Walk & Talk, The Point, St John's Point

Michael Kinnealy is a tour guide and resident of St John’s Point, a long stretch of limestone that juts out into Donegal Bay. The rock here was formed around 350 million years ago, when Ireland lay beneath a shallow tropical sea near the Equator. Known locally as “The Point,” it’s a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) teeming with orchids and butterflies. From St John’s Beach, Tra Ban, the “coral” beach, Michael leads walks offering stunning views of Ben Bulben on one side and Slieve League on the other, with plenty of chances to spot bird and marine life.

Along the way, you’ll hear about the lighthouse built in 1831 and its journey from paraffin to halogen, and for WW2 enthusiasts, how The Point played its part with the Donegal Corridor, EIRE sign, and lookout post.

Parking at St John's Point beach, walk to the lighthouse and the head and back approx 4km. Mostly road. Grassland from the lighthouse . Good footwear recommended.
Limited Parking at the beach. Carpool - parking available at Castlemurray. Meet at 1.30pm.
Picture credited to Stewy Diamond

The walk from the beach to the lighthouse is via a road so only that part is wheelchair friendly.