Donegal Is Ireland's Northernmost Wild Region (& Its Best Kept Secret)

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What To Know About Donegal, Ireland's Most Far-Flung County

Top Places To Explore In The Wild County Of Donegal

Visit The Doagh Famine Village & Learn About The Potato Famine

Donegal is the northernmost county of Ireland and part of the traditional province of Ulster. The county boasts some of Ireland's most picturesque scenery and an abundance of Waymarked Trails, mountain paths, rivers, lakes, beaches, and dramatic coastlines. Donegal offers a very different experience from visiting the capital city of Dublin.

The number of places to visit if it's one's first time in Ireland can be overwhelming. Ireland is a country that people come back to again and again. While in Ireland, take the time to chug a beer at Sean's Bar - the oldest pub in Europe, established in AD 900.

What To Know About Donegal, Ireland's Most Far-Flung County

Donegal is also home to some of the last remaining places in Ireland where Irish (Gaelic) is still the predominant language spoken at home (as opposed to English). These regions are called the Gaeltacht and are clustered along the west coast of Ireland.

The country of Donegal is named after the small town of Donegal (from Dún na nGall, 'fort of the foreigners) in the southern part of the county.

Population: 166,000
Established: 1585
Main Town: Letterkenny

During the potato famine of the 1840s, County Donegal was the worst affected part of Ulster. The county was devastated, and large parts of it were left permanently depopulated. Donegal was as greatly affected by the partition of Ireland in the 1920s. It is only connected with the rest of the Republic of Ireland by a few mile-long border.

Top Places To Explore In The Wild County Of Donegal

There is no shortage of things to see and do in County Donegal. It is a world of rugged mountains and wave-hewn sea cliffs. Its long and irregular coastline stretches for some 1,134 kilometers or 700 miles.

Some of the best places to visit include:

Slieve League (Sliabh Liag)

Slieve League boasts some of Europe's highest sea cliffs and has been a holy mountain Christian pilgrimage site for over 1,000 years now. It rises around 600 meters or 2,000 feet above the crashing waves below. Visitors can hike around the coastline or take a tour on a Sliabh Boat Tour from Teelin Pier.

Fanad Head Lighthouse

The Fanad Head Lighthouse is considered one of the most stunning lighthouses in the world and is a key attraction while visiting Fanad Head. The views there are unbeatable. Visitors can also take a tour up the 76 granite steps to the top of the lighthouse. It has been guiding ships since 1817.

Tory Island

Step off the mainland and explore a world steeped in ancient myths and legends on Tory Island. The island preserves the old Gaelic customs and even appoints an island "king."

Ards Forest Park & Glenveagh National Park

Explore the lush green reserve of the Ards Forest Park. The environment is teeming with local wildlife and protects over 481 hectares of woodland and beaches.

Explore the 16,000 hectares of the Glenveagh National Park and see its large herd of red deer. It is a land of mountains, valleys, woods, and lakes and boasts the famous Glenveagh Castle, that's open to the public as well.

An Grianán of Aileach

Explore the ancient megalithic history of Ireland at the ancient stone ringfort of An Grianán of Aileach. It dates back to around 1,700 BC. The structure is located on a hilltop and is very well-preserved; visitors can climb up its walls and ponder what life was like thousands of years ago in Ireland. Stonehenge is far from the only megalithic site in the British Isles.

Visit The Doagh Famine Village & Learn About The Potato Famine

The Potato Famine was perhaps the darkest episode in Irish history. The Doagh Famine Village educates visitors on this difficult time in Irish history (Ireland's population has still not fully recovered). Visitors can get an authentic sense of what life was like in Donegal. See thatched cottages, historical artifacts, and more of the bygone age. It is open daily during the spring and summer.