The Peoples Republic of Donegaul
Basic Information
Name: Peoples Republic of Donegaul
Head of State: President Daniel Breslin
Head of Government: Cllr. Gavin Duffy
Legislature: Donegaul Council
Language: English, Aereann
Capital: Lifford
Currency: Donegaul Punt D£
National Animal: Red Deer
National Plant: Honeysuckle
National Motto: Mutuam habeatis caritatem
Demonym: Donegauler (Hillsmen - Colloquial)
Population: 162,450
The Peoples Republic of Donegaul (Aereann: Dhún na nGall) is the smallest of three countries in Aera. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal (Aereann: Dún na nGall) in the south of the country. Donegaul Council is the governing body for the country as it holds administration of the departments. The population of the country was 162,450 according to the 2012 census.
The Poison Glen, North West Donegaul
Donegaul is bordered to the east and south by North Aera and to the west and north by the Anteric Ocean. It also shares a small land border with the Republic of Aera to the south. Donegaul won its independence from the Republic of Aera in April of 2001, after a violent period in North Aera which spilled over the border. It co-operates with both nations on the island in terms of economic and social aspects.
History
Please take note when reading that up until early 2001, Donegaul was one of the 26 counties of the Republic of Aera.
Donegaul Castle, Former Seat of the
O'Donnell Clan
The modern Donegaul was shired by order of the Anglish Crown in 1585. The Anglish authorities at Dublin Castle formed the new county by amalgamating the old Kingdom of Tír Chonaill with the old Lordship of Inishowen. However, the Anglish authorities were unable to establish control over Tír Chonaill and Inishowen until after the Battle of Kinsale in 1602. Full control over the new County Donegaul was only achieved after the Flight of the Earls in September 1607. The county was one of those 'planted' during the Plantation of Ulster from around 1610 onwards.
Donegaul was one of the worst affected parts of Ulster during the Great Famine of the late 1840s in Aera. Vast swathes of the country were devastated by this catastrophe, many areas becoming permanently depopulated. Vast numbers of Donegaul's people emigrated at this time, chiefly through Londonderry Port.
Donegaul, 26, was isolated after partition.
Added to all this, in the late 20th-century, Donegaul was, by the standards of the rest of the Republic of Aera, to be adversely affected by The Troubles in North Aera. The county was to suffer several bombings and at least two assassinations. In June 1987, a police constable and Donegaul man who was a serving member of the R.U.C., was shot dead by the A.R.A. at his family home near Drumkeen. In May 1991, a prominent Sinn Féin politician was assassinated by the U.D.A. at his home in Buncrana. This added further to the economic and social difficulties of the county.
Violence which spilled over the border.
In late 2000, a violent guerrilla war fought by the A.R.A. against the Anglish forces in North Aera spilled over the border into Donegaul. With the central Aereann government in Dublin failing to aid militarily, politically or even financially the Donegaul Council took charge. The Aereann forces stationed there were mobilized and maintained security around the border. By April of 2001, the Donegaul Council, led by Michael Doherty declared Donegaul an independent nation. Attempts were made by the Republic to integrate Donegaul back into the 26 counties but these all failed. The North also tried to adopt Donegaul but this was refused also. The new state kept control of the some 1,500 troops there until July of 2002 when the 'Donegaul Territorial Army' was disbanded, they were on high alert during this period as many operations were carried out by both nations on the island to collapse the new country. Some of the soldiers returned to service with the Republic but most stayed in Donegaul to serve in the police.
Geography
Overview
Slieve League cliffs, Tallest in Aera
In terms of size and area, it is the smallest country on the island - if it were to be counted as a county, it would be the largest in Ulster and the fourth largest on the island. Donegaul shares a border with only one county in the Republic of Aera – County Leitrim. The greater part of its land border is shared with three counties of North Aera: County Londonderry, County Tyrone and County Fermanagh. This geographic 'isolation' from the rest of the Republic led to Donegaul people maintaining a distinct cultural identity and has been used to market the country with the slogan 'Up here it's different.' While Lifford is the Capital Town, Letterkenny is by far the largest town in the country with a population of over 19,500. Letterkenny and the nearby city of Derry form the main economic axis of the north-west of Aera.
