Holiday homes at Glencolumbcille offer visitors to Donegal beautiful scenery in a place of serenity.
Father James McDyer, parish priest of Glencolumbcille, is behind the area's Folk Village Museum, and many cooperative projects in farming and textiles aimed at regenerating this part of County Donegal.
His latest venture is a holiday village of 20 cottages, called a 'clachan', with views overlooking Glenbay beach towards Glen Head.
A holiday here is a holiday in magnificent natural amenities.
Each cottage is clean and roomy with all modern conveniences, but with an open hearth for a turf fire. Visitors to the area are attracted by its wild, beautiful scenery and tranquillity. Father McDyer states Glencolumbcille's unique selling points are,
Wild, beautiful scenery, beaches, mountains and lakes, the other one is serenity and above all for the city dweller, peace and ability to roam here and there at will.
While the holiday environment promotes serenity and tranquillity, Father McDyer points out that some night entertainment is offered for visitors. Otherwise, it is up to the individual to plan their itinerary.
While staying in the area, visitors can visit its many standing stones, relics from the pagan and Christian past. There is salmon and trout fishing, pitch and putt, and a tennis court close to the holiday village.
Nearby is the Folk Village Museum which has a craft shop specialising in local handicrafts. The holiday village is adjacent to the village of Cashel, with shops, a cinema and a church. There is also a holiday village supermarket that doubles as an information centre.
Commercialism in the region is kept at bay because, in the main, the development of tourism in the area is managed by the local cooperative.
This episode of 'Cope' was broadcast on 29 April 1975. The reporter is Tom McGurk.
