Ballybofey Donegal

The twin towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar lie on either side of the River Finn. These towns are the market centres for the fertile Finn Valley and the gateway to the wild and beautiful Glenfin. The River Finn is popular with anglers, as it is rich in freshwater fish. Near Stranorlar lie the ruins of Drumboe Castle, built in Elizabethan times, and Drumboe Woods, now a place for pleasant walks but a scene of tragedy during the Civil War.

Isaac Butt, the leader of Irish nationalism before Parnell, was born not far from Ballybofey, and after he died in 1879 was buried in the Church of Ireland graveyard in Stranorlar. Ballybofey and Stranorlar are a haven for the visiting angler as the River Finn, and its main tributary the Reelin River, is renowned for the quality of their salmon fishing.

The Finn, a tributary of the Foyle system, is a prolific run of both spring salmon and summer grilse. Large numbers of anglers are attracted to the area every season in search of, ‘Salmon the Leaper’. Fishing on the rivers is comparatively inexpensive and information on availability of permits. Licenses etc can be obtained from the local Glenmore Estate, and the Ballybofey and Stranorlar Anglers or the Cloghan Fishery.

Ballybofey is home to the famous McElhinney’s Stores which draws customers from all over Ireland.