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RAMELTON AND RATHMULLAN |
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The road crawling up the east side of the peninsula is an
interesting approach to Fanad Head. It starts at RAMELTON , a quaint and
sedate little town which sits attractively on the eastern bank of the
broad black flow of the salmon-rich River Leannan. The town has heritage
status because of its many Georgian houses and there are some fine stone
warehouses on the bank side. Wander uphill, however, and you'll
encounter boarded-up buildings (including the eighteenth-century
Sweeney's Tavern ) and other signs of decay - fortunately, there are
rejuvenation plans afoot. The old Meeting House in Back Lane houses the
Donegal Genealogical Centre , a must for anyone seeking to verify their
local ancestry. Mirabeau is a popular restaurant , serving steaks and
seafood, while the House on the Brae coffee shop dispenses home baking.
For entertainment, try the Bridge Bar (Wed & Fri-Sun), where you can
hear R&B, jazz or rock. Should you decide to stay, there's fine B&B at
Ardeen (April-Oct; tel 074/51243, ardeenbandb@tinet.ie ;
£33-40/¬41.90-50.79), overlooking Lough Swilly, and at Frewin (March-Nov;
tel 074/51246, flaxmill@indigo.ie ; £70-90/¬88.88-114.28), a converted
Victorian rectory set in wooded grounds half a mile south of town off
the Letterkenny road.
The next stop north, RATHMULLAN is a pretty place with its long row of
multicoloured houses facing Lough Swilly. The beach here is classed
among the cleanest in Europe - note the Blue Flag at the pier, where
boats can be rented from Malcolm Bowden (tel 074/58282). In 1587 Red
Hugh O'Donnell was lured onto a British merchant ship here, on the
pretext of a merry drink, and ended up in Dublin jail for six years; and
in 1607 Rathmullan was a departure point for the Flight of the Earls ,
the event that marked the end of the Gaelic nation. Rathmullan Heritage
Centre (Easter to mid-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm; tel
074/58229; £1/¬1.27) recounts this event and provides a host of
information on local accommodation and leisure activities. In October
1798 the French frigate Hoche , with Wolfe Tone on board, was
intercepted in the Lough nearby and Tone was captured and taken to
Dublin for trial. The view across to Fahan on the Inishowen Peninsula is
enticing (a small ferryboat operates in summer), but otherwise the only
thing to delay your passing through is Rathmullan Friary , one of the
better-preserved historical ruins in Donegal. The original part of it
was built by Rory MacSweeney in 1508 and then presented to the
Carmelites. George Bingham plundered it in 1595 and used it as a
barracks, and in 1618 it was further adapted as a castle residence by
Bishop Knox. Only the chancel area continued to serve as a church until
its eventual abandonment in 1814. Today you can see traces of Gothic
doorways and narrow window apertures.
On the way into Rathmullan, there's very good eating to be had at the
Water's Edge restaurant, while gourmets and oenophiles are also catered
for by The Ferry Gate (Mon & Thurs-Sun, evenings only) on Pier Road. The
comfortably old-fashioned Pier Hotel (April-Sept; tel 074/58178;
£40-55/¬50.79-69.84) serves excellent fresh salmon for a fraction of
what you'd pay at the upmarket Rathmullan House nearby (closed Jan; tel
074/58188; rathhse@iol.ie ; £110-130/¬139.67-165.07). You can savour the
Lough Foyle view over a pint in the friendly Beachcomber bar . The only
other accommodation in the village is offered by the Fort Royal Hotel (April-Oct;
tel 074/58100, fortroyal@eircom.net ; over £130/¬165.07); for less
pricey accommodation, you'll need to head to SALTPANS , three miles
north, where Carriglough House (March-Nov; tel 074/58197;
£26-33/¬33.01-41.90) provides B&B. The Pier Hotel has traditional music
on Thursday nights in summer.
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