We finally experienced typical Irish weather on Day 10 of the tour as it drizzled off and on all day. However, the drizzle did not adversely affect our great Ireland tour. 

After yet another Irish buffet breakfast, we boarded the motor coach and were driven to Killybegs.

Killybegs is a picturesque coastal town in County Donegal, Ireland. Situated along the scenic Wild Atlantic Way, it is famous for holding the title of Ireland’s largest and deepest fishing port, and serves  as a bustling hub for massive midwater pelagic trawlers, international cargo, and visiting cruise liners.

We did a walking tour of the town and took photos.

Following our tour of Killybegs, we re-boarded the motor coach and rode through the countryside to Glencolmcille, a spectacularly remote, coastal district located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in southwest County Donegal, Ireland.

Interestingly, Glencolmcille is rarely on a standard Irish tour itinerary—it takes a bit of effort to get there—but due to the stark beauty of its landscape, it has been drawing visitors for over 1,500 years.

While Glencolmcille is famous for its rugged cliff landscapes, it is also known for its rich early Christian and pagan archaeological sites, and its status as an Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) region. In regard to the latter, we bused to a cultural center and took an Irish language lesson from a lovely young Irish lass. Lessons are taught there to hundreds of students of all ages from all over the world.

Subsequent to the lesson, we had an expert-led walk beginning at the St. Columba Church of Ireland, a historic Anglican church located the valley of Glencolmcille. The church sits on a prominent hillside that was originally a 6th-century early Christian settlement established by Saint Columba.

Traces of an ancient underground refuge (souterrain) remain beneath the graveyard. The church serves as the vital first and final stop (Stations 1 and 15) of the famous Turas Colmcille, a traditional multi-hour penitential walking pilgrimage route weaving through the valley. While at the church, we walked to the first of the ritual stations.

The stations are comprised of prehistoric megalithic tombs, rough stone cairns, and early Christian standing cross-slabs. Many of the standing stones are carved out of local schist and feature elaborate geometric patterns, cross carvings, and artwork reminiscent of 8th-century metalwork. The Turas Colmcille, comprised of these fifteen Pilgrimage Stones, retrace the steps of pilgrims from 500 CE. Many of the standing stones and sites pre-date Christianity and were likely sacred pagan sites later re-consecrated. Note the “stone” atop the cliff in the photo below.

On our return to Killybegs, a stop was made at Silver Strand Beach.

The Beach (known locally as An Trá Bhán) is a remote, horseshoe-shaped sandy beach located in Malin Beg, near Glencolmcille in southwest County Donegal, Ireland.

Famed for its pristine white sand and dramatic green cliffs, it is widely considered one of the most stunning hidden gems along the Wild Atlantic Way.  

We had dinner back at the hotel in Killybegs, and prepared for check-out and transfer the following morning.