Diving Donegal & the North-West

About Donegal & North-West (Wild Atlantic Way)

Donegal is the wild heart of the Wild Atlantic Way, where remote headlands, islands and deep sea lochs shelter some of Ireland’s most significant wreck diving. Malin Head’s Torpedo Alley off Inishtrahull Sound is a graveyard of WWI and WWII ships, including the SS Empire Heritage, HMS Audacious, SS Justicia and U-2506, all technical-class dives. Fanad Head guards the Laurentic, a White Star liner with a gold-bullion history, and Mulroy Bay offers sheltered reefs. Sliabh Liag drops as Europe’s highest sea cliffs, Arranmore holds kelp forests and basking sharks, and Killybegs and Dunfanaghy add macro and training. Rugged, weather-beaten and unforgettable, Donegal is for committed, guide-led diving.

Highlights

• ✓Malin Head Torpedo Alley: Empire Heritage, Audacious, Justicia, U-2506
• ✓Fanad Head & Laurentic: a White Star liner wreck at 30-45 m
• ✓Sliabh Liag: some of Europe’s highest sea cliffs underwater
• ✓Arranmore Island: kelp forests, seals and seasonal basking sharks
• ✓Killybegs & Dunfanaghy: sheltered harbour and beginner macro dives

Getting There

Fly into Derry (LDY) or Dublin then drive north; Donegal Airport (CFN) serves some routes. Dive bases sit in Malin Head, Buncrana, Fanad, Killybegs and Dunfanaghy, with boats to Inishtrahull and the islands.