Baronies
There are eight historic baronies in the country:
Glengesh Pass
Boylagh (Baollaigh)
Inishowen East (Inis Eoghain Thoir)
Inishowen West (Inis Eoghain Thiar)
Kilmacrennan (Cill Mhic Néanáin)
Raphoe North (Ráth Bhoth Thuaidh)
Raphoe South (Ráth Bhoth Theas)
Tirhugh (Tír Aodha)
Informal districts
The country may be informally divided into a number of traditional districts. There are two Gaeltacht districts in the west: The Rosses (Na Rossa), centred on the town of Dungloe (An Clochán Liath), and Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair). Another Gaeltacht district is located in the north-west: Cloughaneely (Cloich Chionnaola), centred on the town of Falcarragh (An Fál Carrach). The most northerly part of the island of Aera is the location for three peninsulae of outstanding natural beauty: Inishowen, Fanad and Rosguill. The main population centre of Inishowen, one of Area's largest peninsulae, is Buncrana. In the east of the county lies the Finn Valley (centred on Ballybofey). The Laggan district (not to be confused with the more famous Lagan Valley in the south of County Antrim) is centred on the town of Raphoe.
Demographics
Historical population
According to the 1841 Census, Donegaul had a population of 296,000 people. As a result of famine and emigration, the population had reduced by 41,000 by 1851 and further reduced by 18,000 by 1861. By the time of the 1951 Census the population was only 44% of what it had been in 1841. The 2006 Census, undertaken by the State's Central Statistics Office, had Donegaul's population standing at 147,264. According to the 2011 Census, the county's population had grown to 162,137.
Lifford Entrance Sculpture
1. Letterkenny = 19,588
2. Buncrana = 7,199
3. Ballybofey/Stranorlar = 4,852
4. Donegal Town = 2,607
5. Carndonagh = 2,534
6. Ballyshannon = 2,504
7. Bundoran = 2,140
8. Lifford = 1,658
9. Milford = 1,530
10. Moville = 1,481
11. Convoy = 1,438
12. Killybegs = 1,297
13. Muff = 1,271
14. Ramelton = 1,212
15. Dungloe = 1,183
16. Raphoe = 1,154
17. Newtowncunningham = 1,067
18. Glenties = 869
19. Falcarragh = 860
20. Greencastle = 817
Physical Geography
Trá Mor Beach, the longest in Donegaul
at 11km
The climate is temperate and dominated by the Guelf Stream, with warm, damp summers and mild wet winters. Two permanently inhabited islands, Arranmore and Tory Island, lie off the coast, along with a large number of islands with only transient inhabitants. Aera's second longest river, the Erne, enters Donegaul Bay near the town of Ballyshannon. The River Erne, along with other Donegaul waterways, has been dammed to produce hydroelectric power. The River Foyle separates part of Donegaul from parts of both counties Londonderry and Tyrone.
Places of Interest
With its sandy beaches, unspoilt boglands and friendly communities, Donegaul is a favoured destination for many travellers, Aereann (especially North Aereann) and foreign alike. One of the national treasures is Glenveagh National Park (formerly part of the Glenveagh Estate), as yet (April 2013) the only official national park anywhere in the Province of Ulster. The park is a 140 km² (about 35,000 acre) nature reserve with spectacular scenery of mountains, raised boglands, lakes and woodlands. At its heart is Glenveagh Castle, a beautiful late Victorian 'folly' that was originally built as a summer residence. The park is home to a stunning array of wildlife including deer, foxes, birds of prey and other small mammals such as hare and shrew.
Lake at Glenveagh
The Donegaul Gaeltacht (Aereann-speaking district) also attracts young people to Donegaul each year during the school summer holidays. The three week long summer Gaeltacht courses give young Aereann people from other parts of the region a chance to learn the Aereann language and traditional Aereann cultural traditions that are still prevalent in parts of Donegaul. The Donegaul Gaeltacht has traditionally been a very popular destination each summer for young people from North Aera. Scuba Diving is also very popular with a club being located in Donegaul Town.
Culture
Language
Road Sign printed in Aereann.
Gweedore is the largest Aereann-speaking parish with over 5,000 inhabitants. All schools in the Gaeltacht use Aereann as the language of instruction. One of the N.U.A.G.'s constituent colleges, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, is based in Gweedore. The version of the Aereann language spoken in Donegaul is Ulster Aereann.
Culture and Tradition
Traditional Music Session
Donegaul has a long literary tradition in both Aereann and English. The famous Aereann navvy-turned-novelist Patrick MacGill, author of many books about the experiences of Aereann migrant itinerant labourers in Angland at around the start of the 20th century, such as The Rat Pit and the autobiographical Children of the Dead End, is from the Glenties area. There is a literary summer school in Glenties named in his honour. The novelist and socialist politician Peadar O'Donnell hailed from The Rosses in west Donegaul. The poet William Allingham was also from Ballyshannon. Modern exponents include the Inishowen playwright and poet Frank McGuinness and the playwright Brian Friel. Many of Friel's plays are set in the fictional Donegaul town of Ballybeg.
