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County Donegal

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Lighthouse at Donegal, Ireland

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Overview

County Donegal is the wild child of Ireland and home to some of its most ravishingly sublime scenery and beautiful beaches. This is a county of extremes: at times desolate and battered by brutal weather, yet also a land of unspoilt splendour where stark peaks and sweeping beaches bask in glorious sunshine, and port-side restaurants serve majestic food.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Malin Head is located on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, Ireland and is the most northerly point of the island of Ireland. A military watchtower was built at Banba's Crown in 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars. Around 1902, a signal station was also built at Banba's Crown, quite close to the old Napoleonic watchtower. Both of these buildings still stand.

    Banba's Crown

    Inishowen Peninsula

    On the northernmost tip of Malin Head, called Banba's Crown, stands a cumbersome 1805 clifftop tower that was built by the British admiralty and later…

  • Donegal Castle in County Donegal.

    Donegal Castle

    County Donegal

    Guarding a picturesque bend of the River Eske, well-preserved 15th-century Donegal Castle is an imperious monument to Irish and English might. The castle…

  • Sheep in a field by the coast at Horn Head near Dunfanaghy.

    Horn Head

    County Donegal

    The towering headland of Horn Head has some of the Wild Atlantic Way's most spectacular scenery, with dramatic quartzite cliffs, topped with bog and…

  • Ballymastocker Beach on the western shroes of Lough Swilly in Ireland.

    Ballymastocker Beach

    County Donegal

    Once named the second-most beautiful beach in the world by British newspaper the Observer, this tawny-coloured Blue Flag beach is a supremely fine place…

  • Culdaff beach, Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal

    Culdaff Beach

    Inishowen Peninsula

    This Blue Flag beach is great for swimming and windsurfing. You can wander its gorgeous length and get lost in the grassy sand dunes, and there's a fun…

  • Glebe House & Gallery

    County Donegal

    The English painter Derrick Hill bought this 1828 mansion in 1953, providing him with a mainland base close to his beloved Tory Island. Sumptuously…

  • Doe Castle

    County Donegal

    The best way to appreciate the charm of early-16th-century Doe Castle is to wander the peaceful grounds, admiring its slender tower and crenellated…

  • Glenveagh Castle

    Glenveagh Castle

    County Donegal

    This castle was modelled on Scotland's Balmoral Castle. Henry McIlhenny made it a characterful home with liberal reminders of his passion for deer…

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Ireland itineraries: 5 routes that show off the best of the island

Mar 4, 2025 • 12 min read

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