Home to some of Ireland’s most wild, rugged beauty, the region expands its attractiveness as a FDI hub
Across the Northern Headlands and Atlantic Coast, County Donegal sits majestically as the gateway from the US to the island of Ireland. Ireland’s most northerly county has boosted the region’s domestic and international appeal as a destination for both business and tourism. Donegal County Council has worked to foster innovation within the region and attract business expertise across tech, fintech, engineering, life sciences, and other domains. Letterkenny, Donegal’s largest town, was designated as a Regional Growth Center in the National Planning Framework and contains a large land bank ready for further development. Letterkenny is revamping its public spaces and repurposing buildings to encourage local innovation. The Letterkenny Business and Technology Park is currently in the process of expanding to accommodate a further range of clients in both international services and manufacturing sectors. Overall, Letterkenny is part of a wider city region in the northwest of Ireland’s economic axis that includes Derry, and Strabane in Northern Ireland, UK.
Global businesses such as Tata, Abbott Laboratories, Pramerica, and Sita call Donegal home. According to John McLaughlin, Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, “Donegal excels as a location to live, work, invest, study, and explore. Donegal is one of the most cost-effective locations in Ireland, and residents have access to attractive and affordable accommodations and amenities. We are continuously investing in improving infrastructure to service these key areas and supporting the business ecosystem. We even offer incentives for startups.”
Donegal has a significant FDI track record, a thriving fintech hub, and hidden home-grown champions. For instance, Inishowen Engineering is an award-winning custom metal fabrication company that has become a leading global subcontractor in metal manufacturing.
Another Donegal indigenous champion is E&I Engineering, a global expert in power distribution solutions that have proven to be invaluable in the global data center market. Philip O’Doherty, Managing Director of E&I Engineering, noted, “Donegal is a great place to do business, and several of Donegal’s indigenous companies are rapidly achieving global scale. We have a fabulous local workforce with an excellent work ethic. As a leading provider of electrical switchgear and power distribution systems, we have found extremely well-educated people locally and are therefore continuously growing our operations in Donegal.”
The Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) has been an asset in training the regional labor force. The institute tailors courses to ensure sufficient focus on the skills businesses need to develop their operations. This ability to adapt has become a core element in the region’s comparative advantage. McLaughlin noted, “LYIT’s CoLab Center, in particular, has been a driver for innovation as a development space for high-potential startups. The center nurtures a community of entrepreneurs and emits a culture of collaboration. It provides flexible office space and outstanding facilities with an aim to support entrepreneurs. Successful companies in a variety of sectors have blossomed in this environment, and therefore we are working on establishing several other centers.”
Donegal is also investing in reviving its rural areas with this success in mind. Donegal’s most recent rural regeneration funding package includes a new ‘Digital Fabrication Laboratory’ with co-working space available and a ‘Creative Makers Hub’ for craft industries. Furthermore, the package will include the redevelopment of the ‘Ritz Heritage Building’ as an enterprise hub in the core of Ballybofey’s new town center.
Northern Headlands of Donegal
As the Wild Atlantic Way serpents across Donegal’s Northern Headlands, it navigates through Ireland’s Surf Coast, where surfing gets real, and waves take priority over the perfect tan. Hasty travelers often miss hidden gems in the rugged and enchanting coastline of Donegal, which offers an authentic experience full of trails, culture, and heritage. The jaw-dropping Slieve League Cliffs are some of the tallest sea cliffs in all of Europe, and three times the height of the famous Cliffs of Moher. Visitors can explore Glenveagh National Park, the second-largest national park in Ireland, after driving the picturesque Slieve League Coast. Malin Head, as the northernmost point on the island of Ireland, offers some of the largest sand dunes in Europe and offers visitors the unique experience of taking an alpaca for a walk. The nearby destination Fanad Head has one of the world’s most beautiful lighthouses. Donegal is a stunning place with ever-growing offerings for visitors. The region offers families, couples, and solo travelers an unforgettable experience within the stunning Donegal landscape filled with castles, rugged coastlines, and mountains.
James Doherty, CEO of Sliabh Liag Distillers stressed, “Donegal feels like it is at the edge of the world, on the verge of the wild Atlantic. Our remote location at Sliabh Liag, which are the most impactful cliffs in Ireland, is worth the pilgrimage. It is an iconic, mythical destination filled with striking natural beauty. It has at times been overlooked as a destination in Ireland. As a distillery, we are enhancing the region’s tourism amenities, and complementing the local food offering with a visitor experience showcasing Donegal’s distilling heritage. Our distillery at Sliabh Liag is the first legal whiskey distillery in Donegal in over 180 years. Our unique Irish Maritime Gin, An Dúlamán, and our new approach to lost Irish whiskey tastes will bring a new generation to Irish whiskey, and make Donegal the Islay of Ireland. Despite our remote location, we still benefit from being well-connected via fiber-optic broadband so we get to live in this beautiful location and stay connected across the world.”
Donegal does not receive its fair share of visitors considering its innate beauty, and with its tranquil natural surroundings and peaceful landscapes, it is the idyllic, picturesque vision many Americans have of their Irish ancestral land.