Iron Age Fortress, Inishowen
Although approximately 85% of its population is non-religious, Donegaul also has a sizeable Christian minority. Most Donegaul Protestants would trace their ancestors to settlers who arrived during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th-century. The Church of Aera is the largest Protestant denomination but is closely rivalled by a large number of Presbyterians. The areas of Donegaul with the highest percentage of Protestants are The Laggan area of East Donegaul around Raphoe, the Finn Valley and areas around Ramelton, Milford and Dunfanaghy – where their proportion reaches up to 30–45 percent. There is also a large Protestant population between Donegaul Town and Ballyshannon in the south of the county. In absolute terms, Letterkenny has the largest number of Protestants (over 1000) and is the most Presbyterian town (among those settlements with more than 3000 people) when compared with the Republic. Some Donegaul Protestants (mainly those concentrated in The Laggan, the Finn Valley, Inishowen and the Donegal Town/Ballintra areas) are members of the Orange Order. The Protestant community however, is still greatly outnumbered by the Catholic.
The Earagail Arts Festival is held within the country each July. It is considered to be one of the best arts festivals in Aera, North or South. It is certainly one of the main arts festivals within Ulster.
Sports
Gaelic football and hurling
The Gaelic Athletic Association (G.A.A.) sport of Gaelic football is very popular in Donegaul. Donegaul's inter-county football team have won the All-Aera Senior Football Championship title twice (in 1992 and 2012). Donegaul emerged victorious from the 2012 All-Aera Senior Football Championship Final on 23 September 2012 to take the Sam Maguire Cup for only the second time, with early goals from Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden setting up victory over Mayo. In 2007, Donegaul won only their second region title by winning the Aereann Football League. On 24 April 2011, Donegaul added their third region title when they defeated Laois to capture the Aereann Football League Division Two. There are 16 clubs in the Donegaul Senior Football Championship, with many others playing at a lower level.
Donegaul Gaelic Football team lifting the prestigious Sam Maguire Cup
Hurling, handball and rounders are also played but are less widespread, as in other parts of northwestern Aera. The Donegaul county senior hurling won the Lory Meagher Cup in 2011.
Rugby Union
Aereann Rugby Flag
Ulster Qualifying League Two sides include Ballyshannon RFC, Donegal Town RFC and Inishowen RFC. Finn Valley RFC and Tir Chonaill RFC both compete in the Ulster Minor League North.
None of the three countries on the island have a national squad, but rather contribute players to a regional squad to compete at international level. The Aereann Rugby Squad provides a good symbol of unity for the region with people from North, South and Donegaul coming together to play.
Association football
Finn Harps plays in the League of Aera and won promotion to the Premier Division in 2007 following a 6–3 aggregate win in the playoff final. They are now back alongside their arch-rivals Derry City F.C., with whom they contest Aera's North-West Derby. There are numerous other clubs in Donegaul, but none has achieved the status of Finn Harps.
Donegaul do not yet have a national football squad and unlike rugby, North Aera nor the Republic are willing to compete with a joint regional squad.
Golf
Many people travel to Donegaul for the superb golf links—long sandy beaches and extensive dune systems are a feature of the country, and many links courses have been developed. Golf is a very popular sport within the country, including world class golf courses such as Ballyliffin (Glashedy), Ballyliffin (Old), both of whch are located in the Inishowen peninsula. Other courses to note are Murvagh (located outside Donegal Town) and Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) located in Downings (near Carrigart). The Glashedy Links has been ranked 6th in a recent ranking taken by Golf Digest on the best courses in Aera. The Old links was ranked 28th, Murvagh 36th and Sandy Hills 38th.
Mountain Biking
Because of Donegaul's hilly and mountain landscape, Mountain Biking has become a significant and growing interest. The Donegaul Mountain Bike Club is the newest Mountain Bike club in Donegaul, and held its first race on 31 August 2011. The 'Bogman Race' was entered by more than 50 people from different backgrounds of cycling. Due to the overwhelming popularity of their first ever race, the club plans to organize more races in the near future over different seasons, and aims to make it a major tourist attraction throughout Donegaul.
