Page 233 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

NOR THWEST IRELAND  231

Tips for Drivers
Tour length: 157 km (98 miles).
Stopping-off points: Malin,
Greencastle and Carndonagh all
have pubs and eating places;
picnic sites are dotted around the
coast. The Guns of Dunree
Military Museum has a café. There Enjoying the views from the ramparts of the Grianán Ailigh
is a 3- km (1.8- mile) scenic walk
between Moville and Green castle 8 Grianán Ailigh
(see also pp365–7). west, Letterkenny is Donegal’s
Road map C1. Co Donegal. largest town. It is also the region’s
@ from Letterkenny or Londonderry. main business centre, a role it
Open 10am–4pm daily. took over from Londonderry after
n Letterkenny (074 912 1160). partition in 1921. The likeable
town makes a good base from
Donegal’s most impressive and which to explore the northern
intriguing ancient monument coast of Donegal and, for
stands just 10 km (6 miles) west anglers, is well placed for access
of the city of Londonderry (see to the waters of Lough Swilly.
pp262–3) at the entrance to the Letterkenny has one of the
lovely Inishowen Peninsula. longest main streets in Ireland,
5 Malin Head Overlooking Lough Swilly and which is dominated by the
This part of the peninsula is a Lough Foyle, the circular stone 65-m (215-ft) steeple of
Culdaff good stop for enjoying the
superb Atlantic views from structure, measuring 23 m St Eunan’s Cathedral. A Neo-
Malin Head. At the highest (77 ft) in diameter, is believed Gothic creation built in the late
point, Banba’s Crown, stands to have been built as a pagan 19th century, it looks particularly
a tower built in 1805 to temple around the 5th century impressive when floodlit at
Gleneely monitor shipping. BC, although the site was night. It contains Celtic-style
probably a place of worship stonework, a rich marble altar
before this date. Later, Christians and vivid stained-glass windows.
Donegal County Museum is
adopted the fort: St Patrick is
Inishowen Head said to have bap tized Eoghan, located in a former workhouse
J
founder of the O’Neill dynasty,
building. It offers informative
the Stone Age to the 20th
royal residence of the O’Neills,
Moville here in AD 450. It became the dis plays on local history from
but was damaged in the 12th century. It also has a collec tion
cen tury by the army of Murtagh of archaeological artifacts
O’Brien, King of Munster. found in Donegal, some of them
The fort was restored in the dating from the Iron Age.
1870s. Two doorways lead from
the outside into a grassy arena E Donegal County Museum
Lough Foyle ringed by three terraces. The High Rd. Tel 074 912 4613.
Open Mon–Sat (pm only Sat).
most memorable feature of the
fort, however, is its magnificent Closed Christmas and public hols. 7
vantage point, which affords
stunning views in every direction.
At the foot of the hill stands
an attractive church, dedicated
to St Aengus and built in 1967.
6 Greencastle Its circular design echoes that
Key A resort and fishing port, of the Grianán.
Greencastle is named after the
Tour route overgrown castle ruins just
Other roads outside town. Built in 1305 by 9 Letterkenny
Viewpoint Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster,
the castle guarded the Road map C1. Co Donegal. * 19,500.
entrance to Lough Foyle. @ n Neil T Blaney Rd (074 912
1160). ∑ discoverireland.ie
Straddling the River Swilly, with
0 kilometres 5 the Sperrin Mountains to the
0 miles 5 east and the Derryveagh The imposing spire of St Eunan’s Cathedral
Mountains (see pp228–9) to the in Letterkenny

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