Drumcliffe To Gleann Colm Cille

We’ve been to Donegal all three times I’ve been here. Google maps said it would take four hours and thirty-seven minutes to get from Ennis to Gleann Colm Cille. I didn’t believe it and I was right. We did make some extra stops looking for a USB car charger to no avail. We also stopped at Drumcliffe. The weather was gorgeous so we had some lunch al fresco at the tea shop just outside the graveyard.

St. Columba’s church at Drumcliffe is a protestant Church of Ireland. W.B. Yeats is buried just outside the front door. After lunch, we took a stroll around the church and graveyard. Just past Drumcliffe is Benbulben, a spectacular, mesa like mountain. It makes a dramatic backdrop. 

The church was open so we went inside. To my surprise, the entire back wall of the church is lined with memorial plaques for one Jones or another. Since that’s my maiden name, I guess some of my ancestors could have come from there.

After being stuck behind tractors and “caravans” on the N15, we turned off and headed toward the dreaded village of Killybegs. It’s a very nice village with a large fishing fleet that operates out of the harbor, but the last time we were there, a slashing Irish rain was pelting down on us as we tried to find our way to Sliabh Liag to do some hillwalking. No matter which road we turned onto, we ended up back in the center of Killybegs. On Saturday, however, the sun was shining and we thought there would be no problem, until we came to a sign that said “diversion”. With all the orange cones and fence, they weren’t talking about entertainment. But, the Fair Ones were smiling on us and we found our way to Kilcar and Carriagh, and just past that to Gleann Colm Cille.

There are not adequate words to describe how beautiful this place is. Everywhere you look is a picture postcard. Even if we don’t learn a word of the Irish language, I feel blessed to have come here.