Donegal boasts a spectacular mountainous landscape with a dramatic coastline. The population of Donegal is approximately 129,000. In the far west of the county is the officially-recognised Irish speaking area - the Gaeltacht. Donegal County covers a land area of 1869 square miles or 4839 square kilometres.

This Ulster county has the largest number of native Irish speakers in Ireland. The dialect spoken here has more in common with highland Gaelic than with the southern strain. There are many links with Scotland and many districts of Glasgow are reputed to be like parishes of west Donegal.