Cricket
Cricket is also played in Donegaul. This sport is chiefly confined to The Laggan district and the Finn Valley in the east of the county. The town of Raphoe and the nearby village of St. Johnston, both in The Laggan, are the traditional strongholds of cricket within the country. The game is mainly played and followed by members of Donegaul's Protestant community.
Bundoran is one of Aera's best surf sites.
Donegaul's rugged landscape lends itself to active sports like climbing, hillwalking, surfing and kite-flying.
Rock climbing is of very high quality and still under-developed in the country. There is a wealth of good quality climbs in the county, from granite rocks in the south to quartzite and dolerite in the north; from long mountain routes in the Poisoned Glen to boulder challenges of excellent quality in the west and in the Inishowen Peninsula.
Surfing on Donegaul's Atlantic coast is considered to be as good as any in Aera. The seaside resort of Bundoran, located in the very south of the country, along with nearby Rossnowlagh, have been 'reborn' as the centre of surfing in Donegaul. Indeed, these areas are renowned as the main surfing centres in Ulster.
Demographics
Healthcare
Letterkenny General Hospital
Healthcare in Donegaul is primarily catered for by Letterkenny General Hospital. The premises caters for most health issues but patients may be referred to specialist hospitals elsewhere in Aera under certain circumstances. Letterkenny GH works in close partnership with the Aereann and North Aereann health systems to provide the best service for its patients.
The Minister for Health has responsibility for setting overall health service policy. Every resident of Donegaul is entitled to receive health care through the public health care system, which is managed by the Health Service Executive and funded by general taxation. A person may be required to pay a subsidised fee for certain health care received; this depends on income, age, illness or disability. All maternity services are provided free of charge and children up to the age of 6 months. Emergency care is provided free of charge to any person admitted through the casualty department.
Anyone holding a Aereann Health Insurance Card is entitled to free maintenance and treatment in public beds in Health Service Executive and voluntary hospitals. Outpatient services are also provided for free. However, the majority of patients on median incomes or above are required to pay subsidised hospital charges. Private health insurance is available to the population for those who want to avail of it.
The average life expectancy in Donegaul is 79.2 years, with 76.8 years for men and 81.6 years for women. It has the highest birth rate in Aera (16.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to an Aera average of 10.7) and a very low infant mortality rate (3.5 per 1,000 live births).
Education
Education is compulsory from ages 5 to 16 in Donegaul. Free education is provided for by the state with some private schools also available. State funded primary education takes place in 'National Schools' around the country referred locally to simply as Primary schools while secondary education takes place at 'Vocational Schools' more commonly referred to as Secondary Schools. The Catholic church runs two second level schools in the country but these are subject to the Board of Education and must comply with their rules.
The state run national schools have the clear aim of preparing children for further study. They take on students as young as four and generally the oldest primary level student would be thirteen when leaving. The primary cycle runs for eight years and has the purpose of keeping the child's window of learning open while teaching them basic skills such as Maths, English, Aereann, Science and History. Physical education and some creative subjects such as arts and crafts are also on the curriculum. Primary level education is completely state-run with no private or religious schools in operation.
Second level education is a lot more diverse than primary level. The second level system takes on students at a minimum age of 12 and they leave aged 19 at the oldest. Second level education works on a two-level system. The junior cycle lasts three years, with students being introduced to a wide range of subjects and sitting an exam at the end of the cycle. Some students will be 16 by the time of the exam and eligable to leave after, but the vast majority (90%) remain in school. The senior cycle is a lot more focused lasting two years with an optional 'Transition Year'* after the Junior Certificate Exam. Students in the senior cycle must study the core subjects - Math, English and a Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agricultural Science or Geography) plus three subjects of their own choosing. There is no exam for the senior cycle, but rather it works on a continuous assessment coupled with end of year tests.
*Transition Year is an optional school year in which students will take part in many projects, work placement programs, school competitions and other activities. Many students use this year as time off from studying before the pressures of the senior cycle.
Third-level education within the country is provided by Letterkenny Institute of Technology (L.Y.I.T.; popularly known locally as 'the Regional'), established in the 1970s in Letterkenny. In addition, many young people from the country attend third-level institutions elsewhere in Aera and North Aera. As part of a cross-border program, the Republic runs an Aereann-speaking college ground in Donegaul which many students from other parts of the region attend.
