Five hidden gems of the Emerald Isle

Travellers flock to Ireland’s most famous attractions such as the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle, the Guinness Storehouse and the Ring of Kerry. Beyond these tourist hotspots are some equally fascinating sites which receive a fraction of the visitors.

From the nation’s prettiest town, to the castle marooned in a Roscommon lake, the mountain that’s attracted pilgrims for 5000 years, the seaside village that’s become a surfing hotspot, and the ocean rock face that dwarfs the Cliffs of Moher, these are Ireland’s hidden gems.

Slieve League (County Donegal)

Even the colossal Atlantic Ocean suddenly doesn’t look so large as it laps against the base of the towering sea cliffs of Slieve League. At a vertigo-inducing 609m tall, Slieve League is almost three times higher than both the Cliffs of Moher (214m) and Perth’s tallest building, Brookfield Place (239m).

Few foreign tourists make it to County Donegal in Ireland’s far north-west. Yet it is drenched in wild and beautiful scenery. Slieve League is now even more attractive to visit thanks to a recently completed $8 million project which saw the building of a visitor’s centre and cafe, public art installations, and 2.5km of new walking paths.

Following these paths along the crest of the cliffs is an invigorating experience.

This is an edited version of the original, full-length story, which you can read here.

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