Family Holiday in the Gaeltacht?

My experience of bringing my children to the Gaeltacht for a summer holiday.

7 days in the Gaeltacht: Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal

I had the privilege of spending summer holidays with my children in the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht in both 2021 and 2022. Gaoth Dobhair is the original and official name for the area, but you will still find it referred to as the anglicised ‘Gweedore’ in places. In 2021 we had a six night stay there in the midst of the picturesque panoramas of this culturally rich area of Donegal in the North West of Ireland. I made the decision to bring the children back there again in 2022 and I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to say it was a good call! In the summer of 2022 we were also accompanied by my cousin and her family of five in total, which added to the craic.

I would strongly recommend Gaoth Dobhair for lovers and learners of the Irish language, families raising kids with Irish; and anyone generally who is interested in the Irish language, culture and some of the best scenery Ireland has to offer – particularly if you like mountains, beaches and islands.

Why Gaoth Dobhair?

There were a few reasons why I chose Gaoth Dobhair, but the Irish language was the main one. While I had a holiday in Buncrana in 2020, up to last year I hadn’t stayed in any of the Donegal Gaeltachtaí – two of the other areas are Gleann Cholm Cille and around the Fanad peninsula which is home to the well-known viewing spot and tourist attraction, the Fanad Lighthouse. I knew Gaoth Dobhair was a relatively large and strong Gaeltacht, which was the big attraction.

It was my primary aim to have an enjoyable family holiday while using and improving my Irish, and allowing my children to experience the language in use in its natural setting. I was looking for a strong Gaeltacht so that we wouldn’t have to search too far for Gaelic culture. I have visited and holidayed in several of the Gaeltacht areas, and they all have their charms, very often including great people, loads of music and stunning natural beauty. However, in some of the Gaeltachtaí where the Irish language is less used, you really have to seek out the Irish language, and English is quite obviously the dominant community language.

Another aspect was that for me, as someone who believes in the importance of the Irish language, I wanted to actively support the Gaeltacht community by putting my money where my mouth is by spending my time and money there. Economic factors have been huge drivers of language shift and still are up to this day. Many people have to leave their native Gaeltacht communities for education or work. If enough Irish speakers and learners visit the Gaeltacht and support local industries it will help to keep jobs in these areas and make the Gaeltacht more sustainable.

The Gaeltacht

Gaoth Dobhair has a high number of Irish speakers and it is a relatively large geographic area, similar to the Galway Gaeltacht in these respects – though there are differences in the dialect spoken in each region. In my experience the three strongest Gaeltacht areas I have visited to date are Inis Oírr, which is one of the Aran Islands that form part of the Conamara Gaeltacht; An Cheathrú Rua, also in Conamara, Co. Galway; and Gaoth Dobhair which is in Gaeltacht Thír Chonaill, or the Donegal Gaeltacht, where Ulster Irish is spoken.

The Irish language has been spoken in the Gaeltacht continuously for at least two-thousand years. All of Ireland was once Gaeltacht so to speak, as Irish was formerly the community language of all Ireland for most of its history, as attested to in the older place names and literature. Gaeltacht regions are hotbeds of Gaelic culture: language, stories and literature, songs, music, dance and more. It is obvious when you spend time in Gaoth Dobhair and its neighbouring localities, that Irish is used as a community language, often by a majority of locals.

You will, at least during the tourist season, hear English spoken in all public places, but it’s often when the staff are speaking among themselves you will hear them using Irish. In pubs, shops and restaurants I usually only speak Irish, or ask ‘Do you speak Irish?’ Why wait around if you are there to actively use your Irish?

There are also numbers of people who travel to Gaoth Dobhair from all over the province of Ulster, and indeed all of Ireland, to holiday in the Gaeltacht and to speak Irish with other Irish speakers. Some of the best laughs I had were in chance encounters with such visitors.

Traditional Music

For as far back as history goes, the Irish language and Irish traditional music have been fite fuaite in a chéile, intertwined – they are part of the same Gaelic culture and ancient civilisation that existed long before the Anglo-Normans ever arrived in Ireland.

