Ireland’s only Elvis Club are due to celebrate ten years

A west Donegal town is home to Ireland’s only Elvis fan club and they are celebrating 10 years since its formation.

The ‘Elvis Rocking In The Hills Of Donegal’ fan club is based in Dungloe and it is run by Beatrice Farrelly. 

The fan club was established in 2014, it was launched in The Bridge Inn Dungloe - formerly Stepping Stones - by Tom Gilson.

Since then, they have hosted approximately twenty fundraising events and have raised over €30,000 for various charities. Local people as well as schools have benefited from events run by the Rosses-based organisation.

The next Elvis event is scheduled for September 14, at An Chuirt Hotel, Gweedore and the club has gone full circle as Tom Gilson is back to perform his tribute show at the September event. 

“Tom has done so many shows for our club and is very popular with all our members,” Beatrice Farrelly, who spearheads the Donegal fan club said. “This event will be a big fundraiser which I will tell you about at a later date and we will also be celebrating the 10th Birthday of our Elvis Club.”

It is not just events this club has on the horizon though, the fans previously travelled to Memphis in October 2022 to take a tour of Elvis' home. Now, a similar offer has come around again, another house tour, Graceland and Tupelo next year with Killester Travel.

"This tour will be in October 2025 as the weather was so pleasant the last time we went it made the whole experience very enjoyable."

The club is officially recognised as it was authorised by Elvis Presley Enterprises and the group serves as a non-profit fan club.