County Donegal

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Ireland

$29.99

Shop Book

©Andrea Ricordi/500px

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

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

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…
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

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

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

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…