Teach Hiúdaí Beag, located in An Bun Beag, hosts a renowned traditional music session every Monday night, and Fridays have also developed into a session night. In the heady and humid atmosphere of the session, it’s impossible not to get swept up by the soaring and scintillating melody lines belted out by the musicians – many of whom look like they are far too young to be such proficient players!

Tábhairne Leo or Leo’s Tavern is a very famous pub in the very pretty Mín a Leice in the Na Rossa district, close to Gaoth Dobhair. Never short of visitors, it is known as the home of the multi-million selling musicians Clannad, including Moya Brennan, and Enya. With its high ceiling, wooden features and glowing atmosphere, it reminds me a little of the homely taverns of Bavaria and Austria. Bartley Brennan is the affable proprietor, and he and his family and staff offer a warm Fáilte romhat, chat in Irish, a decent food menu and live music. If you are fortunate enough to be there for a traditional session, you may witness some of the newest generation of proud Gaels, singing in Irish, playing with skill, commitment and talent. Seeing this for myself, it suggested that in at least one corner of our island the torch of the native culture is being passed on to worthy recipients who, hopefully, will be supported in sustaining the flame.

Scenery

There is no doubt that Gaoth Dobhair and its environs are blessed with stunning natural scenery. Donegal is after all, ‘God’s own County’, as I was told by a local. There are striking mountain views, golden sandy beaches and turquoise seas, rugged islands protruding from the ocean, and lakes; all set in breath-taking landscape panoramas. If you want stunning views of Ireland on your holiday, Donegal delivers.

For me, however, Donegal suffers from the same aesthetic blight as almost all of Ireland including swathes of areas of natural beauty such a Wicklow, Kerry, Galway and Mayo – a lack of trees and native forests. Much of the mountain landscape is barren and dead. When there are plantations of trees they tend to be monocultures of commercial forestry. There is no doubt we are missing a trick here (as well as neglecting our natural environment and biodiversity) by not attempting to reforest these plain bare hulking brown shoulders of mountainside around the country. On this island we need to plant more native trees and rewild our countryside. That said, Gaoth Dobhair has really beautiful areas – mountains, valleys, lakes, islands, beaches – so let there be no doubt about that.

Beaches

For those of us who have had the experience of sitting in the sweltering heat of the car in endless traffic on sunny summer weekends, and then picking our way through the crowds and litter at Portmarnock or Brittas Bay, we can only envy the extraordinary beaches of Donegal.

The Atlantic Ocean separates Donegal from Iceland, Greenland and North America and is a defining geographic feature of the county. There are many golden sandy beaches stretching out into the distance, framed by dunes, rocks, islands and inlets, as the turquoise waters beyond the surf conjure images of exotic shores from advertisements – but they are right there in front of you! I’m sure these enticing seas turn into very different beasts in storms and at times during the winter months. The beaches are just stunning, and they are usually sparsely populated or almost empty!

Of the beaches I visited that are absolutely gorgeous, I would list Machaire Rabhartaigh, the beach on Gabhla Island, An Charraig Fhinn and Trá an Bháid, both near the airport. Also a fabulous beach, but a little bit outside the Gaeltacht on the far side of Dunfanaghy is Marble Hill Strand which is an amazing location. We took a surfing lesson there where I caught my first ever waves. It was an exhilarating experience and we were so well looked after by Jaws Watersports of Dunfanaghy – especially the kids. There are also other water sports providers in the area.

Also worth a mention is the vast and sandy Machaire Chlochair, site of the disappearing shipwreck, Bád Eddie, near An Bun Beag (somewhat detracted from by the presence of a derelict hotel).

Boat Trips

Many people who had their early education in Ireland will be familiar with the traditional ballad Báidín Fheilimí. The wistful song refers to two islands that can be easily accessed from the area. Toraigh is the most remote inhabited island of Ireland and has a population of about 120. Toraigh traditionally has its own king, the most recent of whom was the well-known Patsaí Dan Mac Ruaidhrí (Patsy Dan Rogers), who died in 2018, ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter, in 2021, who runs the venue An Club on Toraigh. The Toraigh passenger ferry sails from a pier at Machaire Rabhartaigh beach which is stunning but, according to locals, can be challenging for swimming due to currents. The trip takes about 45 minutes and can be choppy.

