Hi, everyone! I just wanted to give you a quick update. The past couple days here in Letterkenny were unbelievable. The sun was out nearly the entire time. I keep hearing about all this rain…. I’m not sure what they are talking about! It has hardly rained here since I arrived, just mostly cloudy. However, when the sun is shining, as it has been the past week, this area is pretty breathtaking. If you just take the time to stop and embrace it, it’s quite amazing. When the sun shines off the green hills and the blue water it is a sight to see. I have had the opportunity to see nearly all of Ireland, aside from a few places, and I think it is safe to safe that Donegal is by far the most scenic.
Therefore, I was not surprised to find out that National Geographic named Co. Donegal the “Coolest Place on the Planet.” Donegal came in front of numerous popular destinations.
The 2017 Top 10 goes:
Nat Geo said, “We felt Donegal was in a real sweet spot– off the radar and hard to access, but on the cusp of a breakthrough.”
I think it is cool to be a small piece of getting Donegal’s named and attractability out there for more people. I can see the impact that my social media pictures have had on people that follow me. I've lost count of the number of family or friends that have said my pictures are unbelievable and that they cannot wait to visit. I feel like not that many people have heard of Donegal, in comparison to other more touristy parts of Ireland. I know I was one of those people when I first found out I was coming to Donegal for Sport Changes Life. Therefore, I enjoy showing people how beautiful this place is and, by doing so, I hopefully can encourage more people to visit this region of Ireland, as opposed to just seeing the more popular tourist destinations like Dublin or Galway. While those places are great, I feel like you get a much more authentic and natural Irish experience if you visit Donegal! As the people here say:
Donegal. Up here it’s different!
I knew this place was cool when I first arrived, but I’m now glad the whole world knows it too!
Fun Fact: For all you Star Wars fans, scenes in the last movie were filmed right here in Donegal!
So come visit Donegal if you ever have the chance you won't be disappointed, I promise!
