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Aerial or dish in Donegal? Get three quotes.

Free TV in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey–Stranorlar, Carndonagh and Donegal and the rest of Donegal starts with the right bit of metal pointed the right way. We pass your job to up to three vetted installers who cover the county. You pay nothing for the introduction.

By the dodgybox.ie editor. Facts checked 19 September 2026. Transmitter details from 2RN and saorview.ie. How we check. Out of date? Tell us.

Reception in Donegal

The north and east of the county look to Holywell Hill near Killea, on the Derry border; the south and west lean on Truskmore in Sligo and on the Aranmore, Glencolumcille and Glenties relays. Ten relays in all is a sign of how much the hills get in the way. An installer page describes RTÉ blind spots across Donegal and says some homes in the north-east need a bigger satellite dish. Saorsat used to be the fallback, but 2RN says the satellite closes in early 2028 and recommends no new Saorsat installations 2RN's Saorsat notice (official source, opens in a new tab).

Donegal is one of the counties that can pick up the UK channels from Brougher Mountain and Strabane in Northern Ireland. A second aerial is usually needed for them.

Main Saorview transmitters
  • Holywell Hill (channels 22 and 25, aerial group A, horizontal)
  • Truskmore (channels 42 and 45, aerial group B, horizontal)
Relays
  • Aranmore (channels 47 and 44, aerial group B, vertical)
  • Ballybofey (channels 47 and 44, aerial group B, vertical)
  • Clonmany (channels 39 and 42, aerial group B, vertical)
  • Fanad (channels 43 and 46, aerial group B, vertical)
  • Glencolumcille (channels 33 and 36, aerial group A, horizontal)
  • Glenties (channels 32 and 34, aerial group A, horizontal)
  • Letterkenny (channels 39 and 42, aerial group B, vertical)
  • Magheraroarty (channels 22 and 27, aerial group A, vertical)
  • Malin (channels 28 and 26, aerial group A, horizontal)
  • Moville (channels 32 and 34, aerial group A, horizontal)

Since 2024: 2RN scheduled complete service interruptions of up to 7 hours at the Ballybofey relay on 22 September 2026 for ESB works, and its gallery shows a new broadcast TV antenna installed on Malin Head.

Transmitter details checked 19 September 2026 against 2RN and saorview.ie. Coverage is indicative; an installer measures the signal on the roof.

What people in Donegal usually need

  • A group A aerial on Holywell Hill, or the right local relay
  • Signal surveys for houses in the blind spots
  • Pointing a second aerial at a Northern Ireland transmitter for the UK channels
  • Combo aerial-and-dish set-ups for the UK channels

Installers in Donegal

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Questions people actually ask

Which transmitter does Letterkenny use?
Letterkenny has its own 2 kW relay on channels 39 and 42, vertically polarised, fed from Holywell Hill. Holywell Hill itself, channels 22 and 25, covers a large area of the north-west.
Can I pick up the Northern Ireland channels in Donegal?
Often, yes. Donegal is named among the counties that receive the UK channels from Brougher Mountain and Strabane. It usually takes a second aerial pointed at the Northern site.
Why is there no Saorview signal at my house?
Donegal has more relays than any county bar Cork because the hills block the main sites, and there are still blind spots between them. Saorsat used to be the fallback, but 2RN says it closes in early 2028 and recommends no new installations, so ask a local installer what works at your address. The RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play and TG4 Player stream the main Irish channels if you have broadband.
How much does an aerial install cost in Donegal?
Installers publish aerial installs from about €130 to €290 depending on rooms and roof, dish installs from about €165, and combo Saorview-and-satellite systems in the €250 to €340 range. Those are Dublin and Wicklow prices; rural jobs with long cable runs or a mast can cost more. Get three quotes rather than guessing.
Do I need an aerial and a dish?
An aerial gets you Saorview: RTÉ, Virgin Media, TG4 and the rest. A dish pointed at Astra 28.2°E gets you the free UK channels: BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Most households that want both get a combo box or a TV with both tuners, fed by one aerial and one dish.
Will the installer know which transmitter to point at?
Yes. A local installer will know whether your address is best served by Holywell Hill (channels 22 and 25, aerial group A, horizontal) or a relay, and will check the signal on the roof before fixing anything. The Saorview coverage checker at saorview.ie gives an indication for your Eircode too.
What happens after I send the form?
We're still signing up installers in Donegal. We save your request, tell you so straight away, and get back to you when we have someone vetted who can quote.

Sources

What the facts on this page were checked against. Prices and rights change; the check date is at the top of the page.

  1. 2RN: 2RN DTT Television Transmission Network Sept 2019 Rev.1.2 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Wikipedia: Holywell Hill transmission site (opens in a new tab)
  3. Wikipedia: Truskmore (opens in a new tab)
  4. satellitetv.ie: Saorview problems donegal (opens in a new tab)
  5. Wikipedia: Brougher Mountain transmitting station (opens in a new tab)
  6. 2RN: Service updates (opens in a new tab)
  7. 2RN: Gallery (opens in a new tab)

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