Ireland.com

County Donegal

Left and middle: Glenveagh National Park

This county is a magical place with some of Ireland's most barren, yet romantic, scenery.

One of the three Ulster counties that lie in the Republic, it is a must-visit for any tourist in Ireland with an exceptional landscape that include Europe's highest sea-cliffs; a national park that offers mesmerising drives, even in winter, and dozens of deserted white sandy beaches, 12 of them Blue Flag.

Despite its apparent isolation from the rest of the country, this county, like Cork, is a bit of a rebel kingdom with a pride of place and strong sense of culture and heritage not to mention cosy pubs and seafood.

There are two permanently inhabited islands - Tory and Arranmore – and in Gaeltacht areas such as Gweedore, and The Rosses, the variant of the Irish spoken shares traits with the Scottish Gaelic.

Towns like Letterkenny to the north have enjoyed a massive boom in the Celtic Tiger years, helped by its proximity to Derry across the border.

Other towns like Bundoran have become something of a mecca for surfers – while out-lying areas coastal areas have become somewhat blighted by the explosion of holiday homes during the Celtic Tiger years.

But the county – one of Ireland's largest – offers an expanse of wilderness in between, just waiting to be enjoyed.

The county has witness innumerable battles of the centuries with the native O’Donnell clan based at Donegal Castle ruling the Gaelic kingdom of Tir Chonaill until the flight of the earls ended their reign in 1607.

Donegal also boasts its fair share of modern heroes – 80s rock star Rory Gallagher; folk and rock singer Paul Brady; Daniel O’Donnell, playwright Brian Friel and poet Frank McGuinness all hail from the county.

Clannad and Enya, whose haunting sounds combine the traditions of Irish music with modern folk, come from Gweedore, the heart of the Irish-speaking area.