Killygordon is a small village

Village

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

 in the Finn Valley of east County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. It has a population of 114 (2006) and is located on the N15

N15

N15 may refer to* N15, a postcode district in the N postcode area* N15, a Subaru Impreza turbo-charged* N15 * Nissan AlmeraN15 may refer to :* Nitrogen-15, a stable, non-radioactive isotope of nitrogenroads :* N15 road...

 between Ballybofey

Ballybofey

Ballybofey is a town located on the south bank of the River Finn, County Donegal, Ireland. Along with the smaller town of Stranorlar on the north side of the River Finn, Ballybofey makes up the Twin Towns....

 and Castlefin. The separate townland of the Crossroads lies half a mile from Killygordon, however, they are often regarded as one. The River Finn

River Finn

The River Finn is a river that flows through County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. It rises in Lough Finn in County Donegal and flows east through a deep mountain valley to Ballybofey and Stranorlar and on to the confluence with the River Mourne at Lifford...

 passes by the village on its way towards its confluence with the River Mourne

River Mourne

The River Mourne is a river in County Tyrone , Northern Ireland, and is a tributary of the River Foyle. At Strabane it joins with the River Finn to form the River Foyle. Fishing is largely for salmon, grilse and sea trout....

 and the River Foyle

River Foyle

The River Foyle is a river in west Ulster in the northwest of Ireland, which flows from the confluence of the rivers Finn and Mourne at the towns of Lifford in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here it flows to the City of Derry, where it...

.

Amenities

Killygordon has one pub, one shop, St. Patrick's Catholic church at the Crossroads, a Presbyterian church at Liscooley and St. Anne's Church of Ireland at Monellan.

Economy

The main employer in the area is Donegal Creameries Plc, a dairy company which supplies fresh milk to all of Donegal. As one of the largest employers in the county, it employs over 100 people and has been in operation since 1989.

Places of Interest

Monellan Castle

Monellan Castle

Monellan Castle was a large castellated mansion, in Killygordon, Co. Donegal, Ireland. It was constructed for the during the 18th century for the De Lap family, a British military family who acquired the estate in return for services rendered to the crown...

, situated two miles outside the village, was built during the 18th century, and part of the 35 room dwelling was underground, to be used as a place of safety - if such was required. The castle and its gardens were in proper condition for some time after the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1775, until its demolition in the 1930s - on orders given to the Irish Land Commission

Irish Land Commission

The Irish Land Commission was created in 1881 as a rent fixing commission by the Land Law Act 1881, also known as the second Irish Land Act...

 from the Government of the day.

Demographics

The population of Killygordon is just over a hundred people. The village and surrounding areas have a considerable Protestant population, however, Roman Catholicism

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 is the main religion practiced.

Sport

The local Gaelic football

Gaelic football

Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

 team is Aodh Rua (Red Hugh's) and Setanta is the local hurling

Hurling

Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

 team. Their shared Gaelic Athletic Association

Gaelic Athletic Association

The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...

 (GAA) grounds are located at the Crossroads, however there have been fractions between the two teams in the past arising from difficulties in sharing the grounds.

Education

Killygordon has two primary schools:

• Dromore National School.
• Killygordon National School.

The people of Killygordon get their secondary education either at St. Columba's College, Stranorlar

Stranorlar

Stranorlar is a small town in the Finn Valley of County Donegal, in Ireland. Stranorlar and Ballybofey form the Twin Towns.-Transport:...

 or at the Royal and Prior, Raphoe

Raphoe

Raphoe is a town in County Donegal, part of the province of Ulster in Ireland. It is the main town in the fertile district of East Donegal known as the Laggan, as well as giving its name to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe and the Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.-Name:Raphoe,...

.

Transport

Killygordon railway station opened in September 1863, but finally closed on 1 January 1960.
A number of buses pass through nearby Castlefin on a daily basis going to Letterkenny

Letterkenny

Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...

, Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

, Strabane

Strabane

Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....

, Dublin, Sligo

Sligo

Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...

 and Galway

Galway

Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...

.