County Donegal

Not as famous as the Ring of Kerry, but just as beautiful, the Inishowen 100 is a scenic route around the Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula . Take the N13 from Letterkenny. You can pause at the lay-by to take in the view over Lough Swilly. Just after the turn-off from the main Letterkenny-to-Derry road, at the village of Bridge End , you turn left and follow the signs – the route takes you through Buncrana, Clonmany, Cardonagh, Malin Head, and back to Letterkenny via Greencastle, Moville and Muff.

You will see some of the most desolately beautiful scenery as you head toward Malin, the country’s most northerly point, passing through the Gap of Mamore. There are also lots of other attractions. About seven miles (11 km) north of Buncrana is Fort Dunree Military Museum , which has a dramatic view out over Lough Swilly. The fort was built to protect against the French returning, and was enlarged in the late 19th century. The museum covers the fort’s fascinating history and its underground bunkers house a collection of artifacts.

At Greencastle there’s a Maritime Museum and Planetarium in the old coastguard station, which looks out on one of the busiest fishing ports in the country, with views over Lough Foyle.

Near Burt on the N13, at the top of a hill, there’s an ancient round fort, the Grianán of Aileach or “Stone House of the Sun.” From here you can see five counties. Founded by Druids in 1700 BC, the fort was mentioned by the ancient geographer Ptolemy of Alexandria in Egypt . It is associated with the De Dannan and later the O’Neills, who were High Kings of Ireland for 600 years. St. Patrick is said to have preached here in 450 AD, and to have baptized Eoghan O’Neill in the holy well that lies to the rear of the fort.

The Grianán of Aileach Centre , also on the main Burt to Letterkenny road, is a great place to stop for a meal or snack as well as to find out more about the history of the area. It is housed in the old Church of Ireland and tells the history of Grianán from the dawn of history to the present.

Another signposted route is the Fanad Scenic Tour, just north of Letterkenny, which takes you around the Fanad peninsula. Highlights include Rathmullan, marvelous views over Ballymastocker Bay and its lovely sandy beach, Fanad Head where there is a lighthouse, and Kerrykeel, where there is a dolmen and Knockalla Fort.

Ramelton is a very attractive little town on the bank of the river Leannan (or Lennon) which flows into Lough Swilly. There has been a settlement here since the early Stone Age, about 7000 BC. From the 12th century, it was the seat of the O’Donnells, the area’s ruling clan, who built a castle here in 1440.

The Plantation of Ulster led to the arrival of Sir William Stewart, who built the first town, bringing Protestants, most of them from Scotland , to settle here. They built a Reformation church around 1622, which you can see. Around 1680 Scottish Calvinists built the Old Meetinghouse. The local Catholics weren’t happy, and there were years of discord. In the 20th century Ramelton came to be called “the Holy City ” as it had eight churches, six in use – astonishing for a town its size.

There’s also an American connection. In 1682 the Reverend Francis Makemie, who grew up here, was ordained for the American missions and became known as “The Father of American Presbyterianism.”

By the 18th century, Ramelton was at its most prosperous – a thriving market town with the biggest linen-bleaching works in the county. Ships from exotic ports unloaded their cargoes here. The Grand Jury Rooms on Castle Street date from this time, as do the elegant houses, the tree-lined Mall, and the warehouses on the Quay.

The Steamboat Store , built in 1683, which now houses The Ramelton Story collection and the Donegal Ancestry Centre, is a reminder of the connection made to the railway in Derry in the late 19th century. The Town Park on the riverbank has lovely walks to enjoy.

Rathmullan is a lovely little seaside village on the shore of Lough Swilly , popular with families for generations. It was from here. in 1607, that Ulster Chieftains O’Neill and O’Donnell left Ireland – an event called The Flight of the Earls. This is commemorated in the Heritage Centre, housed in an historic battery close to the shore. The display is lively and informative, charting the traumatic period around 1600 and highlighting the main families involved and their descendants, many of whom were influential and famous in Europe . Between Ramelton and Rathmullan, on a bend of the Glenalla River , is Potsmith, selling pottery and crafts in a very pretty setting on the bank.

