Just outside the twin towns of Stranorlar and Ballybofey, Drumboe Woods stretches across approximately 150 acres of dense beech, oak, ash, and birch trees. This peaceful woodland is a favourite with walkers and nature enthusiasts, but beneath its tranquil surface lies a layered and sometimes unsettling past.

The forest is dotted with relics of earlier centuries, including the ruins of a medieval church, a holy well, and a mass rock dating to the Penal era, when Catholic worship had to be conducted in secret. These features hint at a long history of faith, defiance, and quiet endurance.

In 1923, during the final months of the Irish Civil War, Drumboe Woods became the setting for one of the war’s most somber and controversial events. Four anti-Treaty IRA officers—Charlie Daly, Daniel Enright, Timothy O’Sullivan, and Seán Larkin—were executed by a Free State firing squad on 14 March 1923. The men had been held at nearby Drumboe Castle, which had been repurposed by the National Army as a barracks and detention site.

The execution was ordered in retaliation for an ambush that had killed a Free State officer days earlier. Though widely condemned at the time and still debated today, the event has become a defining episode in the local memory. The four men are now remembered as the Drumboe Martyrs, and a memorial at the edge of the forest marks the place where they died.

Given the weight of its history, it’s no surprise that Drumboe Woods has developed a reputation for being haunted. Locals have shared stories of eerie experiences that seem to echo the woods’ tragic past.

Some have reported hearing the sound of marching boots along overgrown paths—described as precise, rhythmic footsteps that vanish without a trace. Others have felt sudden, unexplained cold spots, particularly near the stone monument commemorating the executed men. A few visitors even claim to have heard whispers in Irish, soft and urgent, though no one else was nearby.

While no formal paranormal investigations have been conducted in the woods, these recurring accounts continue to fuel the belief that the spirits of the Drumboe Martyrs may still linger among the trees.

Drumboe Woods is easily accessible and features well-marked walking trails, including a popular 3-kilometre loop suitable for most fitness levels. Highlights include the mass-rock spur, the boardwalk over the River Finn, and of course, the memorial to the four executed men.