Overview
Stranorlar was once the hub of the County Donegal Railway. The last train left on 6 February 1960 and the station became a bus depot, but the old station clock was restored for the millennium and now stands in a tower by the former pedestrian entrance. Paired with Ballybofey across the River Finn, Stranorlar (Irish: Srath an Urláir) is the eastern half of a working twin town at the western end of the Finn Valley in County Donegal. Public streets link the two towns across the river. It is more market town than tourist stop, with the woods and the river as the reason to pull in.
Drumboe Woods
The main thing to do here is walk Drumboe Woods, which follow the River Finn through mature broadleaf forest on the edge of town. Coillte’s Drumboe guide maps the woodland walks: choose a marked route and follow any notices about forestry work. Keep out of the river and leave paths, gates and forestry entrances clear. Check Coillte’s guide for its current rules on dogs.
The ground is easy going as far as the river, then rougher and rootier on the pull up towards the ruins of Elizabethan Drumboe Castle and a folly known locally as “The Steeple”. Edmund and Emily Hayes laid the woods out in the 1850s and 60s, and the giant redwood they planted near the centre of the woods is a landmark of the walk.
The woods carry a darker history too. In March 1923, during the Civil War, four Anti-Treaty IRA prisoners – Charlie Daly, Daniel Enright, Timothy O’Sullivan and Seán Larkin – were held in Drumboe Castle and executed here. A memorial near St John’s Church marks the spot.
A walk round the twin towns
For a gentler, town-based outing, follow the public streets of Stranorlar and Ballybofey, taking in the old railway station, the Butter Market and the Balor Arts Centre. A heritage trail has been promoted around the twin towns; check the Ballybofey and Stranorlar tourism site for the current map and what is waymarked before you set out.
A longer prospect is the proposed Ballybofey–Stranorlar–Donegal Town Greenway, which would turn a former railway corridor into a walking and cycling route through the Barnesmore Gap to Donegal Town. It has been a planning proposal rather than a route you can use, so don’t plan a trip around it unless the local council confirms it is open.
Arts and the Frances Browne festival
Stranorlar has made a name as a small literary town. It is the home town of Frances Browne, the blind poet and novelist, and a literary festival has been held in her name here in autumn. In Ballybofey, across the river, the Balor Arts Centre carries a programme of theatre, music and exhibitions. For local arts and events, check the current programme before travelling.
Fishing and golf
The River Finn is known for Atlantic salmon and brown trout. Anyone planning to fish should consult the Loughs Agency’s fishery rules and arrange the relevant licence and permission first; do not assume access to any bank. Golfers have the Ballybofey & Stranorlar Golf Club, an 18-hole parkland course laid out by P.C. Carr in 1957, with the Bluestack Mountains behind it.
Practical information
Getting there
Stranorlar sits at the junction of the N13 and N15, easily reached from Derry, Sligo and Letterkenny. Bus services link it to Derry, Donegal Town, Ballyshannon, Bundoran and Sligo, and local bus routes serve the surrounding villages; check current timetables for routes and times. There is no train: the nearest station is in Derry.
Visitor information, parking and access
Local maps, trail guides and event listings are available through the Ballybofey and Stranorlar tourism site. Check locally for parking before you travel. The town streets are paved and level; the woodland paths are rougher, and the last climb towards the castle ruins is uneven and rooty. Follow Coillte’s notices about any closures.
Nearby
- Ballybofey – Directly across the Finn, with the Balor Arts Centre.
- The Bluestack Mountains – Hill walks and long views over the valley, a short drive west.
- Assaroe – Abbey ruins and waterfalls south towards Ballyshannon.
If you can only stop for an hour, walk into Drumboe on a marked route: the riverside path, the old woodland and the memorial are the heart of a visit to Stranorlar.