Don’t forget the currency in Ireland is Euros. The town of Killybegs has a scenic natural deep water harbour, which is the second largest fishing port in County Donegal, on on the south coast of the county in Ulster. 12 meters deep at low tide, and sitting just north of Donegal Bay, and at the base of a vast mountainous tract extending northward it has been a natural shelter for ships throughout history. During Spain’s war with England, Killybegs was the last port of call for the Spanish vessel La Girona, in 1958. It anchored in the harbour where her rudder was repair and crew fed. However as she set sail for Scotland, she was wrecked off the Antrim coast with the loss of nearly 1,300 lives.
A new €50 million pier was completed in 2004. In the summer, there is a street festival celebrating the fish catches and incorporating the traditional “Blessing of the Boats”. This is also a religious blessing of the ships with many church services and laying of wreaths for those lost at see. This shows the importance of the fishing industry, however, since enforcement of EU fishing regulations there has been a reduction in fishing and great redundancies, so as well as a complete mix of ships, the port now sports wind turbines, and has become a service port for the offshore gas/oil drilling rigs. There is also a blue-flag golden-sand beach nearby in Fintra. The band the Irish Rovers have a traditional sounding foot stomping song The Boys of Killybegs.
Fred Olsen Cruises round the British Isles
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