List of Famous people born in County Donegal, Ireland

Hugh Roe O'Donnell, also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell, was a sixteenth-century Irish nobleman. He became ruler of Tyrconnell in 1593 after a succession dispute among the O'Donnell dynasty, and after escaping a five-year imprisonment in Dublin Castle by the English. Along with his father-in-law Hugh O'Neill of Tyrone, he led the Irish alliance in the Nine Years' War against the English government in Ireland. Hugh Roe led an Irish army to victory in the Battle of Curlew Pass. After defeat in the Siege of Kinsale, he travelled to Spain to seek support from Philip III. Unsuccessful, he died in Spain and was succeeded by his younger brother Rory O'Donnell. He is sometimes also known as Aodh Ruadh II or Red Hugh II, especially in his native County Donegal.

Pól Brennan is an Irish singer, songwriter and producer. He is the brother of Enya, Moya Brennan, Brídín Brennan and Ciarán Brennan. He is a member of the family band Clannad, and co-wrote the hit song "Theme from Harry's Game". He left the group in 1990, but rejoined in 2011. Since the early 1990s, Pól has gained critical acclaim as a solo artist when he joined Japanese musician Joji Hirota and Chinese musician Guo Yue, and released an album, Trísan.

William Allingham was an Irish poet, diarist and editor. He wrote several volumes of lyric verse, and his poem 'The Faeries' was much anthologised; but he is better known for his posthumously published Diary, in which he records his lively encounters with Tennyson, Carlyle and other writers and artists. His wife, Helen Allingham, was a well-known watercolourist and illustrator.

General Sir Andrew Francis Barnard was an Irish British Army officer. He served in various capacities in the West Indies, the Cape of Good Hope, Canada, the Netherlands, Sicily, Spain and in the Napoleonic Wars including the Battle of Waterloo for which service he was highly decorated. After his retirement from active duty, he served in a number of civilian positions, being promoted to general four years before his death.

Charles Inglis was an Irish clergyman who was consecrated the first Anglican bishop in North America, although technically of the Diocese of Nova Scotia.

Philip Deignan is an Irish former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2005 and 2018 for the Ag2r–La Mondiale, Cervélo TestTeam, Team RadioShack, UnitedHealthcare and Team Sky squads. A former Olympian, Deignan won a stage in the 2009 Vuelta a España, and finished in the top ten in the general classification.

Professor Frank McGuinness is an Irish writer. As well as his own plays, which include The Factory Girls, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me and Dolly West's Kitchen, he is recognised for a "strong record of adapting literary classics, having translated the plays of Racine, Sophocles, Ibsen, Garcia Lorca, and Strindberg to critical acclaim". He has also published four collections of poetry, and two novels. McGuinness has been Professor of Creative Writing at University College Dublin (UCD) since 2007.

Neil Terence Columba Blaney was an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) representing Donegal East. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (1957), Minister for Local Government (1957–1966) and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (1966–1970). He was Father of the Dáil from 1987 until his death.

Samuel Magee is an Irish badminton player. He won 2009 European Junior Badminton Championships in the boys' doubles event at Milan, Italy with his partner Sylvain Grosjean of France. He was a bronze medalists at the European Games in the mixed doubles event with his sister Chloe Magee in 2015 Baku and 2019 Minsk, also in the men's doubles with his brother Joshua Magee in 2015.

Ray McAnally was an Irish actor. He was the winner of four BAFTA awards in the late 1980s: twice for Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor in the television category. In 2020, he was listed at number 34 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.