We have arrived to County Donegal on the very northwestern edge of Ireland. Killybegs, the second largest seaport in Ireland, was our gateway to exploring this incredible Gaeltacht region, which is predominantly Irish speaking and is still very rich in cultural traditions. Some of us hiked the hills and cliff edges surrounding Glencolmcille, the village named after St. Colmcille, who is the patron saint of Donegal. Others visited local archaeological sites to explore Ireland’s ancient past. Some of us delved into local wool milling traditions by exploring how world-famous Irish woolen garments, such as tweed and blankets, are made.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 24 Jun 2022
Killybegs and Donegal, Ireland, 6/24/2022, National Geographic Explorer
- Aboard the National Geographic Explorer
- Europe & British Isles
Emmett Clarkin, Naturalist/Expedition Diver
Emmett developed his love of nature and the environment from growing up in the heart of the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland. His passion for the ocean came from time spent on family trips to the wild Atlantic coastlines of County Donegal.
Read MoreShare Report
Ancient Isles: England, Ireland, and Scotland
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
6/29/2022
Read
National Geographic Explorer
Unst and Lerwick, Shetlands
This morning we arrived to Unst, which is about 200 miles west of Norway and the most northerly island of the Shetlands and all the British Isles. Dozens of Viking longhouses have been found here; we were able to see replicas of a Viking ship and a Viking longhouse. While many of us had a tour of Unst’s highlights, another group went birdwatching in Hermaness National Nature Reserve.
6/28/2022
Read
National Geographic Explorer
Foula and Mousa Isles
Today we got to visit two very special places in the Shetland Islands, Foula and Mousa. On Foula, a small group of people live a bucolic lifestyle. They are isolated from the world and dependent on the ferry or a small airplane to provide them with the necessities of life that they cannot grow, raise, or fish for themselves. The second Island, Mousa, is the site of a Neolithic broch used in the Iron Age and dated at 300 BC. Brochs are found only in Scotland, and this is the best-preserved broch in the country.