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Golf · Donegal & Beyond
The roots of Letterkenny Golf Club can be traced to a group of local professionals who discovered that the lawns of Rockhill House were “splendid golfing ground” — and quietly began playing on them while the Stewarts were in London for the winter. In 1894, the estate’s land steward wrote to Major General Stewart to seek permission. The letter still exists.
From the Estate Archives — April 1894
Robert Robinson was the land steward of Rockhill House — a fastidious and loyal servant to the Stewart family who never allowed anything to happen on the estate without the owner’s blessing. He is the same man who, two years later, would write to the Letterkenny Sentinel describing the annual Harvest Home celebration at Rockhill, noting that singing and dancing continued until the small hours of morning.
In April 1894, with the Stewarts away in London, Robinson noticed a group of local men — including the manager of the Ulster Bank and a local doctor — playing something called golf on the estate lawns. He wrote, with characteristic precision, to seek permission.
The Letter — Verbatim
Rockhill, April 19th, 1894.
General Stewart
I write and beg to say Mr Chambers Manager of the Ulster Bank, Dr Carre, and a few others have been playing Golf in the lawn starting at McDaid’s Old Lodge and going across into the Fort Field.
They say it is splendid golfing ground, and are anxious to get what they call six pots made in it. This I refused letting them do until I hear from you. They promise in no case that the number shall exceed ten, and as far as I can learn there seems to be no harm that they can commit.
You will kindly please say what you think.
I remain Your obed. Servant,
Robert R Robinson
The Wider Story
And so golf got off the ground in Letterkenny — right here at Rockhill House. The club that followed was only a matter of months behind its neighbours in Portsalon and Buncrana, whose clubs were two of the nine founders of the Golfing Union of Ireland in 1891 — the world’s oldest national golfing body.
Ulster was, at the time, the hub of golf in Ireland — and to this day it is the sport at which this region has most distinguished itself. Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, and Graeme McDowell are among the leading players this part of the world has produced.
The history of this estate, and its location, make Rockhill House a particularly fitting base for a golfing tour of one of the finest stretches of links country in the world.
World-Class Links Golf
Rockhill House sits at a comfortable mid-point between some of the finest links courses in Ireland. We can help you plan a schedule, arrange tee times, and share our recommendations on the must-play courses as well as the undiscovered gems.
One of Ireland’s finest links venues, host to the 2018 Irish Open. Two championship courses on the Inishowen Peninsula with Atlantic views that justify the drive alone.
~45 min from Rockhill
One of the nine founding clubs of the Golfing Union of Ireland. Set on the shores of Lough Swilly, with a course that consistently ranks among the most scenic in the country.
~40 min from Rockhill
Host of The Open Championship and widely regarded as one of the finest links courses in the world. Worth planning a day around it and making the journey northward.
~90 min from Rockhill
The famous County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point — a course with a pedigree to match any in Ireland, set against the backdrop of Benbulben. The southward anchor of a Rockhill-based golfing tour.
~90 min from Rockhill
The club whose origins lie on these very lawns. The most convenient course from the estate — and one with a history that makes it worth playing for that reason alone.
~10 min from Rockhill
Plan Your Golf Tour
Whether you are planning a solo round or a full multi-course tour for a group, our team can help you build a schedule, arrange tee times, and offer recommendations on which courses to prioritise and in which order. Rockhill House has been at the centre of golf in this part of Donegal since 1894. That still counts for something.
CALL +353 74 911 3650 EMAIL USComplimentary for All Guests
All guests at Rockhill House receive complimentary access to our digital guide — a curated collection of our recommendations for the estate, Letterkenny, and County Donegal, including golf courses, restaurants, attractions, and insider tips from our team.
ACCESS THE GUIDE →Stay at the Source
Where Letterkenny golf began in 1894 — and one of the finest bases for a golfing tour of Donegal, Antrim, and Sligo you will find anywhere.