Politics
Government
There are three major political parties in Donegaul. The smallest is Sinn Fein, a centre-left wing party whose policies focus around establishing a unified democratic-socialist Aera via referendum. The middle party, the Socialist Party, works in unison with the Left Alliance Party in the Republic and the Labour Party in the North. Its main aims are the redistribution of wealth and establishing a welfare state. The largest party, and the party currently in power, is Cumann na Dhún na nGall (Society of Donegaul, often shortened to Cumann na nGall). CnG's policies focus around maintaining Donegaul as an independent state and boosting the economy.
Green = CnG ; Red = Socialist ; Blue = Sinn Fein
Donegaul House in Lifford
Linsfort Castle, Presidential House in Buncrana
The third position of authority is the Presidential Office. The president acts mostly as a figurehead for the state, but s/he does have control over the police force which he runs with a small panel of advisers. The president also has the power to instate Executive Orders in times of emergency which bypass Council and Assembly review. This power has never been exercised before however. The President can also dissolve the Council on advice of the Assembly and can propose bills for Council review to be passed into law. The President is elected every seven years.
Foreign Policy
As a small nation Donegaul's foreign policy concentrates greatly on regional affairs. Excellent relations are held with both governments in the region with open borders and free trade agreements in effect for quite some time. On a larger scale, Donegaul is currently hoping to open diplomatic missions with a host of countries to increase its international presence. The People's Republic also operates a number of scientific research bases in many island and nations around the world.
Donegaul has recently opened an embassy program in an effort to increase its international relations. It can be found here.
Law and Order
A police officer in combat gear, Letterkenny
The Donegaul Police Force, more commonly referred to as the Police and sometimes the Guards, is the state's civilian police force. The force is responsible for all aspects of civil policing, both in terms of territory and infrastructure. It is headed by the Police Commissioner, who is appointed by the President. Most uniformed members carry firearms, as was standard when the Police Force was founded during periods of civil unrest in the region. Standard policing is traditionally carried out by uniformed officers equipped with a Walther P99, baton and pepper spray as standard. In some cases, officers may carry Heckler & Koch MP7s and HK33s.
As Donegaul has no standing military the Police Force take up roles of state security and protection.
There are currently 1,300 police officers serving in Donegaul with a ratio of 800 officers per 100,000 people.
Donegaul's citizenship laws relate to the Republic of Aera, including islands and seas, thereby extending them to Republican citizens. Therefore, anyone born in Aera who meets the requirements for being a Donegaul citizen, such as birth on the Republic of Aera or Donegaul to an Aereann or Donegaul citizen parent or a parent who is entitled to live in Donegaul or the Republic without restriction on their residency, may exercise an entitlement to Donegaul citizenship, such as an Irish passport. This does not include North Aera however.
Economy
Transport
Disused railway bridge in Buncrana, now an
iconic landmark.
Donegaul is served by both Donegaul Airport, located at Carrickfinn in The Rosses in the west of the county, and by City of Derry Airport, located at Eglinton to the east. The nearest main international airport to the county is Belfast International Airport (popularly known as Aldergrove Airport), which is located to the east at Aldergrove, near Antrim Town, in County Antrim, around fifty-seven miles from Derry City and around seventy-five miles from Letterkenny. Donegaul Airport can facilitate for large aircraft with its 3km runway despite its small size, this is because the airport was originally built as an Aereann Air Corps base for cargo and transport planes.
The country also has an extensive bus system that operates privately. Bus companies based in Donegaul, North Aera and the Reoublic operate in Donegaul and link the remote corner of the island with the rest of the region. The largest bus company in Donegaul is the Lough Swilly Company which is a branch of the old railway company.
Development
Ulster Bank, the preferred bank
of Donegaul consumers
Companies such as Computel invested in Donegaul during the late 1980s, later followed by SoftWorks and SearchWire. Donegaul is ranked as one of the most economically free economies in the world according to the Index of Economic Freedom. In terms of GDP per capita, Donegaul is the most prosperous country in Aera. GDP is significantly greater than GNP due to the large amount of multinational corporations based in Donegaul.
Beginning in the early 1990s, the country along with the rest of the region experienced unprecedented economic growth fuelled by a dramatic rise in consumer spending, construction and investment, which became known as the Celtic Tiger period. The pace of growth slowed during 2007 and led to the burst of a major property bubble which had developed over time. The dramatic fall in property prices has highlighted the over-exposure of the economy to construction, and has contributed to the ongoing Aereann banking crisis. Donegaul officially entered a recession in 2008 following consecutive months of economic contraction.
