Donegal’s Gallaghers feature in TG4 family surname series

The Gallaghers of Donegal will be heavily featured on TG4’s latest episodes of Sloinne, a series in which a person searches for the history of their surname.

Sloinne is a TG4 series produced by Abú Media and is in its second series, having first been broadcast in 2024. 

John Gallagher, a Leeds-based lecturer in the UK, is the focus of the final episode of the series, which will be broadcast on Sunday, May 25. He will research the Ó Gallachóir/Gallagher surname, a surname that is prominent in Donegal.

Gallagher visits his father’s homestead in Gaoth Dobhair, stopping off at the Rory Gallagher museum in Ballyshannon along the route. He also looks at the sporting life of Dave Gallagher, the Ramelton-born rugby player who was best remembered as the captain of the ‘Original All Blacks,’ the 1905-06 New Zealand rugby union team. 

Bridie Gallagher’s family home in Creeslough, which is famous for the song ‘Hills of Donegal’, and the Sporting Gallagher’s family home are also featured, making sure that John Gallagher leaves no stone unturned in his ancestral county.

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Liam O’Neill, a renowned Kerry artist, explores the Ó Néill/O’Neill surname and visits the iconic landmark of Grianán of Aileach, Burt, as part of his research.

Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh and Liam Ó Néill at Grianán of Aileach, Burt

Donegal was also featured in series one of Sloinne, as Hannah Ní Dhomhnaill, originally from the Donegal Gaeltacht, went on a journey to find out more about the O’Donnell surname.