Killybegs, Ireland - May 28, 2025

We left the ship about 12:30 PM and met our tour on the dock.  Our guide Margo introduced herself along with Connell, our skilled Irish driver who she promised would later entertain us with traditional Irish songs - a promise he beautifully fulfilled.

Margo explained that the name Killibegs refers to an early Christian settlement that existed in the area.  Christianity came to Ireland in the 5th century and spread to the northern areas like Donegal at the beginning of the 6th century.  Early Christianity in Ireland was focused on fasting, meditation, and isolation "to emulate our Lord in the desert".  The early Christian monks lived in small stone structures called "cells" or "little cells". These religious hermits practiced extreme devotion through solitary living in these small stone dwellings

So "Killybegs" literally translates to "the place of the little cells" - referring to this early monastic settlement where Christian monks lived in small, isolated stone cells as part of their religious practice of meditation and fasting.  This gives the town's name a deeply spiritual and historical significance, connecting modern Killybegs to its ancient Christian monastic origins from over 1,400 years ago.

That is me next to the wind turbines...

As we were leaving the port, we passed massive wind turbine blades that had been sitting abandoned for three years due to environmental delays and storm damage. This wind farm extension project highlighted the ongoing tension between renewable energy development and environmental concerns in rural Ireland.

Our 45-minute journey took us through the rugged Donegal countryside, characterized by small-scale sheep farming on rocky, boggy terrain unsuitable for crops like corn or wheat. Margo explained how local farmers need supplementary jobs to survive, typically managing around 200 acres with flocks of 80-400 sheep. 

We observed the sheep marked with different colored dyes (red, blue) so farmers could identify their animals if they wandered off their small holdings.

As we drove through the countryside, our bus driver Connell entertained us with his singing as Margo promised.  Click HERE to view the countryside and hear him sing.

Margo pointed out a traditional Irish cottage with its characteristic thatched roof and strategic tree plantings for natural shelter. She explained how these traditional homes are now extremely difficult to insure due to fire hazards, making them increasingly rare despite their cultural significance.

We also learned that there are 14 Blue Flag beaches in Donegal, requiring pristine water quality, lifeguards, proper parking, and toilet facilities. These environmental standards reflect Ireland's commitment to coastal conservation.

The highlight of our tour was the Glencolmkille Folk Village Experience.

The village was founded in 1967 by Father James McDyer, who had worked in post-war London rebuilding communities. Witnessing Irish emigration and its social costs, he returned to stem the population drain from rural Ireland. His efforts included:

• Creating cooperative community structures
• Preserving traditional crafts and building techniques
• Establishing the folk village as both educational center and tourist attraction
• Supporting local employment and cultural continuity

The village showcases three distinct periods.

The 1700s cottage contains lay floors, bog oak ceiling beams (potentially 10,000 years old), a completely open fireplace, straw beds that converted to seating during the day.

1800s cottage with improved construction techniques, better furniture including the first pieces being settee beds.

1900s cottage -  Enhanced fireplaces with arms for adjusting pot positions. (on the right)

The village highlights authentic traditional crafts including:

Wool processing - from sheep to finished Donegal tweed with its distinctive speckled pattern using multiple colored wool threads

Net making: A fisherman named Con demonstrated the intricate process of creating fishing nets. Click to see Con's  demonstration of fish net making

Thatching - learning how wheat straw and flax were used for roofing which need to be completely replaced every five years.

Before candles, families used rushes soaked in animal fat, clamped in holders and lit at both ends. Animal skins soaked in fat served as windows, and livestock often shared living spaces for warmth and protection.

Peat was burned for heating and cooking, and we enjoyed the smell of the burning peat.

Houses on the right have the traditional thatched roofs and are burning peat.

I enjoyed visiting the sample bar and grocers with all the items donated by local residents.

While there, we also enjoyed traditional Irish hospitality with tea, scones, and homemade treats while listening to authentic Irish music. The village operates as a cooperative where all proceeds support the local community, making our visit directly beneficial to cultural preservation efforts.

The village has also served as a filming location for "The Secret of Roan Inish" by director John Sayles, showcasing authentic traditional life including the practice of keeping cattle in cottage corners - a detail rarely seen in films but historically accurate.

From the village area, we could see the Martello tower on the clifftop, built around 1807 as part of a coastal defense network against possible French invasion during the Napoleonic Wars. These towers were designed to relay fire signals along the coast, though Napoleon never reached Ireland.

Before we headed back to the ship, we took a short detail for a beautiful view along the coast.

As we returned to the ship, we learned more about the fishing industry.  Killybegs is Ireland's premier fishing port, with the entire local economy revolving around the sea. We passed massive fish processing facilities (Atlantic Dawn and others), Net-making operations and hydraulic services for trawlers, a small dry dock capable of servicing vessels up to 60 feet and storage and distribution networks for the catch

The fishing vessels in the harbor were massive. They are Irish-owned steel trawlers capable of hauling 400 tons of fish. These boats now face EU quota restrictions, limiting them to winter fishing seasons, which has created economic challenges but opened opportunities in the growing offshore wind farm servicing industry.

Mackerel fishing take place in the winter along Scotland's west coast, where the fish have higher fat content and greater value. Blue whiting, while not commonly eaten locally, is processed into fish fingers and oil extraction, with fish pellets produced for the aquaculture industry.

After we returned to the harbor, Fran and I took a walk past the many fishing vessels and to the edge of town, impressed by the number of fishing vessels and other harbor activities.  See the pictures below.