DONEGAL... DONE COOL!
You’ll get the best welcome and the best craic
OFF anywhere nice?’ the airport security guard asked me after I cleared the metal detector. ‘Donegal,’ I replied with a smile.
‘So that’s a ‘No’ then,’ he smirked. I stared back at him, stoney-faced.
Actually, that last part’s a lie – I laughed politely. Unsure how much sarcastic repartee is acceptable with airport security employees these days, I thought it best to let him have that one.
Just a few short hours later I was gaping at one of the world’s most scenic approaches as the plane touched down in Donegal Airport in Carrickfinn. It truly has spectacular views and for anyone planning a trip to Donegal, trust me, the one hour flight from Dublin is the way to do it!
Upon arrival at Lough Eske Castle, I thought for a brief moment of madness that I was famous. We got the full red-carpet treatment as the staff waved us in and handed us champagne before showing us to our rooms!
If you haven’t heard of Lough Eske Castle, it’s a Solis Hotel & Spa and is Donegal’s most luxurious award-winning 5-star hotel. It’s located a mere 10 minutes from Donecouldn’t gal town on a secluded lakeside estate, nestled between the Bluestack Mountains and the Lough Eske.
It’s also a 10 minute drive from the 18-hole Links Championship ‘Donegal Golf course’, designed by Eddie Hackett.
Suffice to say, it’s glorious! And things only got better when I and my fellow journalists made our way to a drawing room for pre-dinner drinks (including amazing Whiskey Sour cocktails!) and then to the hotel’s Cedars Restaurant to try out the new 7course Tasting Menu.
THE exquisite meal included cured salmon, organic goat’s cheese and beetroot, lamb prepared three ways to experience the different cuts, ‘The Apple’ – a dessert that has to be seen to be believed - and petit fours with tea and coffee to finish.
I practically had to be rolled out of there. Worth it though!
The next day we boarded our mini bus and, with the wonderful Marie Gallagher of Donegal Chauffeur Travel as our guide, we began our exploration of Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way.
It quickly became clear that when it comes to this county, every view is better than the next!
Of course, it’s not hard when you consider that it has 400 miles of deeply indented coastline – it’s chock-full of sandy beaches and natural loughs surrounded by rugged mountains.
We stopped off at several different locations to take photographs before finally arriving at Teelin Bay to view Sliabh Liag – one of the most stunning spots in Ireland - from the Atlantic Ocean.
Unfortunately, despite the fairly nice weather, the water was quite choppy and after about ten minutes sailing, it became clear that we should turn back. We knew we were in safe hands with Paddy from Sliabh Liag Boat Tours though and personally, I wanted to keep going!
Our unexpected detour allowed us instead to drive up Sliabh Liag and enjoy the incredible views from the highest possible vantage point. Amazing!
Just before lunch we stopped off at the Folk Village in Glencolmcille which has a museum and shop where you can delve into the past and learn about the area’s rich history. Equally impressive, however, is the gorgeous stone map of Ireland located just across the road which shows each county represented with a stone carving from that area. I loved it!
After a fabulous lunch in Kitty Kelly’s, it was back to the hotel to recharge and refresh before gin-tasting began in the hotel’s Gallery Bar at 7pm.
Now, I’ll be honest. I’ve only ever had gin a handful of times and really didn’t expect to be able to tell the difference between the various brands.
But within twenty minutes I was swirling and sniffing with the best of them and finally declared Dingle Gin to be my favourite!
The following morning, after yet another mammoth breakfast including something from the egg station, hot food counter AND pastry section, I headed to the fabulous Solis Spa for a hydrating facial. As expected, it was nothing short of heavenly and I was in a very chilled state as I boarded the bus a couple of hours later for a trip to the family-run Donegal tweed company, Triona Designs in Ardara.
AS SOON as we entered the building and were greeted by the owners, I was enchanted. What followed was several fascinating hours where we learned about the process of making tweed, explored an exact replica of the original owner’s cottage (which has been recreated inside the store!), ate a delicious lunch, listened to some traditional Irish music and singing, and (in my case) tried on about 40 coats because I couldn’t decide which one I liked best!
The only downside was that we stay longer. If you’re in the area, I heartily recommend a visit. The coats are gorgeous and the warmth of the people is second to none!
The truth is, Donegal was voted number one on the Cool List for 2017 by National Geographic Traveller Magazine with good reason. There’s literally something for EVERYONE here. You can go angling in the lough, horseback-riding on the beach as well as surfing, dolphin and whale-watching, sailing, hiking.
The county is also teeming with festivals! Some of the best include the ‘Cup of Tae’ trad music festival in April/May, ‘Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival’ in June and ‘Taste of Donegal Food Festival’ in August.
As I buckled my seatbelt for the return flight to Dublin, my mind wandered back to the conversation I’d had with the airport security man. It turns out he was right. Donegal isn’t ‘nice’. That’s probably the most insipid word you could use to describe it.
‘Mighty’, ‘majestic’, ‘stunning’, ‘awe-inspiring’, ‘great craic’, ‘breath-taking’ or just plain ‘brilliant’ are much closer to the mark.