We didn’t ramble too far last night - all the signs were that a beautiful sunset was about to unfold over Tullan Strand, Bundoran, so myself and the doggie strolled along the white sand, pausing to laugh at the tiny sanderlings, surfing on the incoming tide. Sliabh Liag was backlit like a stage show, as the proud outlines of Ben Wisken and Ben Bulben slowly dissolved into the nighttime. A boxing match of a swell was surging in, waves peaking and slapping each other hard, flinging spray about like blood, sweat and tears. Fabulous, beautiful Bundoran.
Our solo rambles will come to an end soon, as our student groups will return at the end of the month, and we will be back on familiar trails again. Thanks for all the lovely likes, shares and comments, and all the friendly conversations we’ve had on our adventures- the one thing in common with every chat is agreement that there is just nowhere we’d all rather be than Donegal. If you’d like to join us anytime we’ve plenty of lovely trips coming up ~ it’s our pleasure to introduce you to the history, landscapes, seascapes of this gorgeous county. So Slán go fóill, beidh muid ar ais arís go luath Niamh & Robinson
#donegal #bundoran #findmyireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland #Ireland

Today’s ramble finds us in the Rosses, a cloudless Errigal is the majestic backdrop and the clear green waters of a cove in Mullaghderg beach is the destination. The large sandy beach has dangerous rip tides and is not safe for swimming. However, around the corner, and at high tide, there is a little inlet which turns into the perfect lagoon for adults to swim. No beach or sand to faff about with - it’s off the rocks and straight into cold clean green salty water. There are thousands of pebbles along the water line, dappled and speckled and marbled in a myriad of colour, and as smooth as orbs. Wild purple orchids and harebells are poking out of the grasses, and we met a gold & black caterpillar having a nap- this little grub will become the beautiful red and black cinnabar moth, proving that there is hope for us all
Enjoy the ramble
#donegal #findmyireland #studyabroadireland #rambles #instituteofstudyabroadireland #ireland #mullaghduff #mullaghderg

Meenbanad is a little townland in West Donegal, we had a very gentle and fragrant walk down its small roads, saluting two curious horses and relishing the fragrant heathery air. The casual rambler would probably think that Meenbanad is a quiet and uneventful place- few would guess that on January 4 1918, it was the scene of a daring Con-Air style rescue of two Donegal men. There are varying iterations of this story, but I’m going for the high-drama version as told to me - too enjoyable not to retell.
Many many Irish men joined the British Army in WWI - some because they thought it was the right thing to do, some because it was work and they were poor, some looking for adventure - lots of reasons. However, after the 1916 rising, and the harrowing impact of war in Europe, many young Irish men decided to give up the army and return home. James Duffy and Jimmy Ward, two Irishmen who found themselves in France, took their leave of the British Army at Christmas 1917 and thus were arrested. A military escort travelled to Burtonport to take them to Derry, but the locals had other ideas! As the train pulled into Meenbanad, four outlaws ambushed the train, hooshed Jimmy and James off, and before the soldiers had time to react, the whistle was blown and the train was off again, without the fugitives.
You don’t mess with the Donegal ones!
#meenbanad #findmyireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland #ireland #rambles #studyabroadireland #WW1

​The Ducks of Tor.
Some rambles in Donegal are memorable, for the people that you meet and the stories they tell you. Tor in Irish means a steep rocky place, which it is, with one lonely road offering views that will bring you to tears- the sheer size of rugged bog and stone, dropping away to a silvery lake, edged with bright pink and purple heather and thistles. Further down in the valley, the river meanders past small farms, but it is a remote and windswept place, with broody skies and craggy lines everywhere.
On my journey, I noticed a man scattering something from a bucket into the lake. Surprised, I asked him, and he told me he was feeding the wild ducks, and had done so for years. Rambling onwards, I met a woman who told me it was her father who had put the two original ducks on the lake, and now they had their very own Tor duck flock. Unfortunately, and quite rightly, the ducks were not in the mood to be photographed, but it was great craic chatting to these two neighbours and a reminder that it’s people who make a place memorable. Enjoy the ramble!
#Tor #ducks #donegal #ireland #findmyireland #studyabroadireland

