Glenveagh (pronounced glen-VAY; Irish: Gleann Bheatha, meaning "glen of the birches") is the second-largest national park in Ireland. It is located in County Donegal and includes Glenveagh Castle and its grounds, Lough Veagh, and much of the Derryveagh Mountains. National parks in Ireland follow rules set by the IUCN. As of 2024, Glenveagh is the only national park in Ulster, the northern province of Ireland.

Geography

The park spans 170 square kilometers and includes parts of the Derryveagh Mountains, Lough Veagh, and Glenveagh Castle along its shores. The castle gardens feature a variety of exotic and delicate plants.

History

Captain John George Adair (1823–1885), a businessman from England and Ireland, built Glenveagh Castle and established the Glenveagh estate. He had disagreements with his Irish Catholic tenants about hunting and fishing rights and sheep that wandered onto his property. During the 1861 famine, Adair forced 44 families (224 people total) to leave their blackhouses on his land, which earned him the nickname "Black Jack Adair."

After Adair’s death, the estate was inherited by his wife, Cornelia Adair. In 1929, the estate was purchased by Arthur Kingsley Porter, and in 1937, it was bought by Henry Plumer McIlhenny. McIlhenny gave Glenveagh to the Irish government in the 1970s but continued to live in the castle part-time until 1982.

The park is home to the largest group of red deer in Ireland. Golden eagles, which had previously disappeared from the area, were brought back to the park in 2000. In winter 2018 and spring 2019, many native and non-native trees and plants were removed from the park, and the water and pipe system was improved.