Gweedore

In the corner of Ireland, in north west Donegal lies Europe's most densely populated village, Gweedore. The village has the world's smallest harbour and the grave of the world's most renowned piper too. It is the home of Landlord Sir George Hill's Gweedore Hotel, built in 1841, the Martello towers of the forgotten war, and offshore islands that were once lively communities, now uninhabited and attended only by the waves of a cruel and benign Atlantic.

Gweedore, or “Gaoth Dobhair” in Irish, is an Irish language speaking district on the beautiful Atlantic coast of County Donegal stretching some 20 kilometres from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south. It reaches well inland too, and is relatively densely populated throughout. Its population of 4,000 are spread across its many parishes, including Bunbeg, Derrybeg, Crolly, and Brinalack. Thankfully Gweedore’s remoteness has somehow managed to preserve its language over the years, and Irish is widely spoken by locals of all ages. And its care for the Irish language has not gone unnoticed. Gweedore is home to the northwest regional studios of the Irish-language radio service RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta, and to a large regional campus of the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Gweedore is sometimes called the “cradle of Irish culture”, with some of Ireland’s oldest customs, traditional music, and theatre still playing a pivotal role in the lives of the local people. And yet, on the other hand, there are those who say that Gweedore has been overdeveloped over the years without due care for the vernacular norms of Irish village design. Its a strangely unfortunate paradox, but one which is more than made up for by Gweedore’s stunning scenery and its many beautiful beaches. Bunbeg in particular is known for its fabulous coastal amenities, and is a very popular resort town, particularly among families from Northern Ireland.

Gweedore lies between the impressive slopes of Mount Errigal, and the deeply indented Atlantic coastline. Here there are hundreds of tiny coves and bays where fishermen of old practiced their trade, and tiny communities were born. Here they had food to sustain them, and turf to carry them through the winter months, and life has not changed that greatly over the years.
Gweedore is the home of Landlords and Bailiffs, the home of traditional song and Gaelic drama, the home of Enya and Clannad and we invite you to make it your home, this Summer or Winter.

How to get to Gweedore

By aircraft, bus, or car. Flybe and Loganair fly daily services from Heathrow and Glasgow to Donegal Airport, immediately adjacent to Gweedore. Alternatively follow the N56 north from Donegal, and then the R257 to Gweedore.

Where to stay in Gweedore

Gweedore has great selection of quality accommodation options including hotels, hostels, self-catering holiday homes, guesthouses and B&B's.

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Explore more

Gweedore is surrounded by beautiful coastal destinations. Don't miss Kincasslagh and Bloody Foreland if you are travelling north, and don't miss Arranmore and Burtonport, if you are travelling south.

Where to Stay

Things to do in Gweedore

1. Spend a day at Glenveagh National Park, visit the Castle and the Italian Garden on the estate that was the home of Lord Adair and Henry P. McIlhinney and is now the home of a thousand-red deer.
2. Spend an evening with Leo and Baba Brennan in Leo’s famous Tavern. You just do not know who will appear at one of Leo’s legendary singalongs. Leo and Baba are the proud parents of singer “Enya” and her siblings Máire, Ciaran and Pól, who were once the backbone of the wonderfully successful group “Clannad”. Leo’s Tavern is bespeckled with gold and platinum discs.
3. Gweedore’s coastline is heavily indented by the Atlantic Ocean, providing hundreds of wonderful swimming opportunities. Explore Gweedore’s extraordinary coast, and its many fabulous beaches.