Donegal Town is in the southern part of the county, and dates back to the Vikings, who built a fortress here at the mouth of the Eske. It probably takes its name from Dhún na nGall – “ the fort of the foreigners” – a reference to those invaders.

The town was the seat of the O’Donnells, who built the Castle here. The Castle is furnished throughout and includes Persian rugs and French tapestries. Information panels chronicle the history of the castle owners from the O’Donnell Chieftains to the Brook family. The O’Donnels also brought Franciscan monks and the ruins of their Old Abbey dating from 1474, the same year as the Castle, are near the pier. In 1652 Brother Michael O’Cleary and three laymen wrote one of the most significant Irish history texts – The Annals of the Four Masters.

The town’s center is the Diamond, where the roads to Killybegs, Ballyshannon and Ballybofey meet. The Old Station House is now The Donegal Railway Heritage Centre, the headquarters of the society restoring some of the county’s railways. There’s a museum, information center and shop. Railways played a very important role in the lives of Donegal people, including for many the last experience of home as they traveled to the emigrant ships that took them across the Atlantic .

Follow the Donegal Creative Craft Trail, visiting the studios and outlets of members of the guild called Donegal Creative Crafts, and you’ll find plenty of original gifts and souvenirs. There’s everything from hand-painted silk scarves to pottery, lampshades, shawls, jewelry, and much more. Just outside Donegal Town , on the road to Ballyshannon and Sligo , is the Donegal Craft Village , which showcases the work of a number of talented artists. It’s definitely worth stopping to take a look at examples of pottery, sculpture, wrought-iron furniture and jewellery.

If approaching Donegal from the south an unforgettable way to arrive in the county is to follow the Coast Road signs from Bundoran, a lovely seaside resort. They take you through Ballyshannon and Rossnowlagh to Donegal Town , and along the way you look out over the Atlantic . At Donegal Town , you head west through Killybegs, a major fishing port, into Glencolumkille.

The Folk Village Museum at Glencolumbkille was founded in 1967 by the inspirational priest Fr. James McDyer, who wanted to retain the traditional local culture while promoting industry and providing better facilities for the people of the area. Each house in the clachan or village is an exact replica, complete with furnishings and artifacts, of local dwellings from the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s.

After Glencolumbkille, you next go through the Glengesh Pass to Ardara and Glenties, crossing the Gweebarra Bridge into the Rosses and Dungloe. Following the Falcomb Coast Road takes you to Burtonport and the Gaeltacht and then Bunbeg and Gweedore, passing Bloody Foreland and Gortahork on the way to Dunfanaghy.

At Dunfanaghy you can visit The Workhouse. In the 19th century Dunfanaghy Workhouse was the scene of horrific suffering during the Great Famine (An Gorta Mhór) of 1845-1850. Today part of the Workhouse building has been turned into an interpretative center and an art gallery. You now hear “Wee Hannah” tell the true story of her experiences.

Allow plenty of time to stop, not just to look at the unforgettable views, but also to visit some of the attractions en route, as well as taking in the atmosphere and the friendliness of the inhabitants in the pretty villages and towns.

Glenveagh, on the eastern side of the Derryveagh Mountains , takes its name from gleann bheatha, “the glen of the birches,” which dissects it. It includes the county’s highest mountains, Errigal and Slieve Sneacht, and in its southwestern end the cliffs called “the Poisoned Glen,” which is a corruption of its name in Irish meaning “heavenly glen.”

Lough Veagh has natural stocks of salmon, char and brown trout. The Park is home to the largest herd of red deer in Europe , and there’s lots of other wildlife to see, and hear. The golden eagle, which had become extinct here 100 years ago, was reintroduced in 2000.

It’s worth recounting something of the estate’s history. It was owned by the dreadful landlord John Adair, who in April 1861 evicted 244 tenants and cleared the land so his views of the landscape wouldn’t be ruined!

Happily, it passed into the ownership of Henry McIlhenny from Philadelphia , who had made his fortune from Tabasco sauce. He created one of the most celebrated gardens here, around the 19th century castle. In 1975 the Glenveagh estate was bought by the State, and in 1981 he very generously presented the castle and gardens to the Irish people.