My husband, Jack, and I have traveled to Ireland at least once and sometimes twice a year for the past 10 or 11 years but had never been to County Donegal in the northwestern corner of the country. Rereading about it and discovering that it is one of the least-visited counties in Ireland only whetted our appetite to “go see” for ourselves. This time scenery, mostly coastline, would be our focus.
We did just that, Nov. 20-26, 2007, on a wonderful private tour prepared for us by Conn O’Scannlain of Journey Through Ireland (Box 65229, University Place, WA 98464; 800/828-0826, www.irelandtouring. com).
$6,698 for the two of us included seven nights in 3-star or better hotels, Irish breakfasts, the services of a driver/guide in a luxury Mercedes van and return to Limerick at the end of the tour. We arranged airfare on our own.
We were definitely not disappointed in what we saw during the week. Here are some of the highlights.
In Westport, Co. Mayo, we stayed at the Clew Bay Hotel. With the blustery weather, that evening we really wanted a typical fish chowder, and the hotel’s restaurant, Madden’s, was a real find. The chowder there was steaming hot, loaded with wonderful cod, hake, pike, salmon, etc., in a creamy milk broth with potatoes, onions and carrots. Soul-satisfying!
The next day we wended our way to Achill Island. It was so exciting to make those roundabout up-and-over hairpin turns on the Atlantic route all around the island. The scenery was magnificent. As we looked far down at the waves of the North Atlantic crashing against the shore and at the hills sweeping up toward the sky, we would marvel at the ruggedness, barrenness and comparative isolation of it all. And everywhere the furry white puffs of sheep!
Killybegs, in Co. Donegal, is a charming village with a scenic harbor. We celebrated our Thanksgiving that night in the dining room of our hotel, the Bay View, and after dinner enjoyed watching all the fishing activity in the harbor, just across the street.
We’ve been to the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare many times, and they are fantastic, but they are tame compared to Slieve League near Carrick. These are the highest sea cliffs in Europe, and there is nothing quite like them, rising about 2,000 feet from the Atlantic.
An added dimension to the experience was that the three of us were the only people for miles around — no tour buses or madding crowds anywhere, just my husband, the driver and myself mesmerized by the enormity and expansiveness of the surrounding views. This was another of those wild and wooly rides that larger vehicles could never navigate. We will not forget Slieve League.
Vast bogs, glacial formations and the ubiquitous sheep were part of the awesome scenery as we skirted Glenveagh National Park. We drove all around Sheepshead Bay and Horn Head — truly memorable. This area was mostly Gaelic-speaking, and the signs were in Gaelic, so we were glad to have a driver who knew his way around.
County Cavan, where Jack’s ancestors came from, is known for its lakes (it’s said there’s one for every day of the year). We stayed at the Errigal Country House Hotel, which was quite picturesque with lovely, well-kept grounds. I highly recommend it.
With its top-notch location, rooms, amenities and service, I felt it was the best accommodation over all of those we experienced on this trip. The hotel dining room had a good wine list and fresh local produce imaginatively executed for very tasty meals.
This was one of our most scenically memorable trips. Ireland, as anyone who has been there knows, “grows on you.” County Donegal is no exception.
DIANE W. MATTHEWS
Fredericksburg, TX
