County Donegal, Ireland

I just spent 10 days in Donegal last month and it is a county of spectacular beauty with sites like the above pictured Slieve League cliffs, the highest in Ireland.  Gaelic is still widely spoken and the old traditions are still very much alive.

First stop is in Dungloe in the region of the Rosses.  Here's a photo of the nearby Crohy Head.

Here we meet Celtic rock band Goats Don't Shave.  They have been churning out their music on and off since 1990.  This song, Las Vegas (in the Hills of Donegal), features on their 1992 album The Rusty Razor:

From Dungloe we had north to Gweedore.  Now as you drive around Donegal you will be hard pressed to find a sign to Gweedore, because firstly Gweedore isn't really a place, but a collection of villages forming the district of Gweedore, and secondly it's in heart of the Gaeltacht, the Irish speaking area of Donegal and whilst in most of the Republic sings are bilingual, here signs are in Irish only.  The Gaelic spelling for Gweedore is Gaoth Dohair, which isn't immediately obvious to English speakers...  It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and Mount Errigal, Donegal's highest peak.  Here's a view from Bunbeg Beach, Gweedore towards Mount Errigal.

By far Gweedore's most famous export is Enya or Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (you can see why she shortened it...).  Here's a song called The Celts from her 2015 album Dark Sky Island:

Of course she started her career with the band Clannad who play a similar style New Age music. This song, Harry's Game, features on their 1983 album Magical Ring. (later edit: Here's a really good interview with them on the story of that song):

Going a bit more traditional the group Altan are also from Gweedore and have been doing their stuff since 1987.   Here's their love song to the region sung in Gaelic, Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair, with some nice pictures of the region from their 1997 album Runaway Sunday

Moving east to Letterkeny, we encounter young folk duo Without Willow conisting of Karen Kelly and Simon McCafferty who regularly perform at the Earagaill Music Festival in their home town.  As I look out of the window at a grey November day what better song to play than their 2018 single release November Fog:

Finally we head to the northern most point on the island of Ireland, Malin Head on the Inishowen Peninsula.

Here we meet the Henry Girls, 3 very talented sisters who are all multi-instrumentalists and sing in beautiful harmony.  I saw them perform their own songs as well as some other roots music earlier in the year at the Portico in Portaferry.  I was blown away by their lively and energetic style and the evident fun they have performing together.  This song is more of an American Country song, but it's a lovely interpretation.  It's called Ol' Cook Pot featuring on their 2011 album December Moon:

That's it for today from the north.  We have nearly completed our round trip of Ireland.  As usual you can follow my virtual journey on tripline.