Glenties, from the Irish meaning “the glens”, is a town in County Donegal.
It is situated where two glens meet, north-west of the Bluestack Mountains, near the confluence of two rivers.
Evidence of early settlement in the area is given by the many dolmens, standing stones, and ringforts dating from the Bronze Age.
The area became part of the baronies of Boylagh and Bannagh in 1609, which was granted to Scottish undertakers as part of the Ulster Plantation.
Glenties is situated at the meeting of two glens, and two rivers; the Owenea and Stranaglough.
One of its most striking buildings is its unusual church, St Connell’s, which was built in 1974 to replace the old church, with the original bell from the first church still used
In 1974, Liam McCormack won a European Award for the design of the church.
Glenties was the model for Brian Friel’s fictional village of Ballybeg, where several of his works such as Dancing at Lughnasa were set in.
It was made into a film in 1994 starring Meryl Streep.
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