Donegal & the Northwest

County Donegal, the northernmost part of the island, is about as far-flung as Ireland gets — and it wears its isolation well. With more native Irish speakers than in any other county, the old ways are better preserved here. A forgotten economic backwater (part of the Republic but riding piggyback on Northern Ireland), it lacks blockbuster museums or sights, and its appeals are subtle. A visit here is about the journey, and adventurous drivers will be rewarded with a peek into old Irish ways and pleasing scenery. (Without a car, I'd skip it.)