Up here it's different!

County Donegal, is in Northwest Ireland and Lakelands and is the northernmost county in Ireland, stretching further to the north than any part of Northern Ireland.

In terms of size and area, it is the largest county in Ulster and the fourth-largest county in all of Ireland. Uniquely, County Donegal shares a small border with only one other county in the Republic of Ireland, County Leitrim. The greater part of its land border is shared with three counties of Northern Ireland: County Londonderry, County Tyrone and County Fermanagh.

This geographic isolation from the rest of the Republic has led to Donegal people maintaining a distinct cultural identity and has been used to market the county with the slogan "Up here it's different".

Image: County Donegal

Towns and villages

Below you will find a list of towns and villages within County Donegal. If a Further information link is available, please click on it to find detailed information including accommodation, restaurants, bars, pubs, shops and more...

Ballyliffen

Ballyshannon (Béal Atha Seanaidh) - is on the road into the county from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland and from Sligo.

Buncrana (Bun Crana) - is the largest town in the Inishowen Peninsula.

Bundoran (Bun Dobhrain) - is the first major town you meet when travelling into County Donegal from Sligo.

Burt - is an ancient fort site

Carndonagh

Donegal Town (Dún na nGall) - is a major tourist center in the county and draws many visitors - Further information

Dungloe

Falcarragh (An Fhál Charrach) - is a market town in the parish of Cloughaneely on the N56 route, between Dunfanaghy and Gweedore.

Glenties (Na Gleanntaí) - is renowned as one of Ireland's tidiest towns.

Gortahork (Gort a'Choirce) - is a small village in the parish of Cloughaneely.

Letterkenny (Leitir Ceanainn) — is the largest town in the county - Further information

Lifford (Leifir) — is the administrative capital of the county, uniquely linked to Strabane, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland by a bridge.

Mountcharles — is a village on the road between Killybegs and Donegal Town.

Places of interest

County Donegal is a favoured destination for many travellers. Donegal was voted number 1 on The National Geographic Traveller (UK) 'cool list' for 2017. They have predicted it to be a popular tourist destination for 2017 for its beautiful scenery. One of the attractions is Glenveagh National Park (formerly part of the Glenveagh Estate). The park is a 140 km² (about 35,000 acre) nature reserve with scenery of mountains, raised boglands, lakes and woodlands. At its heart is Glenveagh Castle, a late Victorian 'folly' that was originally built as a summer residence.

The Donegal Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking district) also attracts young people to County Donegal each year during the school summer holidays. The three-week-long summer Gaeltacht courses give young Irish people from other parts of the country a chance to learn the Irish language and traditional Irish cultural traditions that are still prevalent in parts of Donegal. The Donegal Gaeltacht has traditionally been a very popular destination each summer for young people from Northern Ireland. Scuba diving is also very popular with a club being located in Donegal Town.

Fanad Peninsula - boasts a world-class beach at Portsalon, which can be almost deserted at times, even in high season.

Finn Valley - is the area around the River Finn and includes the towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar.

Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair) - is a heavily populated area in the Gaeltacht region in north west of the County, with a fine beach and some hotels - Further information

Inishowen Peninsula - has Buncrana as its main town, the Inishowen 100 is a day-long, one hundred kilometre trip around the coastline of the eponymous peninsula.

Laggan Valley - is the area around the River Laggan, lying east of Letterkenny.

Slieve League (Sliabh Liath) - is a popular tourist destination in the county, with the second highest seacliffs in Europe.

The Rosses - is probably the best defined region, encompassing much of the Irish speaking areas of the county to the north west, including Arranmore Island and Cruit Island.

Tory Island (Oileán Toraigh) - is a island off the northern coast.