Online Headstone Inscriptions, Co Donegal
This page was compiled by Lindel and forms part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources Website
You may link to this page but not copy it
If you have any inscriptions you would like to add, please contact me
Monumental (or Headstone) inscriptions are a very useful source of information on dates of birth and death, and also on family relationships. In rural areas it was common practice for generations of the same family to be buried in the same part of the graveyard, and thus information on several generations can he derived from the gravestones where they exist. In poorer areas these were often unmarked graves, although gravestones were sometimes erected by later generations. Fortuitously some gravestones may note previous generations but this is not always the case.
Catholics were sometimes buried in Church of Ireland graveyards and a record could exist in the burial register. Specific Catholic graveyards were started mainly in the 19th century although the local church may not have burial registers until the 20th century. An account of the complicated history of denominational graveyards is given in Irish Church Records (Ryan 1992). (see p. 85)
Some graveyards may be found in apparently isolated locations, since many were attached to ancient monastic sites. Alternatively the attached church may have been abandoned or fallen into ruin. If the present parish church gravestones appear fairly recent it is worth asking local people if an old graveyard exists in the parish.
Gravestones in some graveyards may have already been transcribed or indexed and thus a lot of time and effort can be saved which would have be expended visiting the graveyards in person. However, the majority of graveyards have not. The transcribed gravestones are available in a variety sources, particularly local history journals. However, there is one major collection which is always worth consulting. This is the Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead.
These journals were published in the period 1888-1934 and contain gravestone inscriptions and other information. These were mainly contributed by individuals, and vary from single interesting inscriptions to full graveyard surveys, and occasionally abstracts of other church records. They tended to cover Church of Ireland graveyards, however other denominations could also be buried in these graveyards and may also be recorded. The Journal is indexed by name in various series. (Note: The Journal is available at some major libraries)
Please Read:
Below you will find inscriptions from 84 graveyards in Co Donegal
These collections range from partial to almost complete and were compiled by myself and other people researching our families in Donegal
Criticism has been levelled at these inscriptions (for somehow creating an imbalance and not being complete) however,
they are all free to access, they are a result of hard work by dedicated people who actually care about those interred,
and they are copied to the County Library in Letterkenny, so that they may be even more widely accessed for free
I know of many people who have found family in these inscriptions, myself included (and not only in the inscriptions I transcribed), and I do believe that it is worthwhile to
have even one inscription from a graveyard, as each has the potential to help a researcher and each inscription is one less person or family who might otherwise be lost to history
Thankyou
Note:
IrishGraveyards, with 71 surveyed Donegal graveyards to date, is online and available to search
Last Updated 10 Aug 2019
Inscriptions Online at this Website:
Annagary RC Cemetery (Templecrone) (not complete)
Arranmore Island (Templecrone)
Assaroe Graveyard (Ballyshannon)
Balleeghan Graveyard (Raymoghy)
Ballybogan Graveyard (Clonleigh)
Burt (New) Graveyard (Burt) complete
Church of All Saints Graveyard (Allsaints)
Church of St. Finian and St. Mark (Kilmacrenan)
Clonca Churchyard (Clonca)
Cloon Cemetery (Clondahorky)
Conwal Graveyard (Conwal) - soon
Culdaff Churchyard (Culdaff)
Doe Castle Graveyard (Clondahorky)
Doe Graveyard, Creeslough (Clondahorky)
Donaghmore Presbyterian Graveyard (Donaghmore) (not complete)
Drumhaggart Graveyard (Burt)
Drumkeen (Convoy)
Drung Graveyard (Moville Upper)
Dungloe RC Cemetery (Templecrone)
Edenfinfreagh Cemetery (Inishkeel)
Fanavolty Graveyard (Clondavaddog)
Finner (Bundoran)
Fintown Cemetery (Inishkeel)
Frosses (Inver) partial
Gartan Graveyard (Gartan)
Glenswilly (Conwal)
Gortahork (Tullaghobegley)
Grange Graveyard (Burt)
Kilcar RC Graveyard (Kilcar)
Kill RC Graveyard (Clondahorky)
Killea Parish Church (Carrigans Church of Ireland)
Killydonnell Friary (Aughnish) - soon
Kilmacrenan RC Graveyard (Kilmacrenan)
Kilmonaster Graveyard (Clonliegh)
Kilrean Graveyard (Killybegs Lower)
Kilteevoge Graveyard (Kilteevoge)
Lag Churchyard (Clonca)
Leck Cemetery (Leck)
Magheragallon Old Graveyard (Tullaghobegley)
Malin Church of Ireland Graveyard (Clonca)
Malin Presbyterian Church Graveyard (Clonca)
Massmount Graveyard (Clondavaddog)
Mevagh Graveyard (Mevagh)
Moress Graveyard (Inch)
Moville Presbyterian & Church of Ireland Cemeteries (Moville)
Muff Church of Ireland Graveyard (Muff)
Murlog Graveyard (Clonleigh) (not complete)
New Glenties Graveyard (Inishkeel)
Old Burt Graveyard, Castlecooly (Burt)
Old Church Straid (Clonmany)
Old Clonleigh Graveyard (Clonleigh)
Old Glenties Cemetery (Inishkeel)
Old Graveyard, St Johnston (Mixed Religion) (Taughboyne)
Old Inver Graveyard (Inver)
Old Killaghtee Graveyard (Killaghtee)
Old Ray Graveyard (Raymoghy)
Old RC Graveyard Umlagh (Mevagh)
Our Lady of Lourdes (Inch)
Rathmullen Priory (Killygarvan)
Ray 2 Presbyterian Graveyard (Raymoghy)
Raymoghy Presbyterian Graveyard (Raymoghy)
Redcastle Church of Ireland (Moville)
St Anne's (Ballyshannon)
St Bridget's, Toome (Lettermacaward)
St Catherine's Old Graveyard (Killybegs Upper)
St Columba's (Termon, Kilmacrenan)
St Columba’s Church of Ireland (Glencolumbkille)
St Crone's Church of Ireland (Templecrone)
St John's Church of Ireland (Killybegs Upper)
St Mary's, Ballybrack (Moville Lower)
St Mary's, Cockhill (not complete)(Fahan Lower)
St Mary's (Convoy)
St Mary's (Kincasslagh) (Templecrone)
St Ninian's Church of Ireland (Convoy)
St Patrick's, Iskaheen (Muff)
Sts Conal and Joseph, Bruckless (Killaghtee)
Strahack Graveyard (Inch)
Stranorlar RC Graveyard (Stranorlar)
Taughboyne Church of Ireland Graveyard (Taughboyne)
Templedouglas (Conwal)
Termon (Dungloe, Templecrone) (1 headstone)
Tory Island (Tullaghobegley)
Trenta Presbyterian Graveyard (Conwal)
Tullaghobegley Graveyard (Tullaghobegley)
Tully Graveyard (Tullyfern)
Tullyaughnish Graveyard, Ramelton (Aughnish)
Inscriptions Online at other Websites:
Carnaghan, Inch Presbyterian Burying Ground
Carrick Graveyard, Glencolumbkille
© 1998 Donegal Genealogy Resources
