06 Feb Fanad Head , County Donegal
A road leads along the West coast of Lough Swilly to Fanad Head , where on stormy days wild Atlantic seas beat against the cliffs. A short way to the South is the small resort of Portsalon , in a beautiful setting beside the broad sands of Ballymastocker Bay. Just West of the headland , at the former fishing village of Ballyhoorisky (sometimes spelled Ballywhoorisky) , a local group of enthusiasts is restoring a cluster of stone-built cottages to their state before the Famine of the 1840s.
At Kindrum , 3 miles from Ballyhoorisky , on Mulroy Bay , is Daniel O’Callaghan’s grocery store and pub , preserved since the early 1900s. Beautifully inlaid mirrors advertise brands of whiskey that no longer exist , two 36 gallon whiskey barrels stand in one corner , and pre-World War I posters recommend long-vanished brands of cigarettes and pipe tobacco. In the shop section , the numbered drawers once used for herbs and loose groceries such as rice still survive unaltered.
Fanad Head is a real hidden gem and the perfectly preserved grocery store is full of rich history that is a must see on your tours of Ireland.