Townapedia
High Street, Donaghadee
High Street, Donaghadee · Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0
Donaghadee lighthouse, County Down (16192309488)
Donaghadee lighthouse, County Down (16192309488) · Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, No restrictions
Moat at Donaghadee (8576166391)
Moat at Donaghadee (8576166391) · National Library of Ireland on The Commons, No restrictions

Donaghadee, United Kingdom

Donaghadee is a town of 7,369 people in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

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Population7,369 GeoNames
Elevation30 ft 9 m
Time zoneEurope/London
Nearest airportGeorge Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) 14 mi
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Why visit Donaghadee

Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Donaghadee lighthouse.

About Donaghadee

Donaghadee ( DON-ə-khə-DEE, from Irish Domhnach Daoi) is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about 18 miles (29 km) east of Belfast and about six miles (10 km) south east of Bangor. It is in the civil parish of Donaghadee and the historic barony of Ards Lower. The town had a population of 7,325 people in the 2021 census.

From the Wikipedia article Donaghadee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Donaghadee lighthouse

Lighthouse

Lighthouse in Northern Ireland

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Museums and landmarks3

The Moat

Monument and historic site

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BCDR Crane

Monument and historic site

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BCDR Railway Bridge

Monument and historic site · 0.4 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds9

Lemons Wharf Playpark

Playground

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Belvedere Dog Park (Grass Area)

Park · 1.4 mi

Spring and Summer only

45a, Donaghadee

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Belvedere Dog Park (Sand Area)

Park · 1.4 mi

45a

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The Commons

Park

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Belvedere Dog Park

Park · 1.4 mi

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Cromellin Park

Park

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Donaghadee Golf Club

Golf course · 0.9 mi

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Donaghadee Marina

Marina and boat launch

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Hunts Park Water Tower

Park · 0.6 mi

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Restaurants and cafes6

The Stormy Cup

Cafe

27 New Street

Mo-Fr 09:00-16:00; Sa,Su 09:00-16:30

Open in Google Maps · +44 7729 436439

Grace Neill's Bar

Bar and pub

33 High Street, Donaghadee

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Harbour and Company

Restaurant

31 Parade, Donaghadee

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Bow Bells

Cafe

5 Bow Street, Donaghadee

Mo-Su 09:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps · +44 2891882921

The Moat Inn

Bar and pub

Tu 11:30-23:00

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The Tivoli

Bar and pub

Manor Street, Donaghadee

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History

The name 'Donaghadee' comes from Irish Domhnach Daoi, which has two possible meanings: "church of Daoi", after an unattested saint, or "church of the motte". Originally the site of a Gaelic ringfort, the Anglo-Normans built a motte-and-bailey castle on the site after they conquered the area in the late 12th century.

In the early 17th century, Hugh Montgomery settled Scottish Protestants there as part of the Plantation of Ulster, and it began to grow into a small town. The former Donaghadee Town Hall is a converted merchant's house which was completed in around 1770.

The town featured in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. On the morning of Pike Sunday, 10 June 1798 a force of United Irishmen, mainly from Bangor, Donaghadee, Greyabbey and Ballywalter attempted to occupy the town of Newtownards. They met with musket fire from the market house and were defeated.

Donaghadee was used in the 1759–1826 period by couples going to Portpatrick in Scotland to marry, as there was a daily packet boat. During this period, Portpatrick was known as the "Gretna Green for Ireland".

Donaghadee railway station, which was open for passenger traffic from 1861 to 1950, was on the Belfast and County Down Railway.

From the History section of Donaghadee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Notable people from Donaghadee

Born in Donaghadee, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.

Where to stay1

Churches and places of worship5

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Shopping1

Schools, colleges and libraries4

Map of Donaghadee

30 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Towns near Donaghadee

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.