Donegal Railway Museum | Irish Railway Heritage Centre (original) (raw)
Welcome to
The Award Winning Donegal Railway Museum, one of the County’s hidden gems is located just 300 metres from Donegal Town Centre. This Museum, based in an original railway station house, tells the fascinating story of the railways that once operated across County Donegal; it had the largest narrow-gauge railway network in the British Isles.
The visitor attraction comprises of an Award Winning museum which has recently been refurbished and includes the original famous Donegal steam engine “Drumboe” on display built in 1907, carriages and wagons, audio and visual displays, working railway models, shop, ride-on Thomas The Tank (weather permitting), as well as Ireland’s first full-size interactive railway cab; lots of fun for kids big and small!
Preview Donegal RailwayMuseum Tour
Where You Visit
**The Old Station House,**Tyrconnell Street,
Donegal Town, Co. Donegal
F94 EE00, Ireland
Opening Times
Monday-Saturday :
10am to 5pm
Sunday: 12noon-4pm
April -September or by appointment
Entrance Fees
Adults €7.50
OAP/Students €6
Child €5
Family €16
Drumboe
Our Star attraction at the museum is the famous shiny red and black steam engine Drumboe, built in 1907. Drumboe is the only original Donegal steam...
Interactive Railway Cab
Ireland’s first full-size interactive railway cab since its recent installation has proved a popular exhibit in our museum. Climb inside the cab ...
Audio installations
We have two audio installations where you can listen to both actual recordings of those who travelled on the railways across Donegal, as well as ch...
Coach 58
Coach 58 has a rich and complicated history. In 1928 the LMS NCC built some new coaches for the narrow gauge Ballymena and Larne railway. After thi...
Railcar 15
This was the first VDR Railcar built with a full cab. Railcar 15 was built in 1936 by Walker Brothers and the Dundalk Works of the GNRI. The railca...
Red & Grey Donegal Van
We have two original railway Vans, one grey and the other red. Grey vans were used to transport heavy loads like farm stock, meal, etc. Red vans we...
Museum Artefacts
We have a unique collection of artefacts from the railways that once operated across the County and are now housed in our museum.
Railway Models
We have a selection of railway layouts with operational model layouts including the famous large layout by modeller and painter George Hanna which ...
Ride-on Train
Weather permitting, why not take a ride on our ride-on train which runs down the original Donegal Town Railway platform. If you are lucky, the driv...
Video Presentation
When railway enthusiast Norman Champion was on his honeymoon in Donegal in the 1950’s he took his cine camera with him! Not sure if his wife appr...
Exhibitions
Throughout the year we run a number of exhibitions both in the museum and across the County. Check out our Social Media or email info@donegalrailwa...
Shop
We have a fantastic Donegal Railway shop on site which offers mainly a exclusive Donegal Railway Mus...
Childrens Activities
Our Award Winning Museum offer’s something for everyone, including children of all ages. As well as Railway Models, Ireland’s first Int...
Café
When you are here, why not sit back and enjoy a fresh coffee/tea and tray bakes with our onsite Coffee hut, The Weighbridge ...
Interactive Exhibits
Guided Tours
Wheelchair Accessibility
Gift Shop
Library and Archives
Restored Train Carriages
Donegal Railway Heritage Centre
Features and Facilities
Immerse yourself in the charm of yesteryear at the Donegal Railway Heritage Museum, where every exhibit is a testament to the enduring spirit of rail heritage.
Welcome to
Museum Shop
Visit the Donegal Railway Museum Shop – where every purchase tells a story and keeps the spirit of railway history alive.
Here are some highlights of what our shop offers:
- Exclusive Merchandise
- Children's Corner
- Books and Publications
- Home Decor
- Model Trains and Collectibles
- Gifts for Rail Enthusiasts
- Apparel and Accessories
- Local Artisans
What’s On
ExPlore Our
History and Research
The County Donegal Railway and the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, with a total of 225 miles of track, formed the largest narrow gauge railway system in north-west Europe.
Testimonials
What People Are Saying About Us!
“A little gem. This is such a fabulous little find !!!”
Olivia Wilkins 10/03/2026
“Brilliant gem of a museum. Hopefully we will be back again very soon.”
Leonard Hart 10/03/2026
“It was a lovely day trip to Donegal town, and the highlight was the Donegal railway heritage museum.”
David Quinn 10/03/2026
“Visited today ... Beautifully presented station house with lots of information about the good old days ! Must say we enjoyed the staff who gave us a tour of the venue his passion for the railway clearly evident ! Would definitely visit in the future”
Keith Gray 10/03/2026
“Interesting displays. A real steam train and interactive computer train driving experience for kids. Kids absolutely loved it.”
Megan Wilkins 10/03/2026
Really enjoyed our trip there with the kids! They got an extra ride on their Thomas the train and lots of time from the museum staff to show us around. Thanks for the great visit!
Jane Churchill 10/03/2026
This was such a cute little museum. They did a great job explaining the history of the railroad in the county. The kids loved this museum even more than expected. We covered the entire museum in about an hour but the kids could have stayed longer.
Sonia Gill 10/03/2026
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