It was just off this scenic bluff that, on August 27, 1979, the IRA detonated a radio-controlled bomb on the vacation yacht of Lord Louis Mountbatten (79-year-old second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II), killing him and members of his family.
This loop as great views of the rugged coastline and desolate beaches with the lonely castle retreat of the royal Mountbatten family crowning the horizon. We drive past beech-tree forests (from which Lord Mountbatten constructed his boat) and a rough little stone harbor (from where he and his family sailed that fateful day).
At the peninsula’s far end, you can check out the views across Donegal Bay to where the bomb went off, just a few hundred yards offshore.
Donegal Town –
Donegal means “Fort of Foreigners” – a reminder that the Vikings invaded here in the 9th century. The charming town’s main square (“The Diamond”) is lined by inviting shops and eateries. The monument in the center honors four friars who created a record of early Irish history.
The rest of the Gallery:
