In 2007 Donegal County Council marked The 400th anniversary of the Flight of the Earls throughout Donegal, with a regatta of tall ships, fireworks, lectures, and conferences.  Rathmullan was at the centre of these commemorations as it is where the Earls started their flee to the continent. As part of the celebrations, an exhibition was set up at the "Flight of the Earls Centre" at the Martello tower in Rathmullan. However, problems in the building forced it to close and the great displays to be stored in an attic.

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An Bonnán Buí hosts this great collection of informative posters and works of art and a multimedia exhibition on the second floor of the restaurant in Rathmullan.

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What is The Flight of the Earls?

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The Flight of the Earls took place on 14 September 1607, when Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnell, 1st earl of Tyrconnell, and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe. The Flight of the Earls was a watershed in Irish history, as the ancient Gaelic aristocracy of Ulster went into permanent exile.