Milford | |
Settlement Type: | Town |
Pushpin Map: | Ireland |
Pushpin Label Position: | left |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ireland |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Ireland |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Ulster |
Subdivision Type3: | County |
Subdivision Name3: | County Donegal |
Leader Title1: | Dáil constituency |
Leader Name1: | Donegal |
Unit Pref: | Metric |
Population As Of: | 2022 |
Population Footnotes: | [1] |
Population: | 1076 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Timezone1: | WET |
Utc Offset1: | +0 |
Timezone1 Dst: | IST (WEST) |
Utc Offset1 Dst: | -1 |
Coordinates: | 55.0879°N -7.6985°W |
Elevation M: | 68 |
Area Code: | 075, +000 353 74 |
Blank Name: | Irish Grid Reference |
Milford or Millford, historically called Ballynagalloglagh,[2] is a small town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. The population at the 2022 census was 1,076.[1]
The Tirconaill Tribune is headquartered here.[3]
Located north of Letterkenny, the town was founded in the 18th century by the Clement family. It was named after a mill that was located on Maggie's Burn on the edge of the town.[4]
The Irish Baile na nGallóglach literally means "town of the gallóglach". The gallóglaigh (anglicised gallowglass) were an elite class of mercenary warrior who came from Gaelic-Norse clans in Scotland between the mid-13th century and late 16th century. A battle between the Irish (helped by gallóglaigh) and the English took place on a hill in the townland and this is where the name comes from.
The town is the ancestral home of U.S. president James Buchanan, from which Buchanan's father, also named James Buchanan, immigrated to America in 1783.
The town once had two major employers: the Milford Bakery and Flour Mills and McMahons garage, but both are now long gone. There are now a post office, four supermarkets, a veterinary practice, three pubs, a health centre, a library with council offices, a fire station and fishing lakes.
The Gallowglass Community Centre was donated to the community and has been functioning since September 2023 as a venue for community events and classes.
There are four nearby beaches: Portsalon, Rathmullan, Downings, and Tramore. It is a feeder town to Letterkenny.
There are a National School, Scoil Mhuire Milford; two secondary schools, Loreto Community School and Mulroy College; and an Adult Education Education and Training Board centre.
The Milford electoral area has 3 seats. In 2024 the following were elected to Donegal County Council.