The Atlantic Companion · Wild Atlantic Way · Donegal
Donegal's two inhabited offshore islands sit 60km apart but answer to the same Atlantic. Árainn Mhór — Arranmore — is reached by a 15-minute ferry from Burtonport in The Rosses. Population around 470, sea cliffs on the western side, three pubs and a thriving Gaeltacht community. Toraigh — Tory Island — sits 11km off the Bloody Foreland, reached by a 50-minute ferry from Magheraroarty pier near Gortahork. Population about 140, the only inhabited island in Ireland with a king (Patsy Dan Rodgers held the title until 2018; succession is community-decided). Two of the most distinctive island communities anywhere on the WAW.
Two Donegal islands. Two ferries. Two very different worlds.
First things first
Tell us once and we'll shape the rest of the page around it.
The essentials
Locally chosen, not algorithmic. In rough order of "if you only do one thing".
Drive
The crossing is 15 minutes from Burtonport pier in The Rosses, west of Dungloe. Arranmore Fast Ferry and the Arranmore Ferry car ferry both run year-round, several sailings daily. Cars cross — but you don't really need one on the island.
Good to know · Year-round. Car ferry takes vehicles; fast ferry is foot-passenger only. Last sailing typically 6–8pm depending on season.
Drive
The 50-minute crossing to Tory leaves from Magheraroarty pier, signposted off the R257 between Falcarragh and Gortahork. Foot-passenger only — no cars on Tory. Sailings are weather-dependent year-round and can be cancelled for days at a time in winter.
Good to know · Year-round but very weather-dependent. 1–3 sailings a day depending on season. Always check the day before.
Nature
A 15km waymarked road circuit of the island takes in Lough Shore at the south, the lighthouse on the north-west tip, and the cliffs at Torneady that drop 200m straight to the Atlantic. The island also has the only freshwater fjord in Ireland.
Good to know · Allow 4–5 hours walking, or hire a bike at the pier. Map at the community office near Leabgarrow.
History
Tory's eastern tip is dominated by Dún Bhaloir — Balor's Fort — a near-impregnable headland connected to the rest of the island by a narrow neck. In Irish myth, Balor of the Evil Eye lived here. Beside it, the cliffs are alive with seabirds in summer.
Good to know · 30-min walk east from the harbour at West Town. No barriers — keep back from edges in wind.
History
St Colmcille founded a monastery on Tory in the 6th century. The early-medieval round tower (the only one in Donegal) and the Tau Cross — a unique T-shaped early Christian cross — survive at West Town. The island's school of naïve painting started here in the 1960s.
Good to know · Free, always accessible. Tory Heritage Centre nearby covers the painters and the Kingship.
History
Tory has had a king since at least the 16th century — chosen by community consensus rather than inheritance. Patsy Dan Rodgers held the title from 1993 until his death in 2018. The role is unofficial but real: the king greets visitors at the pier and is the island's spokesman to the outside world. A new king will be chosen in time.
Good to know · Ask at Club Sóisialta Thoraí (the social club) about the current state of the kingship.
Local businesses
Hand-picked, not paid for. The ferries, the beds, the pubs and the bike hire that make a visit work.
Before you go. These listings are compiled from public sources and aren't yet verified by the businesses themselves. Hours, menus and prices change with the seasons — always check directly with the venue before travelling, and book ahead in July and August. Owners can get in touch to update their listing.
Eat
Tory Island's daytime café in West Town — soup, scones, sandwiches, the island art on the walls and the kettle never off. Painters, ferry passengers, the occasional politician.
Drink
Lounge bar and nightclub at Aphort on Arranmore — the island's late-night spot for generations, sessions at weekends, dancing after midnight. Where the island ends up.
Drink
On the pier road as you come off the ferry — Arranmore's first stop and last stop, with a fire, sessions and decent toasties. The island's social directory in pub form.
Drink
On the road up from the harbour at Leabgarrow — small bar with a serious local following, trad sessions in the back room. The Arranmore choice for the unhurried pint.
Stay
Tory Island's only hotel, run by the McClafferty family — fourteen rooms, the island's main bar and restaurant, sessions and the King of Tory dropping in. April to October mainly; phone for winter.
Stay
Family-run B&B on the high ground at Baile Ard, looking back at the mainland — five rooms, full breakfast, hosts who'll lift you to the pier. One of the most reliable beds on Arranmore.
Do
Car and passenger ferry from Burtonport to Arranmore — 15 minutes across, multiple sailings daily year-round on the Arranmore Blu. Two competing operators on the route; both are reliable and similarly priced.
Do
Ferry from Magheroarty pier to Tory Island, 14.5km offshore — about 45 minutes, sea conditions permitting. Year-round service but heavily weather-dependent in winter; book ahead and have a backup plan.
Run a place in Arranmore & Tory?
Our directory is curated, not pay-to-play. If we'd recommend you, you can be on here.
See how to get listedGot a window or a counter?
Download a free A5 QR card for Arranmore & Tory — print it, stick it up, and visitors land straight on the Arranmore & Tory guide.
Ask a local
Meet the King of Tory
Tory has an elected king, no formal powers, the only one in Ireland. He's usually on the pier when the ferry comes in to welcome you personally. Not a gimmick — a 1,400-year tradition.
Phil Bán's after the last ferry
On Arranmore, the day-trippers leave at 6. Phil Bán's pub down the road from the pier comes alive after that — Donegal Irish, songs, no setlist.
Know an Arranmore or Tory spot worth sharing?
Hidden gems on this page are written by locals, not us. The late session at Phil Bán's, the Tory cliff path that locals walk, the right boat to take on a borderline-weather day — tell us and we'll add it.
Common questions
The main visitable islands off Donegal are Arranmore (the largest, accessed from Burtonport), Tory Island (accessed from Magheroarty), Gola Island (from Magheraroarty), and Inishbofin near Tory. All are Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) and all are dramatically different in scale and character from the better-known Aran Islands in Galway Bay.
Yes — Tory is one of the most remote inhabited islands in Ireland, 14 km off the Donegal coast, with its own elected 'King', a strong tradition of folk art, dramatic cliffs at the eastern end, and a deeply Irish-speaking community. The crossing can be rough; check the weather and the timetable carefully.
Arranmore Ferry runs from Burtonport in west Donegal year-round, multiple sailings a day. The crossing takes about 15 minutes. Bring a car if you want to explore the whole island (the road around takes about an hour); the village around the harbour can be walked.
Yes — Tory, Arranmore, Gola and Inishbofin are all part of the Donegal Gaeltacht, where Irish is the primary community language. Visitors will be greeted in English without issue, but you'll hear Irish spoken naturally in pubs and shops, and signage is largely or entirely in Irish.
Practical
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