Donegal, situated in the North West of Ireland, evokes powerful images of wild, rugged terrain and crashing Atlantic Ocean waves attacking its shores. It is indeed that, but offers so more of a more benign and beautiful nature. It is part of the province of Ulster and located in the Republic of Ireland. The most northerly point of Ireland is Malin Head in Donegal and is well worth a visit as the wild Atlantic meets the stunning Irish coastline. Also in Donegal you have the beautiful Glenveagh National Park. With a wild mix of unspoilt bog lands, the Derryvagh and Blue Stack Mountains, twisting coastal roads and friendly communities, Co.Donegal is a favoured destination for many travellers, particularly their Northern Ireland neighbours,and foreign visitors alike. Donegal is the second largest county in Ireland and the one with longest coastline, which provides the visitor with some of the best and often most deserted beaches in Europe. The county is a surfer’s paradise; they come from all over the world to experience the waves with Bundoran a base for this activity. The town provides lots of leisure amenities and is the hotel capital of Donegal. The rich coastline is home to the best links golf courses in Ireland. Festivals are a feature of this vast county, with the most popular being Mary from Dungloe Festival held annually in the Glenties.
There are two main towns, Donegal town and Letterkenny but there are many villages and small towns. Each has a wide range of restaurants, pubs and accommodation. Lifford is the administrative capital, despite being a tiny town, twinned with Strabane in County Tyrone. Other towns include Ballybofey, Buncrana on the Inishowen Peninsula and the fishing town of Killybegs in the west. The real attributes of Donegal are its people and the wonderful varied landscape.
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