County Donegal holiday Accommodation |
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| County Donegal (Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is in the northwest of Ireland. It is one of three counties in the province of Ulster that did not become part of Northern Ireland. The name comes from the Irish, meaning "the fort of the foreigners" (a reference to the Vikings) and was named after the former administrative centre of Donegal Town . |  |
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| Donegal county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply indented coastline forming natural loughs, of which Lough Swilly is the most notable. The famous mountains or Hills of Donegal consist of two major ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and the Bluestack Mountains in the south, with Mount Errigal at 751 metres the highest peak. The Slieve League cliffs are the second highest sea cliffs in Europe, while Donegal's Malin Head is the most northernly point on the island of Ireland. Pretty much the entire county of Donegal is seen as scenic, however stunning sights can be seen at the coast, and in the mountain ranges. |  |
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The climate is temperate and dominated by the Gulf Stream, with cool damp summers and mild wet winters. Two permanently inhabited islands, Arranmore and Tory Island lie off the coast, along with a large number of islands with only transient inhabitants. Ireland's second longest river, the Erne, enters Donegal Bay near the town of Ballyshannon. Like other areas of western Ireland, county Donegal has a distinctive fiddle tradition which is of world renown. Donegal is also well known for its songs which have, like the instrumental music, a distinctive sound. |
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