Lough Swilly, Glacial fjord in County Donegal, Ireland.
Lough Swilly is a glacial bay in County Donegal that lies between the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula. The body of water stretches between Fanad Head to the west and Dunaff Head to the east, opening to the sea with steep coastal cliffs and sheltered inner waters suitable for boats.
The bay witnessed a defining moment in 1607 when Gaelic leaders Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnell departed from Rathmullan, beginning the Flight of the Earls. During the First World War, the ship SS Laurentic sank here carrying a cargo of gold.
The harbor at Fahan and small coastal villages show how local people live with the water and depend on fishing and boating. The two peninsulas shape the rhythm of life here, with settlements clustered along the shores where they have always been.
A marina at Fahan offers berth space year-round with options for daily, weekly, or monthly mooring. The location is accessible to all boat types, and you can easily explore the two peninsulas and their coastal paths from the water.
The wreck of the SS Laurentic rests on the seafloor here with gold bars that drew divers and treasure hunters for decades after it sank. The recovery efforts that followed made this one of the most talked-about shipwrecks in Irish waters.
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