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Major city · Ireland

CarndonaghCarn Domhnach

Base in Carndonagh for 1–2 nights only if you have a car: it is the practical hub for Malin Head, Ballyliffin and the Inishowen 100 loop.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Carndonagh is a small market town of under 3,000 people on the Inishowen Peninsula, and the largest settlement in its northern half. It is not a sightseeing town in itself: it is a bed, a supermarket and a pub stop for the coast around it — Malin Head, the beaches at Pollan and Five Fingers, the golf at Ballyliffin and the 160 km Inishowen 100 drive. Without a car you are limited to the Local Link buses and a handful of villages.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many places shut)
Airports
DUB · LDY
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Carndonagh112 ▾
  • Police, fire and ambulance112999
  • EU emergency (from any EU phone)112

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Carndonagh, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealMain course in a pub or bistro€16–24 (≈ US$19–30)
  • Street or quick mealPub lunch or soup and sandwich€10–16 (≈ US$12–19)
  • BeerPint of stout or lager€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person€30 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room€120 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room€180 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €55 (≈ US$65) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €180 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Donagh Cross, a 7th-century high crossGateway to Malin Head, Ireland's most northerly pointInishowen 100 coastal driveBallyliffin golf links
Airports
DUB Dublin Airport (About 4 h by car to Carndonagh; no direct rail or bus link — check connections via Derry or Letterkenny.) · LDY City of Derry Airport (About 45 min by car; the nearest airport to Inishowen. Cross-border, so check your car-hire and insurance terms.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    10°C (50°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    12°C (54°F)

  5. May

    Best

    15°C (59°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (18°C (64°F)), coolest Jan (3°C (37°F) low), wettest Jan (20 rain days), driest Apr (15). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Carndonagh: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

20 rd

Feb

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

16 rd

Mar

10°C (50°F)

4°C (39°F)

18 rd

Apr

12°C (54°F)

5°C (41°F)

15 rd

May

15°C (59°F)

7°C (45°F)

15 rd

Jun

17°C (63°F)

10°C (50°F)

15 rd

Jul

18°C (64°F)

12°C (54°F)

17 rd

Aug

18°C (64°F)

12°C (54°F)

18 rd

Sep

16°C (61°F)

10°C (50°F)

17 rd

Oct

13°C (55°F)

8°C (46°F)

19 rd

Nov

10°C (50°F)

5°C (41°F)

19 rd

Dec

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

19 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. Local Link bus 952 runs about 7 times a day from Derry to Carndonagh, and bus 954 runs about 7 times a day from Carndonagh to Culdaff, Malin and Malin Head (50 min). Bus 951 runs once each way on Mon–Sat mornings/afternoons to Letterkenny via Buncrana and Ballyliffin (80 min). Everything else on the peninsula needs wheels; a bike would also do it in good weather.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Malin Head

go

Door to door: About 30 min by car

R242 north from Carndonagh, about 20 km (12 mi); Local Link bus 954 also runs there

Ireland's most northerly mainland point: clifftop viewpoints, a Napoleonic lookout tower and the Eire 80 marker. Go early; there is no shelter.

Ballyliffin and Pollan Strand

go

Door to door: About 15 min

R238 west, about 8 km (5 mi)

Golf links, a long beach and the uninhabited Glashedy island offshore. Nancy's Barn does chowder.

Doagh Famine Village

go

Door to door: About 20 min

R242 then the lane at Lagacurry, about 10 km (6.2 mi) north

Open-air museum on Famine and border history; Apr–Oct daily 10:00–17:00, adult €16. It was damaged by fire in 2025 and restored.

Greencastle and Moville

go

Door to door: About 35 min

R238 east, about 25 km (16 mi)

Maritime museum and planetarium at Greencastle (adult €13), Northburg Castle stump, and the Lough Foyle ferry to Magilligan in summer.

Culdaff and Bocan Stone Circle

go

Door to door: About 15 min

R238 east, about 10 km (6.2 mi)

Village, beach and a partly standing stone circle 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the village.

Slieve Snaght

caution

Door to door: About 20 min to the start

R244 towards Drumfrees, then a track

615 m, boggy and midge-ridden on every route; the shortest approach is a 12 km (7.5 mi) return. Boots and a dry day only.

Derry

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Local Link bus 952, about 7 a day

Walled city across the border in Northern Ireland; the main transport hub for the area.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Carndonagh town (The Diamond)

Walk to pubs, cafés and the SuperValu; the practical base for the north of the peninsula.

Ballyliffin

About 10 min west by car; hotels and guesthouses with sea views and the golf links.

Moville and Greencastle

East shore of Lough Foyle, 20–25 min by car; good for the ferry to Magilligan and the maritime museum.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€55–85 (≈ US$65–100) excl. bed
Mid
€90–140 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
€160 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × €120€240
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €110€440
Car hire, one day, small car1 × €55 · expect to buy CDW or excess cover at the desk€55
Fuel, about 160 km (Inishowen 100)1 × €20€20
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€79
Trip total≈ €216 per person per day, bed included€864≈ US$1,100

2026 estimate in euro; car hire and fuel excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub lunch or soup and sandwich€10–16 (≈ US$12–19)
Main course in a pub or bistro€16–24 (≈ US$19–30)
Pint of stout or lager€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
Doagh Famine Village, adult€16 (≈ US$19)
Inishowen Maritime Museum, adult€13 (≈ US$16)
Ballyliffin Hotel, B&B double€120 (≈ US$140)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime; the real risks are single-track roads with blind bends, sheep and tractors, sudden Atlantic weather on the headlands, and no phone signal on the back roads. Drive on the left and give way at passing places.
  • Rural buses run a few times a day and some not on Sundays: check the timetable before you commit to a car-free day.
  • Mobile coverage is 4G in Carndonagh, Ballyliffin and Moville but drops out on the roads between them and up to Malin Head; download offline maps.
  • Malin Head and the beaches are exposed: wind and rain arrive fast, and there is no shelter at the tip.
  • If you cross to Magilligan Point by ferry (June–Aug), your personal and car documents must be valid for Northern Ireland.
  • Many attractions and some cafés close or run short hours November–March.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire and ambulance
112 or 999
EU emergency (from any EU phone)
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CarndonaghCarn Domhnach

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoilTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire and ambulance112 or 999
  • EU emergency112

Embassy

No embassies in Donegal; the US Embassy and most others are in Dublin. The nearest UK consulate is in Dublin too — check before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Local Link bus 952, Derry → Carndonagh: about 1 h 15 min, about 7 a day
  • Local Link bus 954, Carndonagh → Malin Head: about 50 min, about 7 a day
  • Lough Foyle ferry, Greencastle → Magilligan Point: 10 min crossing, June–Aug, 09:00–20:00

Say or show

  • Dia duit — Hello (jeea gwit)
  • Go raibh maith agat — Thank you (guh rev mah agut)
  • Le do thoil — Please (leh duh hull)
  • Cá bhfuil an leithreas? — Where is the toilet? (kaw will un leh-russ)
  • Cé mhéad é? — How much is it? (kay vade ay)
  • Sláinte — Cheers (slawn-che)

112 and 999 both work; 112 is the EU-wide number.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Carndonagh. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many places shut) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for LDY and DUB: last bus and ferry times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: The Diamond, Church Road and Donagh Cross, Ballyliffin, Malin Head.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Donagh Cross, Doagh Famine Village, Inishowen Maritime Museum, Ballyliffin links) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Ferry and cross-border fixtures so the Magilligan crossing can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Ireland

Sources