Ardara

Ardara sits where several valleys meet in south-west Donegal and was the market and collection point for the region's hand-weaving. Donegal tweed is woven from wool dyed in flecked colours drawn from the landscape, and it was cottage industry in the strict sense - weavers worked at home on hand looms and brought the cloth to town on fair days. Some of that survives: a handful of hand-weavers still work in and around the town, several shops sell locally made tweed and knitwear, and the Ardara Heritage Centre has a working loom with demonstrations. The other reason people come is music. For a town of a few hundred, Ardara has an unusually strong session culture, with several pubs running traditional music through the week and a Cup of Tae festival in spring that draws players nationally. It also sits at the junction of the Glengesh Pass, the Maghera caves road and the coast.

What you actually see

• The hand weaving - Donegal tweed still made on hand looms locally.
• The heritage centre - a working loom and demonstrations.
• The sessions - traditional music in the pubs most nights.
• The junction position - Glengesh, Maghera and the coast all from here.

When to go

April to October; the Cup of Tae festival is in late April or early May. Sessions run year-round but are most reliable in summer and at weekends.

Honest expectations

A small town with limited accommodation and services. Weaving demonstrations depend on the weaver being there. Much of what is sold as Donegal tweed is mill-made; ask if hand-loom matters to you.

Nearby

Glengesh Pass is west; Assaranca Waterfall and Maghera beach are on the coast road.