The other island is Gabhla which has a population of only about 15 and, following a period where it was deserted, was only connected to the electricity network and water mains in 2005. If you get a good day weather-wise, the views from Gabhla are simply spectacular. The ferry is a shorter trip than to Toraigh – for those who may suffer from sea sickness.

An radharc ó Oileán Ghabhla – The view from Gabhla Island

Hotels

I chose to stay at Óstán An Chúirt. The main reason for this is that they have a good swimming pool for kids and, with the Irish weather, a hotel with a pool is a luxury that can really help in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. Furthermore, there are a lot of staff at the hotel that are native Irish speakers. They make up the rooms, run the bar and look after customers at breakfast and at Farra Óg’s bar and restaurant. What seems to be a dropped ball to me is that only a minority of An Chúirt’s reception staff have any Irish at all, which is just not good in an area where so many people speak Irish or are visiting because of the Irish language.

Other hotels in the area include Óstán Caisleáin Óir, in Anagaire, and Óstán Loch Altan, in Gort an Choirce, (Gort an Choirce meaning ‘Field of Oats’ is, unfortunately, often manglicised as Gortahork). I was in both locations for food between this year and last and had no problem getting a service in Irish. I’ve been in Óstán Caisleáin Óir more often and it seems to operate bilingually but with most staff speaking Irish as a first language.

Teac Jack is an enduring favourite with Irish speakers and has a lively bar where food is served. I would recommend booking at least 72 hours in advance to get a table during the busy summer months for most of these venues, as we struggled to get bookings within 48 hours.

An radharc ó mo leaba ó Óstán an Chúirt / The view from my bed An Chúirt Hotel

What else is there?

Due to the fine weather in summer 2022 and spending so much time on the local beaches as a result, we ended up not even participating in some of the main attractions in the area. There is the Páirc Náisiúnta Ghleann Bheatha (Glenveagh National Park) for a start. For hikers there’s the climb of Earagail in Dún Lúiche, the tallest mountain in the area, with spectacular views. The mountain can be seen in several scenes of the classic 1930s-set music video for the hauntingly atmospheric song ‘In A Lifetime’ (1986) by Clannad and Bono, directed by Meiert Avis, from Clannad’s Macalla album (1985).

The Amharclann Gaoth Dobhair is the local theatre, located in Na Doirí Beaga and hosts various events including musical performances.

For children there is also a pet zoo at the back of An Chúirt Hotel and I’m sure a load of other things I haven’t mentioned – so please accept my apologies for anything I have missed.

Food

When it comes to food, I’m not your guy. As a vegetarian and coeliac who doesn’t eat fish, when eating out I generally survive on Indian food, gluten-free pizzas and pasta, omelettes and the ubiquitous stir-fry offerings, so I can’t really offer much insight into the local cuisine.

Transport

The most common way to get to Gaoth Dobhair from Dublin and elsewhere is by car, but there are also bus services available. Be warned, the roads in the area are potentially unforgiving with many uneven surfaces, narrow roads and sharp bends.

If you must, there is also the option to fly to Gaoth Dobhair which is serviced by Aer Lingus. Donegal Airport is located at the fabulous An Charraig Fhinn beach and the views on landing on a clear day are renowned.

Conclusion

I had two really memorable family holidays in Gaoth Dobhair in 2021 and 2022. I really wasn’t disappointed in any way. We met some lovely people, saw some great sites and this year, we were so fortunate to get great weather. The Irish language was a constant companion on these trips and, at the end of our holiday in 2021, my son remarked ‘Everyone speaks Irish here!’ which confirmed for me that the kids were absorbing that the language is living and in daily use beyond the Gaelscoil and their dad’s best efforts!

It probably would be useful for some visitors if there was a dedicated up-to-date Gaeltacht holidays website with maps, directions, places to visit, sites to see and venues listed which offer a service in the Irish language.

If you are considering a family staycation or a vacation in Ireland, I think Gaoth Dobhair has so much to offer by way of language, culture, people and beautiful scenery. Go raibh aistear maith agaibh!

If you wish to give something small towards the cost of running the site, my Revolut is @derekis3j