Three of the counties in the Republic of Ireland are considered to be part of the traditional province of Ulster. Driving along the Atlantic Coast, we visited only Donegal of the three, but we discovered quite a few interesting places. We stayed at a B&B that had easy access to a walking path along the bay with a fine view across to the rest of Donegal City.
And we toured Donegal Castle, which has undergone considerable historically accurate restoration.
Venturing further out on the Donegal Peninsula, we took the twisty road through Killybegs and Carrick to Slieve League, supposed to be one of the highest sea-cliffs in Europe. A steepish walk from the carpark brought us to the quite stupendous view from our cliff top over to the much taller cliffs that fall into the ocean below.
More small remote roads brought us to the Silver Strand near Malin Beg where the bay is an almost perfect square.
Continuing around the point, we bypassed numbers of paleolithic dolmens and standing stones in order to visit the Glencolmcille Folk Village. The collection of buildings reflects hundreds of years of local history and living styles. It was created by a local priest who wanted to provide jobs and education in this very isolated spot. When I was a student in Belfast, I cycled out to Glencolumbkille and stayed here in a replicated thatch-roofed cottage over an Easter study-break. Each morning I took almost an hour attempting to create a warming fire with very low-quality peat before I could get to work reviewing Shakespeare plays.
Various houses displayed different interiors, from simple living and working quarters to more sophisticated weaving lofts.
We took more twisty mountain roads to visit Kilclooney Dolmen, one of the largest in Ireland. It stands by itself a good 20 minutes' walk across farm and bogland and dwarfs the visitors with its massive capstone.
Our final night in the Irish Republic was at the Errigal View B&B and Crafts just below the peak of Errigal, the highest mountain in Donegal.
The view from our room was indeed spectacular, especially with a clear sky. Our hosts were especially welcoming; Giny displayed her extensive textile skills and Dirk provided samples of his home‑brewed beers.
Owning an old Suzuki 4×4 myself, I appreciated their loyalty to the brand. Their yellow Jimny is a baby brother to my Vitara (but much newer).
Leaving Errigal View, we stopped at Glenveagh National Park. The visitor center exhibited the elaborate environmentally focused style that seems to be the new Irish fashion, at least since joining the European Union.
A few miles walk along Lough Beagh was cut short by incoming rain, so we drove on through Letterkenny and into the North.