Donegal

Great for: Outdoor Enthusiasts, Amazing Scenery, Beautiful Drives, Ireland’s Best Beaches

At various times in its history, it has been known as County Tirconaill, County Tirconnell or County Tyrconnell (Irish: Tír Chonaill). The former was used as its official name during 1922–1927. This is in reference to both the old túath of Tír Chonaill and the earldom that succeeded it.

County Donegal was the home of the once mighty Clann Dálaigh, whose most well-known branch were the Clann Ó Domhnaill, better known in English as the O’Donnell dynasty. Until around 1600, the O’Donnells were one of Ireland’s richest and most powerful native Irish ruling families. Within Ulster, only the Uí Néill (known in English as the O’Neill Clan) of modern County Tyrone were more powerful. The O’Donnells were Ulster’s second most powerful clan or ruling-family from the early 13th century through to the start of the 17th century. For several centuries the O’Donnells ruled Tír Chonaill, a Gaelic kingdom in West Ulster that covered almost all of modern County Donegal. The head of the O’Donnell family had the titles An Ó Domhnaill (meaning The O’Donnell in English) and Rí Thír Chonaill (meaning King of Tír Chonaill in English).

Top Attractions

Slieve Liege Cliffs

Slieve League: the highest cliffs in Ireland

Sliabh Liag, sometimes Slieve League or Slieve Liag (Irish: Sliabh Liag), is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. At 601 metres (1,972 ft), it has some of the highest sea cliffs on the island of Ireland. Although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Slieve League’s cliffs reach almost three times higher.

Inch Island Causeway

Inch Island a small island of about five square miles, lies just off the Donegal coast at Burt at the start of the Inishowen peninsula and is accessed by a causeway road.

There are the ruins of an old castle on the island which was once the property of the O’Doherty Clan of Inishowen. The castle is built on a cliff edge overlooking the Swilly and dates from about the mid 15th century and although it is mostly ruins there are parts of it still in good repair.
The island is a wildfowl sanctuary and has large man-made lake filled with swans, geese and many other species of birds.

Belleek Pottery

Belleek Pottery Ltd is a porcelain company that began trading in 1884 as the Belleek Pottery Works Company Ltd in Belleek, County Fermanagh, in what was to become Northern Ireland. The factory produces porcelain that is characterised by its thinness, slightly iridescent surface and that the body is formulated with a significant proportion of frit.