Donegal’s hidden gems ‘go wild’ on social media

Photos of some of the best aspects of Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way are being featured in global adverts focusing on hidden gems through the eyes of locals.

What makes the photos unique is that they were all taken by local people during a recent campaign called Call of the Wild.

Over 4,000 images and videos of stunning Irish landscapes to exquisite food, known only to locals, but undiscovered by the rest of the world, were shared in October using the tag #MyWildAtlanticWay.

Michael Murphy led the call for Donegal by sharing a snap from Fanad Head as his favourite spot:

More than 10 photos taken in Donegal were shortlisted for inclusion in a suite of videos that will be shared domestically and internationally via social media to highlight the beauty of the county as a holiday destination.

Two videos feature Donegal beauty spots in the Northern Headlands and on the southern Surf Coast.

Largy Viewpoint, Marble Hill, Muckross Point, Errigal, Sliabh Liag and Fanad are among the favourite locations shared from the county.

The Call of the Wild campaign, which predominantly targets international holidaymakers, is expected to be viewed by over one million targeted social media users over the next four weeks.

Everyone who got involved had a chance to win a 2-night getaway along the Wild Atlantic Way and the overall winner of the ‘Call of the Wild’ campaign was Genevieve Callander from Galway.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, commented on the ‘Call of the Wild’ initiative: “This campaign is special as it’s the local people along the full length of Wild Atlantic Way who were asked to help create the video message by identifying the hidden gems in their community that are special and should be shared with a global audience.

“People are very proud of the place they live and these videos will give them a chance to showcase their region to their social media contacts, wherever they are, creating an even more personal invitation to visit the Wild Atlantic Way.”