fuinneoga gloine dhaite galánta, a thugann solas don Sanctóir agus do Sheipéal Mhuire. Léiríonn an snoíodóireacht scéalta ó bheatha Naomh Adhamhnáin agus ó bheatha Cholmcille. Rinneadh an Ardeaglais a thíolacadh sa bhliain 1901. Tá an spuaic 212 tr(c.65m) ar airde.
Eaglais na hÉireann
Tá Eaglais na hÉireann, a tógadh sa 17ú aois, díreach trasna ón Ardeaglais. Is dócha gur tógadh an chéad eaglais i Leitir Ceanainn an uair a ligeadh an tseaneaglais i gCongbháil i léig.
Sa bhliain 1733, thuairisc an Canónach J.B. Leslie go raibh díon sclátaí ar an eaglais agus go raibh suíocháin ar thaobh amháin. Ba sa bhliain 1744 a bhronn an tOirmhinneach William Spann an Chailís agus an Paiteana ar an Eaglais. Tá siad sin in úsáid go foill. Fuair seisean bás sa bhliain 1752 agus tá sé curtha faoin Eaglais. Tá oibilisc ag an cheann thoir den eaglais tíolactha i gcuimhne an tOirmhinneach, an Dr. John Kinnear, Ministir Preispitéireach ó Leitir Ceanainn a bhí ina Theachta Parlaiminte do Dhún na nGall ó 1880 go 1885.
Coláiste Naomh Adhamhnáin
Tógadh Coláiste Naomh Adhamhnáin idir na blianta 1904 agus 1906. Ba é ailtire darbh ainm Mac Conmara a dhearaigh é i stíl Rómhánúil Francach le sonraí Ceilteacha. I dtús báire, sa bhliain 1906, bunaíodh é mar scoil chónaithe ar orduithe Easpag Ráth Bhoth an ama sin, ar Dr Padraig Ó Domhnaill, chun í a bheith mar chliarscoil faoi choinne mic léinn a ullmhú don tsagartóireacht Chaitliceach. Cuireadh píosa úr leis sa bhliain 1953 ar mhaithe le spás a chur ar fáil don fhás mór i líon na mac léinn tuatacha agus tógadh séipéal úr sa bhliain 1950. Tógadh an Halla Caitheamh Aimsire atá in úsáid i dtólamh, sa bhliain 1958 agus an Foirgneamh Eolaíochta sa bhliain 1968. Sa bhliain 1979, osclaíodh sciathán úr, ar a dtugtar "An Foirgneamh Úr" go foill. Cuireadh críoch leis an scoil chónaithe sa bhliain 1992.
Clochar Loreto
Sa bhliain 1854, thug an tEaspag Padráig Mac Eiteagáin cuireadh don Mháthair Urramach Ball a theacht go Leitir Ceanainn agus Institiúid na Maighdeana Muire, nó Ord Loreto, a bhunú ann. I dtús báire, bhí an tinreamh beag ach d'ardaigh sé sin de réir a chéile agus cuireadh síneadh leis an fhoirgneamh sa bhliain 1861. Tógadh píosa eile sa bhliain 1923 agus arís i 1937. Sa bhliain 1939, tógadh píosa eile ina raibh Halla Coirmceoil, agus thar na mblianta ó shin is iomaí leathnú a rinneadh go dtí gur sroicheadh an caighdeán ard cóiríochta agus áiseanna atá ar fáil sa chlochar inniu. Ón bhliain 1978 ar aghaidh, ní scoil chónaithe atá intí feasta.
For further information please contact Donegal County Museum, High road, Letterkenny on 074 9124613 or email museum@donegalcoco.ie
(Churches, Etc. • Education • Man-Made Features • Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 6 photos, GPS coordinates, map.