20 Attractions to Explore Near Grianan Of Aileach

Grianán of Aileach is probably the best known monument in Inishowen, County Donegal. Situated on a hilltop 250m above sea level the view from the stone fort of Aileach is breathtaking. Although the hill is comparatively not that high, the summit dominates the neighbouring counties of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. Located at the edge of the Inishowen peninsula.

One of Donegal's best known castles due to its prominent location along the Derry-Letterkenny road. It was built around 1560 and was one in a network of castles around Inishowen owned by the O’Dohertys. The structure had three stories, two circular watchtowers, a small vaulted chamber, and openings for muskets. It is now one of the iconic attraction in this area.

A beautiful castle situated at the extreme seaward end of Inch Island. It was built in the middle of the fifteenth century but, by 1609, when granted to Sir Arthur Chichester, he stated that it was in a state of disrepair. It came to form part of the defensive network of O'Doherty fortifications designed to protect them from rival clans and to overawe those who accepted their overlordship.

Wild Ireland, a newly opened animal sanctuary on the Inishowen Peninsula, has given refuge to a number of animals that have been extinct in Ireland for centuries. Visitors to the sanctuary can expect to find everything from bears and wolves to otters, wild boar and more.

Brooke Park is a 3.88 acre Victorian park in the centre of Derry, Northern Ireland. The park contains many amenities, including a café, children's playground and football pitch, as well as a statue of Sir Robert Ferguson. It provides a valuable green space for recreational and leisure for citizens of the city since 1901.

A small and beautiful island within Lough Swilly, connected to the mainland by a bridge. Between the island and the mainland lies the Inch Wildfowl Reserve – a birdwatchers paradise. The site includes two car parks, seating, viewpoints and a number of bird hides open to the public. This scenic pathway follows around the lake edge and offers panoramic views of the surrounding agricultural landscape and wetlands.

St Eugene's Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral located in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the "Mother Church" for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Derry, as well as the parish Church of the parish of Templemore. The cathedral was officially opened on 4 May 1873 by the then Bishop of Derry, Francis Kelly. At first the cathedral's windows were made of plain glass due to lack of funds. It was not until the late 1890s when stained glass windows were installed.

Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin is a new purpose built Irish language arts and cultural centre. It is part of the An Gaeláras group and opened premises in Great James Street, Derry. An impressive adddition to the city's skyline, it has become a beacon for language and culture enthusiasts, greatly enhancing access to services and facilities for the city’s Irish speaking community. It is also a symbol of the ongoing economic regeneration of the city.

Free Derry Corner is a historical landmark in the Bogside neighbourhood of Derry, Northern Ireland, which lies in the intersection of the Lecky Road, Rossville Street and Fahan Street. A free-standing gable wall commemorates Free Derry, a self-declared autonomous nationalist area of Derry that existed between 1969 and 1972. On the corner is a memorial to the 1981 hunger strikers and several murals.

The Museum of Free Derry is a museum located in Derry, Northern Ireland that focuses on the 1960s civil rights era known as The Troubles and the Free Derry Irish nationalist movement in the early 1970s. Located in the Bogside district, the museum's exhibits include photographs, posters, film footage, letters and personal artifacts.

St Columba's Church, Long Tower is a Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Derry. It is located in the heart of the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The present church is built on the site of Roman Catholic worship which goes back as far as the 12th century. The current Long Tower Church began life in 1783 in a much smaller scale than seen today.

The Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall is best known as the headquarters of the Apprentice Boys of Derry but there is much more behind the doors of what is affectionately known as “The Mem” The society aims to commemorate the 1689 Siege of Derry when Catholic James II of England and Ireland and VII of Scotland laid siege to the walled city, which was at the time a Protestant stronghold.

The Siege Museum and Exhibition is a permanent display of the history of the Siege of Londonderry and of the Associated Clubs of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, including artefacts, video and interactive media. The museum contains three modern galleries and includes audio visuals, touchscreens, artefacts and scale models to enhance the visitor experience.

The Derry Walls define the ‘old town’ quarter at the heart of the modern city of Derry Londonderry. Within and just ‘without’ these walls is a network of streets, full of character and charm, enclosing an urban area: the Walled City delights. Here you will find a variety of craft shops, arts venues and museums. The walls are at the centre of the historic city of Derry and within them are a number of Derry's most important landmarks including the Apprentice Boy's Hall and St. Columb's Cathedral.

The Tower Museum is one of Ireland's top attractions and takes the visitor on a high-tech audio-visual narrative tour of the Story of Derry. It is located in Union Hall Place, within a historic tower just inside the city walls, near the Guildhall. The museum has two permanent exhibits; The Story of Derry which presents the history of Derry from its prehistoric origins to the present, and An Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera which details the local shipwreck from the Spanish Armada.

Derry’s Craft Village is a cultural oasis in the heart of a vibrant city. A reconstruction of an 18th Century Street and 19th Century Square, the Craft Village provides an eclectic mix of artisan craft shops, balconied apartments, licensed restaurant and coffee shops. The Canopy in the Village Square and the Thatched Cottage are ideal venues for corporate, cultural and community entertainment. Take advantage of our unique shopping district.

This was the first Cathedral built after the Reformation. It is the city’s most historic building containing displays of artefacts from the Siege. It was built in 1633 by William Parrot for the Honourable The Irish Society and is in the Planter Gothic Style. Built after the Reformation in Ireland, St Columb's is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built in the British Isles after the Reformation and was the first non-Roman Catholic cathedral to be built in Western Europe.

The Guildhall is a fine modern building, the chief treasures in which are the stained glass windows presented by the various London Companies that once owned land in Ireland. Fashioned in a neo-gothic style, the Guildhall is one of the most striking buildings in the North West and was originally built in 1887 by The Honourable The Irish Society. The red sandstone building is of neo-gothic architecture, with Tudor overtones.

The Derry Peace Bridge spans 400 years of a physical and political divide in Northern Ireland, symbolizing a handshake of peace across the River Foyle. It is the newest of three bridges in the city, the others being the Craigavon Bridge and the Foyle Bridge. The bridge was opened to the public by EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn; accompanied by the First and deputy First Ministers, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness; and the Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Foyle Valley Railway Museum was initially opened in 1990 on the site of Foyle Road station of the GNR. The exhibition consists of a recreated station platform and visitors can find out about the various railway companies which once operated out of the city. The steam locomotive exhibited in front of the museum is a 3 ft narrow gauge locomotive built for the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee in 1907 by Nasmyth , Wilson &Co.