Hindu Temple in Ireland at Letterkenny in Donegal County

At present there is no full-fledged Hindu Temple in Ireland but the growing number of Hindus in the country is looking out for a proper place to establish a temple. Now they have zeroed in on a factory unit Letterkenny in Donegal County, which they hope to convert into a Hindu Temple. The Indian community is negotiating with the council and they expect to have a temple by December 2007.

Plans are under way to establish a temple in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, to cater for over 300 families living in the town. The new temple is also expected to boost the local economy by bringing thousands of Hindus from around the country to Donegal. 

Indian-born Naidu Yttra, who is living in Letterkenny for three years, said they had already pinpointed the factory unit as a potential location and he hopes the new temple will be ready as early as December. 

‘We do not have any place to go and worship around here and if we want to, we have to go to Belfast or Birmingham.’ 

In Letterkenny, several representatives from the Indian community are appealing to the council to subsidise the cost of renting and maintaining a unit in the town centre. (Independent.ie)

At present Hindus hold pujas, festivals and other ceremonies at private places in Belfast and Fermanagh. As per 2002 census there were around 3000 Hindus in Ireland and it is believed that this number has gone up in the past few years.