Page 236 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

234  IRELAND REGION B Y REGION

of Pettigo. The island is totally
covered by a religious complex,
which includes a basilica, built
in 1921, and hostels for pilgrims.
The pilgrimage season runs
from April to September. People
spend three days on the island,
eating just one meal of dry bread
and black tea per day. Although
only pilgrims can visit Station
Island, it is interesting to go to
the jetty to savour the atmos­
phere and get a good view of
the basilica near the shore.
The imposing 15th-century Donegal Castle
t Donegal arches. About 1.5 km (1 mile)
further on is Donegal Craft
Road map C2. Co Donegal. * 2,300.
@ n The Quay (074 972 1148). Village, a showcase for the work
∑ donegaltown.ie of local craftspeople.
The town has some nice
Donegal means “Fort of the hotels (see p301) and makes a
Foreigners”, after the Vikings good base for exploring the
who built a garrison here. How­ southern part of the county.
ever, it was under the O’Donnells
that the town began to take + Donegal Castle
shape. The restored Donegal Tirchonaill St. Tel 074 972 2405.
Castle in the town centre Open Easter–mid­Sep: daily; mid­Sep–
incorporates the gabled tower Easter: Thu–Mon. & 8 7 limited.
of a fortified house built by the = Donegal Craft Village
family in the 15th century. The Ballyshannon Rd. Tel 074 972 2225. Holiday-makers enjoying the fine sandy
adjoin ing house and most other Open Apr–Sep: Mon–Sat; Oct–Mar: beach at Rossnowlagh
features are Jacobean – added Tue–Sat. - 7 limited.
by Sir Basil Brooke, who moved u Rossnowlagh
in after the O’Donnells were Road map C2. Co Donegal. * 55.
ousted by the English in 1607 y Lough Derg @ from Bundoran & Donegal.
(see pp42–3). n May–Sep: The Bridge, Bundoran
Brooke was also responsible Road map C2. Co Donegal. g Jun– (071 984 1350).
mid­Aug (pilgrims only). @ to Pettigo
for laying out the market from Donegal. ∑ loughderg.org
square, which is known as the At Rossnowlagh, Atlantic waves
Diamond. An obelisk in the Pilgrims have made their way to break on to one of Ireland’s finest
centre commemorates four Lough Derg ever since St Patrick beaches, draw ing crowds of
Franciscan monks who wrote spent 40 days praying on one of both bathers and surfers to this
the Annals of the Four Masters the lake’s islands in an attempt tiny place. Even so, the village
in the 1630s, tracing the history to rid Ireland of all evil spirits. remains far more peaceful than
of the Gaelic people from 40 The Pilgrimage of St Patrick’s the resort of Bundoran, 14 km
days before the Great Flood up Purgatory began in around 1150 (9 miles) south. In addition, the
until the end of the 16th and still attracts thousands of cliffs at Rossnowlagh provide
century. Part of it was written at Catholics every summer. Their scope for exhilarating coastal
Donegal Abbey, south of the destination is the tiny Station walks. Away from the sea, you
market square along the River Island, close to Lough Derg’s can visit the Donegal Historical
Eske. Built in 1474, little now southern shore and reached by Society Museum, housed in a
remains of the abbey but a few boat from a jetty 8 km (5 miles) striking Franciscan friary built in
Gothic windows and cloister north of the border village the 1950s. The tiny but

Basilica on Station Island viewed from the shores of Lough Derg
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp301–2 and pp320–21

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