Things to do and to see in County Donegal
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| County Donegal |
Is it a microclimate or just bad luck? It appears that most of my visits to County Donegal turn out to be "wet" or "moist". Though to be realistic, no-one goes to the North of Ireland to get a tan. Despite all this, County Donegal remains beautiful, even in gloomy weather. Furthermore, Donegal people always seem to be friendly and in a good mood, which is some compensation for having to walk around in the puddles. As you will see on this page, County Donegal has a lot to offer in terms of sights and activities... Here are some photos and descriptions of places to visit. |
| 1. Visit Donegal Castle... [    ] If you arrive in Donegal Town when it’s raining, Donegal Castle would give you a great opportunity to remain dry and learn a little about Irish history at the same time. The castle was first built beside the River Eske in the 15th century by the O'Donnell chieftains, one of the most powerful families from the 5th to the 16th centuries. Sir Basil Brooke made extensive additions to the castle in the 17th century. The Office of Public Works (OPW) refurbished it in 1990. |
| 2. Enter inside the Castle... [ ]
The castle has two floors, which were recently restored. The first floor is furnished throughout and includes Persian rugs and French tapestries (the Irish people have good taste!). On the second floor, information panels chronicle the history of the castle owners from the O'Donnell chieftains to the Brooke family. |
| 3. Visit Donegal Town... [  ] For a town which gave its name to a county, you will be surprised just how small Donegal Town is. Two to three hours will be enough to go through its streets (coffee break included). In the middle of the town, you will see a square known as the "Diamond". |
4. Admire the view of the sea... |
| 5. Pass by Killybegs... [ ] On my first trip to Co. Donegal in 2002, the small town of Killybegs made a particularly strong impression. No... For once, it wasn't the view that was outstanding, but the strong whiff of fish, which overpowered the whole town. The town is actually Ireland’s number one fishing port. Since then, big improvements have been made to the local fish factories, and indeed the fishy whiff had nearly disappeared when I passed by in 2009. |
| 6. Visit the Grianan of Aileach... [ ] This is a fort built on the Hill of Grianán, which is 244 m high. The current fort dates from around 1000 AD, but was built on the site of a much older fort dating from 3000 BC. Its walls are around 4 m thick and its diameter is 23 m. When I passed by in 2006, restoration work was in progress, so I couldn't visit the fort. Similar forts can be admired on the Aran Islands (on Inishmore or Inishmaan in particular). |
| 7. Admire the view from the fort... [ ] Even if you can't enter the fort, it is still possible to enjoy a view of Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly, and understand the strategic importance of the site. Note that you can visit the City of Derry, located only a few kilometres away, in Northern Ireland. |
 Photo 7. View from Grianan of Aileach. |
| 8. Walk through Glenveagh National Park... [ ] If you like wildlife, but don't feel confident enough to walk or hike through the Irish fields, Glenveagh National Park may be a good compromise. The park lies on some 16,500 hectares, in which you will have easy access to mountains, lakes, glens and woods, and with a bit of luck to a herd of red deer. |
| 9. Visit Glenveagh Castle... [ ] While walking in the park, you'll have the opportunity to see (and even visit) a Scottish-style castle surrounded by one of the finest gardens in Ireland. Built between 1870 and 1873, the castle consists of a four storey rectangular keep. |
| 10. Climb Mont Errigal... [ ] Mount Errigal rises to 752 metres and is the highest peak of the Derryveagh Mountains in the North-West of Ireland. It is possible to climb it, provided that you have good equipment and a bit of experience. On top of Errigal, you'll be able to see Glenveagh National Park, the Poison Glen and, on a clear day, Tory Island. |
| 11. See Assarancagh Waterfalls... [ ] Assarancagh Waterfall is also known as Maghera Waterfall because of its proximity to Maghera beach. Less impressive than its cousin in Powerscourt, Wicklow, this waterfall is still beautiful. Have your say! |
| 12. Walk by the Cliffs of Bunglass (Slieve League)... [ ] The cliffs of Slieve League or of Bunglass are the highest in Europe and rise to 600 m. They are way more impressive than the Cliffs of Moher (County Clare). The best thing is to park your car at the first available car park and then walk up to the viewing point amongst the sheep. There are steps to a path that will take you to the top of the cliffs. However, don't take this path if the weather is not great as visibility can be quite poor at the top. |
 Photo 12. Cliffs of Bunglass (Slieve League). |
| 13. Go to the Folk Park at Glencolumbkille (Glencolmcille)... [ ] Nearly at the end of the regional road R263, you'll reach the village of Glencolumbkille. There, you will find a folk park with traditional thatched houses. During the worst period of Irish history, it seems that 16 members of the same family could live under the roof of one of those houses! |
| 14. Climb Ball Hill... [ ] During my first trip to Donegal Town in 2002, I stayed in a former lighthouse guardian's house, converted into a youth hostel. I passed by in 2009 out of curiosity, and it now looks like a slum as it has been abandoned for years. Nonetheless, the view from the top of Ball Hill was quite pretty at the time. |
15. Walk in the Blue Stack Mountains... [ ] When you travel on your own in places like Donegal, you'll probably have the opportunity to make some special acquaintances. In my case, it happened when I was on my way towards the Bluestack Mountains from Donegal Town (which would have been a crazy 30 km journey on foot!). A Dublin car driver going in the same direction gave me a ride and invited me to follow him in the adventure. On the right-hand side, you can see Lough Eske as viewed from the Bluestack Mountains. |
County Donegal in pictures |
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 Photo 2. Inside Donegal Castle. |
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 Photo 3. The Diamond in Donegal. |
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 Photo 4. Eske in Donegal. |
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 Photo 5. Perfume of Killybegs. |
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 Photo 6. Fort of Grianan of Aileach. |
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 Photo 8. Glenveagh National Park. |
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 Photo 9. Glenveagh Castle. |
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 Photo 10. Mont Errigal and its sheep. |
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 Photo 11. I and Assarancagh Waterfalls. |
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 Photo 13. Folk Park of Glencolumbkille. |
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 Photo 14. View from Ball Hill. |
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 Photo 15. View from the Blue Stack Mountains. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience 
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Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).