Days Out in Donegal - The Welcome House, Cudaff, Inishowen, Co Donegal.
By Kieran Fitzgerald
A Summer break could be the perfect antidote to two years of lockdown with the promise of sea air, stunning scenery, good food and the chance to have a few laughs. I was lucky enough to discover somewhere which answered all the usual wheelchair- users’ concerns.
In the furthermost reaches of Donegal, in the Inishowen Peninsula, on the Wild Atlantic Way, lies the Welcome House. Situated in the pretty village of Culdaff and close to a magnificent beach, the detached house is very well adapted. Finished to a very high standard with high contrast decoration defining doors and hallways to assist anyone with sight impairment, it has four bedrooms which can accommodate up to 12 people. There is a large master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom; a twin bedroom; a dormitory style room – ideal for children- with three sets of bunk beds; and a bedroom fitted out with a hospital bed, electric blind, a day-bed and ensuite bathroom/wet-room with plenty of turning space. The living area consists of a large kitchen-dining room and an enormous sitting room with wood-burning stove and French doors to the back garden. It’s a comfortable room in which to read, watch a match or movie- the TV has a good satellite connection- or to browse on the house wi-fi. The house is surrounded by large lawns and lots of parking space. Wheelchair users will be glad to know: there is no gravel!
Wooden floors make pushing the wheelchair easy and there are no awkward saddles on the doors. The corridors are extra-wide with double doors into the living areas. A built-in ramp from the French doors leads to a terrace and the back garden. The kitchen is a beautiful bright room with double doors to the front of the house, a fireplace and sofa-corner as well as space around the table for a party of at least a dozen people. Differential colouring in the kitchen makes the working area very navigable along with touch buttons on the appliances. The room is big so that a wheelchair can go right round the table very easily. The dining table is high enough that wheelchair handles can slide in underneath comfortably.
Culdaff is a lively village with a well-stocked shop, a couple of pubs, a coffee shop and a charming small hotel. The hotel, McGrory’s, is well known for its convivial atmosphere, live music and award-winning food. The village has been catering for tourists for generations. A big attraction is its magnificent blue-flag beach. Equally attractive and always welcome is a post swim coffee served up from a mobile barista service perched above the sand-dunes.
The Inishowen Peninsula is famous for the rugged beauty of the mountains and cliffs and numerous sandy beaches. A short drive away is Malin Head – the most northerly point of this island. There you can view the old Éire markings from World War II, the deserted island of Inishtrahull, and the wild beauty that was featured in the Star Wars movie. The area is rich in archaeological and historical sites from high crosses to the ancient hill-top stronghold of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Along the way are many interesting options for coffee stops, lunch or dinner.
I’ve been there several times with family and friends. I’ve always been amazed how the Inishowen Peninsula throws up something new to explore even when you think you know it backwards. The Welcome House is easy to live in and generates a party atmosphere. Even though it has the feel of being miles from anywhere in the hills of Donegal, there is the reassurance that Carndonagh, with good GP and pharmacy, is only a few miles away and Derry and Letterkenny hospitals within reach just in case. Sinéad is such an accommodating, efficient and sympathetic hostess that everything- booking, house-keeping etc is made easy. We’ve had great fun every time. And intend to again!
Published July 2022)
Sinead Hanly, owner of the Welcome House is happy to extend a 10% discount to all of our service users. Contact Sinead directly on 087 2644810 or sineadehanly@gmail.com.