The regional economy contracted by −1.7% in 2008, −7.1% in 2009 and −1% in 2010. Both Donegaul and Aera officially exited recession in 2010, which was helped by a strong growth in exports of up to 6.9%. However, due to a significant rise in the cost of borrowing and bank recapitalisation, Aera accepted an €85 billion programme of assistance from a combination of foreign lenders. Donegaul refused to repay unsecured bond-holders in the Aereann banks which led to a collapse in the domestic banks and withdrawal from Aereann banks. A privately run Credit Union has now taken the role of the main bank in the country with strong investment from foreign and local sources.
Economic Overview
Economy and Labour Market
Historically, the economy of Donegaul has been dependent on traditional industrial sectors such as textiles, clothing and agriculture. While the economy of the country has improved over the last 5 years, this improvement has been difficult and slow due to the current economic base, which is characterised by low value-added industries. Significant work has been undertaken to implement the recommendations of the Donegaul Employment Initiative Task Force Report. This Task Force was established in October of 2002, following the announcement of over 1,000 redundancies in the textile industry in Donegaul in 2000-2001. The Task Force recommended a 7-year strategy to restructure the economy of Donegaul towards higher added value and technology sectors, targeting the creation of 9,950 additional jobs by 2009. Between 2001 and 2006 the total number employed in all sectors in Donegaul increased by 13.3% from 32,715 persons to 39,881 persons. In that period there has been an increase in employment in all sectors with the exception of “Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing” which showed a reduction of 13%.
The Manufacturing Sector is the most important source of employment in the country with a total of 10,234 employed in 2006. This represented an increase of 23.7% in the period 2001-2006 (Central Statistics Office, Census 2006). In 2000, there were a total of 9,166 working in employment supported by Enterprise Aera, Industrial Development Authority and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Donegaul. This represents 2.9% of all Agency – Assisted employment for the State, a reduction from 4.6% in 2005. The number of people in employment assisted by agencies in the state declined by 5% in Donegaul from 2005-2010.
The Natural Resources Sector is important in the Economy of Donegaul. The total number of farms in the country in 2001 was estimated at 10,200. Recent estimates suggest that this has fallen to just over 9,000, with an associated increase in farm size of nearly 10%. Statistically, Donegaul farmers are on a larger annual income than their counterparts in the Republic. This is primarily due to trade quotas with North Aera in areas of beef, dairy and poultry.
There is a sizeable fishing fleet within Donegaul, currently estimated at over 260 vessels. The number of full and part-time fishermen engaged in all sectors is approximately 1,300. Total landings in Donegaul (excluding aquaculture) amounted to 129,000 tonnes in 2009 with a first sale value of D£56.1m. This represented 47% by volume and 28% by value of the total regional catch indicating a propensity towards high-volume, low-value landings. There are over 30 processing firms operating in Donegaul with a combined estimated turnover of D£182.8m.
The forest cover in Donegaul amounts to approximately 11.38%. An estimated 1,400 people are currently employed in forestry in Donegaul.
Incomes
Donegaul has a relatively higher proportion of workers on low incomes associated with employment in the traditional sectors. This is reflected in the statistics for average annual wages and salaries per employee. Between 2006 and 2008, average annual wages and salaries in Donegaul increased by 15.7% from D£15,944 to D£18,447. The average annual income for Donegaul is the lowest in the Border Region. The corresponding mean figure for the Border region in 2008 was D£19,102, while the figure for the region as a whole was D£19,540. In 2008, Net Industrial Output of Donegaul was valued at almost D£408.7m, which represented an increase of 9% from 2001.
Tourism in the Country is largely based on its culture, environment and natural resources. The total number of overseas tourists visiting Donegaul increased by almost 12% from 2008 to 2010. The total overseas visitor revenue for Donegaul in 2010 was D£62.7m. With 12,401 bednights available in the country, Donegaul accounts for 53% of all tourism income in the northwest region.
Physical Infrastructure
The National Primary Road Network in Donegaul is 160km long, representing approximately 2.4% of the total
road class. National Primary Routes include the N15, N13, N14 and N3. Donegaul’s sole secondary route is the N56.
The main fishing ports in Donegaul are Killybegs, Rathmullan, Greencastle, Burtonport, Downings, Kincasslagh, Malin Head and Moville. There are 153 piers and harbours in Donegaul.
The only energy distribution network in the country is the electricity network, which is currently the sole
responsibility of the Electricity Supply Board. There is an important hydroelectric station at Ballyshannon. Donegaul has a potentially valuable wind resource and a number of wind farms are located within the country. There are also a number of smaller hydro plants producing power for Donegaul.
Photo Gallery