Local Attractions County Donegal sometimes known as the "forgotten county" is well worth discovering. Over 1000km of coastline is etched with beautiful bays and glorious beaches carved out by the Atlantic and backed by rugged mountains. Ireland's largest Irish speaking area is here. While staying in Rathmullan there are several sightseeing attractions not to be missed.
Flight of the Earls Centre, Rathmullen
Exhibition of the Flight of the Earls O'Donnell and O'Neill in 1607, two of Ireland's most famous chieftains.
The Flight of the Earls refers to the departure from Ireland in September 1607 of Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell. The earls set sail from Rathmullan, a village on the shore of Lough Swilly in County Donegal, accompanied by ninety followers. Their destination was Spain, but they disembarked in France and proceeded overland to Italy. They planned to return to Ireland and oust English authority in a military campaign, but both died in exile.
The Flight of the Earls was a watershed in Irish history. It marked the destruction of Ireland's ancient Gaelic aristocracy in Ulster following the Tudor re-conquest of Ireland, and cleared the way for the Plantation of Ulster. Yet, the earls had taken their earldoms under the English system.
After their defeat at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, and the suppression of their rebellion in Ulster in 1603, O'Neill and O'Donnell's predecessor, Hugh Roe, had been treated leniently by the victorious English government of Ireland under the leadership of Lord Mountjoy. They retained their lands and titles, although with much diminished authority.
In 1603 Hugh Roe had been assassinated in Spain, and Rory succeeded to the title. In 1605 the new Lord Deputy of Ireland, Arthur Chichester, Baron Chichester, began to encroach on the freedoms of the two earls. Fearing arrest, they chose to flee to the Continent, where they hoped to recruit an army for the invasion of Ireland. O'Neill remained in Italy, and persisted with his invasion plan until his death in exile in 1616.
There is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Flight of the Earls and the subsequent Plantation in Draperstown in Northern Ireland and at the "Flight of the Earls Centre" in the Martello Tower at Rathmullan.
Glenveagh National Park 074 9137088
Glenveagh National Park is 16,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, woods and wild bogs. The park is home to the largest herd of Red Deer in Europe. A Scottish style castle open to the public is surrounded by a stunning garden on the edge of a beautiful lake in contrast to the wilderness of the mountains and glens around it. This is really an attraction you should go and see. You will not be disappointed! Glebe House & Gallery, Churchill 074 9137071
A regency house containing a fascinating collection given to the nation by portrait and landscape painter Derek Hill. The house is decorated with Victorian William Morris wallpaper and textiles and houses a collection of works by Picasso, Jack Yeats, Bonnard and Kokoschka. Genealogy Centre, Ramelton.
Offering a comprehensive service for those tracing their Donegal ancestors. Rev Francis Makenne, founder of the first Presbyterian Church in Virginia, preached in the old meeting house where the Genealogy Centre is now housed, in the picturesque heritage town of Ramelton.
With over 4 million people owing their ancestry to Donegal, the Genealogical centre is a must. Grianán Aileach, 074 9368000
This impressive hilltop stone fort offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside: Swilly and Foyle Loughs, Inch Island and distant Derry. The walls are 4m thick and enclose an area of 23m in diameter.
The fort is at least 2000 years old but the site has pagan associations that go back much further. Between the 5th and 12th centuries it was the seat of the O'Neills - the High Kings of Ireland. An informative visitors centre is based in the 19th century Church of Christchurch at Burt at the bottom of the hill. Dunlewy Lakeside Centre Beside Lough Dunlewy, Dunlewy is a small village at the foot of Mount Errigal, Donegal's highest peak. Here the lakeside centre reconstructs the home of Manus Ferry, the last of the local weavers who died in 1975. Visitors can watch all the stages of weaving in operation and then go outside to see assorted farm animals, walk along the shore, and take a boat ride with a storyteller on board to fill them in on local history, geology and folklore. During the summer months there is music on occasions. There is an excellent café with a turf fire and a shop selling everything from sweaters to traditional music tapes. City of Derry, www.derry.net
On the river Foyle, Derry is a lively and prosperous city with a fascinating history dating back to its foundation in the 6th Century by Columcille. Just four miles from the border with Donegal, Derry is a vibrant city with more than its fair share of artists and festivals. Derry's still intact walls dating from the early part of the 17th century are an impressive 8m high and 9m thick and have seen several sieges over the years. Today no visit would be complete without a stroll along these historic walls, which incidentally were never breached, hence Derry's sobriquet the Maiden City. Other visitor attractions are, the excellent Power Museum, which tells the story of Derry from the days of Columcille to the present, St Columb's Cathedral, the splendid gothic Guildhall, the Foyle Valley Railway Centre and The Ulster Science Centre. Causeway Coast, Bushmills, Tel: 0044 (0) 28 2073 1159 www.causewaycoastandglens.com
If time is on your side then why not take a day trip to the Giants Causeway, often described as the eighth wonder of the world. The Giant's Causeway is without doubt Northern Ireland's number one tourist attraction and Ireland's first World Heritage Site. In legend its 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns were stepping stones created by the giant Finn McCool on his way to Scotland, although another explanation tells that they were formed from the crystallisation of red hot lava some 60 million years ago. It is also the site of the Spanish Armada treasure ship, the Grona. The small town of Bushmills is synonymous with whiskey making. Old Bushmills Distillery was established in 1607 and is the oldest licensed distillery in the world. The visitor can experience the production of whiskey with almost 400 years of tradition behind it. After a tour you are rewarded with a tasting session when you get to compare Bushmills whiskey with other brands. |