​Gola Island part 2: Now that we’ve had our swim, it’s time to ramble around the island. I described it in our first post as the ‘otherworld’ ~ which is what we call the home of the Gods and Godesses in pre-Christian Ireland. According to the mythology, it’s a happy place, where time stands still and everything is beautiful. For the visitor, I think this is as close as you’ll get to the otherworld. The island itself is lush and verdant, its winding roads punctuated by masses of giant daisies, heathers, copper tips and fuschia. There are twenty or so houses, some crumbling remains of the past, some beautifully restored, preserving the traditional features of the island homes. The pebbled inlets, sheer cliffs, sea arches and solid slabs of rock provide a full drum kit for the sea’s wild performance~ slamming, smacking, sucking, whooshing, licking, kissing the stones depending on the weather. The gulls swoop and skaw, the sheep stare, and there is not an inch that is dry- every footstep is a squelch, on high ground or low.
There are reminders too of the hard life the islanders endured, and how illogical and unfair it was to treat the keepers of Irish, of custom and tradition, music and folklore with such disrespect in the past. Instead of island life being supported, our island communities were more or less driven onto the mainland, schools closed, livelihoods compromised. It’s an unfinished business, but hopefully people will come to realize that these islands are a rich and valuable cultural asset, as are the islanders themselves. So if you do go, buy local, stay local, use your cúpla focail, leave it as you find it, clean and beautiful. Gola, Inisboffin, Tory and Arranmore islands all have a ferry service, there are several opportunities to paddle, SUP, kayak, fish and climb on the islands, historians and creatives, it’s a bountiful source of information and inspiration, artists, photographers, the light, the sky!
Tomorrow we are back on dry(er) land, Slán go fóill Gabhla, Meallfaidh tú ar ais mé.

Brace yourself my rambling friends, we are going for a sunrise swim in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Come with me to a magical island, with crystal clear water, a white sandy beach, no bugs, no sharks, no cars, no noise but the corncrake and the gull. It’s a ten-minute ferry to Gola island (Oileán Gabhla) in west Donegal, and it is a mystery to me that the islands of Donegal are not more valued, they are a slice of otherworld on our doorstep. For sure, Atlantic weather can be outrageous in its frivolity and temper, but dress well, embrace the wildness, and if you’re lucky, as we were this morning, a calm sunrise and turquoise water are your reward. Just fyi, you can fly from Dublin to Donegal Airport, ( 40 mins), grab a taxi to the ferry (15 minutes) ten minutes over on the Cricket and you’re in paradise. There are houses to rent if you want to stay, but even as a day trip, it’s a glorious experience. We are here for a few days, we’ll do a few rambles, but we begin with a visit to the beach, the water was bracing - ten seconds of ooooh and twenty minutes of fabulous! Enjoy
#gola #gabhla #donegal #findmyireland #ireland #islands #instituteofstudyabroadireland #studyabroadireland Donegal Airport Gola Island Donegal

Today’s ramble is along the Crolly River on a bright and sunny Bank holiday Monday. The inevitable rainy weekend has turned the beautiful falls into mini-Niagara, the peaty deluge surging down from Loughanure and thumping, swirling and sweeping over the ancient stones in a frenzy. In contrast, a tapestry of pink heathers, ferns and rushes remain stoically fixed to the edges, gently dancing to the the whispering breeze. This waterfall was a familiar childhood haunt, but when it made the cover of the Clannad Irish Band album cover in 1987,, it took on Hollywood-sign glamour for us - it’s as beautiful as ever, as is Moya Brennan herself, the water must have magical youth preserving qualities. The waterfall is close by The Crolly Distillery so a reward for the hike is close at hand. Galanta ar fád.
#donegal #rambles #crolly #clannad #sirius #studyabroadireland #niamhandrobinson #findmyireland

We do love a Donegal road~ especially if there’s a bit of grass along the middle! Many of our rambles begin just by following one of these less-travelled botharíns to see where it takes us. There are almost 4,000 miles of roadway in the county- about 3100 are classified as local, and while the cars don’t love them, a quiet country road, with wildflowers exploding along the edges, birds twittering, bees and butterflies with the zoomies, a cloud collage promising both rain and rainbows, the tantalising tease of a glimpse of sun, the plaintive skirmish of a sheep astray from its tribe - magical!
#donegal #rambles #findmyireland #studyabroadireland

Our ramble this evening was down to the scenic pier at Malinmore, close to Glencolmcille in Donegal. We arrived just before sunset, to moody skies and choppy seas. It was empty and silent, just perfect!
#donegal # wildatlanticway #studyabroadireland #findmyireland

‘is fánach an áit a bhfaighfeá gliomach’ is an Irish expression which literally means ‘It’s an odd place to find a lobster’ - but it would be used in the same way as we might say ‘fancy seeing you here’, or ‘you never know who you might meet’- but there’s every chance of bumping into a lobster on our rambles along the coast - t’is the season, and the pots are out. The Donegal coast has always yielded plenty of lovely lobster- so much so that it used to be a sign of poverty if lobster was for dinner. MaryAnn Allingham from Ballyshannon (aunt of the poet William) wrote about hiding lobster from the neighbours in case they would be judged- that was about 1828 - but times have changed, and now a fresh Donegal lobster indicates impeccable taste and a delicious meal. We rambled out along Magheraroarty, and were inspired by the pot-pyramids, symbols of the tradition, craft, bravery, tragedy, skill and pragmatism of the local fishing community. It’s a tough summer for the men and women who bring the glíomach to our tables - go raibh maith agaibh!
#rambles #studyabroadireland #findmyireland #lobster #gaeilge #donegal