Bonagee United Football Club is an association football club based in Letterkenny, County Donegal. Their senior men's team competes in the Donegal Junior League's Premier Division and play their home games at Dry Arch Park.[3][4] They previously competed in the Ulster Senior League. The club hosts a number of teams at different age ranges.
Bonagee United were formed on 2 November 1970 in the Continental Bar, later called Voodoo as of 2006[5], on Letterkenny's Main Street. In 1971, the club purchased 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of land behind the Dry Arch for £1,000.[6] When they joined the Donegal League, they were originally known as Arcade Athletic.[7][8] The 'Arcade' part of the name was derived from a café on Letterkenny's main street managed by Paddy McFadden, one of the club's founders.[6] In 1973, Athletic became Bonagee Celtic and then Bonagee United in 1975.[8]
The Donegal Football League was formed in Letterkenny in 1971 and the first season commenced in March 1972. Arcade Athletic's first official league match was away to Annagry, with the game ending in a 0–6 defeat.[6] Frankie Doherty managed the team in their first season, conducting training in the local boxing club's gym, while Joe Devine finished the season as Arcade's top scorer.[6]
The club began a redevelopment of their grounds in 1998, adding a new playing pitch and a spectator stand. A general purpose hall, two AstroTurf pitches with floodlights, extra dressing rooms, a store and office were also added.[7][8] Today[when?] the facilities amount to €973,000, for which they received a grant of €360,000. Money was raised by locals and the then Minister for Sport, Jim McDaid.[9]
In 2021–22, Bonagee won the USL League Cup, beating Monaghan United in the final.[12] The club also qualified for the 2022 FAI Cup, beating Pike Rovers 6–0 in the first round.[13] They received a home draw against Shelbourne F.C. in the second round but were knocked out of the competition by the League of Ireland side.[14]
Bonagee United versus Shelbourne FAI Cup match on 26 August 2022
At the end of the 2022–23 season, the Ulster Senior League folded and Bonagee returned to the Donegal Junior League.[15] In their first season back, Bonagee finished second in the league behind fellow Letterkenny club, Letterkenny Rovers. Bonagee mirrored their league position in 2024–25, once again placing second.[3][16] Former Bonagee player, Michael Funston, was appointed manager in August 2025.[2] In December 2025, Bonagee United were one of the 15 clubs accepted into the FAI National League, a new step in the Republic of Ireland football league pyramid, due to begin in Autumn 2026.[17][18][1]
Lawsuit
In October 1993, former Bonagee footballer Dessie Larkin suffered severe burns after coming into contact with lime used to mark the pitch during an FAI Junior Cup match at Drumbar FC in Donegal Town. Thirteen years later, he successfully sued the Football Association of Ireland, arguing that the lack of changing and shower facilities contributed to injuries to his testicles and inner thighs caused by the lime's caustic effects. The judge awarded Larkin €9000, noting that the injuries might have been avoided had he been able "to shower and remove the lime solution", and that the FAI had a duty to warn players to take precautions to prevent such an incident.[19]
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