MICHAEL: Hello and welcome to Ireland with Michael.

I'm Michael Londra and in this show, I get to tell you everything I love about my home country the best way I know how, through music.

Today, we're taking to the waters in the wild of Tyrconnell, the land of Connell County Donegal.

Stretching up to the furthest Northern reaches of Ireland, it's a stunning landscape controlled through the centuries by the Connell clans.

A drive through the craggy mountains is well worth the trip, but it's far from all that's here.

This is a land that has inspired world- renowned craftmanship honed by the years and it's home to some of Ireland's most legendary gathering places for traditional music.

There's so much to see, so let's hop to it already.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael is made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

♪ MICHAEL: We begin our journey through the great rocky hills of the Northwest in Donegal town.

♪ Built around the River Eske, which winds its way through this place, built up and fortified since pre-history.

The people here once captured St. Patrick and so it's fitting that they were also the first he's said to have converted to Christianity.

Since those days, it's been a lively hub for the county.

We're standing in the Diamond of Donegal town, which makes for a great base to take on the wilds of the rest of the county.

You'll find here the best of restaurants, pubs, live music, and high-end shopping, not to mention a good bit of history right next door.

(birds crowing) ♪ Our first stop in the land of the Connell, must be the storied keep from which they ruled.

♪ It is unmissable, towering over the town and utterly transportive to another age entirely.

♪ We are at Donegal Castle, the seat and stronghold of the O'Donnell chieftains.

It's a tall and towering and distinctly Celtic keep first built all the way back in 1474 by Red Hugh O'Donnell, descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, or as we called him as kids, "Niall of the Nine Sausages."

No reverence whatsoever for a fifth century high king of Ireland.

But the chieftain was not a hereditary position.

Rather, the chief was selected by the O'Donnell nobles based on who was fittest to lead.

This kept the O'Donnells strong and the race of the Connells free from the English.

This tower, largest and most formidable to English surveyors represents that fiercely maintained independence.

It has from its top, sweeping panoramic views in every direction.

From the Donegal Bay to the Southwest, all the way out to the Blue Stack Mountains to the North.

As the bard Malmurry Mac sung of it in 1601, "From thee have we beheld delightful sight from the high pinnacles of the royal turrets."

♪ You remember what I was saying about the fearsome O'Donnells defending their lands from the English?

Well, you actually can see it in the maps of the day.

See, an accurate survey of the area would be vital to a successful invasion.

And here in the Northwest where native power was greatest, the maps are the least accurate.

Those O'Donnells don't mess about, let me tell you.

♪ The O'Donnells weren't just fearsome warriors though.

To the ranking nobles of old Ireland, this castle was also a gathering place meant to entertain as well as protect.

You can imagine the heads of the clans gathered around great feast tables in this hall, a fire roaring in the hearth and the great ruckus of stories and jokes before all died down to listen to a minstrel's music.

♪ Silence for a song from the High Kings then to the tourists today as we have the privilege once more to fill this place with music thanks to the fiddle playing of Damien McGeehan and the haunting voice of his wife, Shauna Mullin.

♪ I mind it well ♪ And I see it yet ♪ In a halo of sunset glory ♪ ♪ When I climbed knee-deep ♪ ♪ Through the gorse and the fern ♪ ♪ To keep my tryst with Rory ♪ MICHAEL: Shauna, Damien, the last time I saw ye was about 10 years ago somewhere or more, in the depths of France somewhere on tour.

And when I heard I was coming back to Donegal, I knew the two people I wanted to be on this show because I am separately mad fans of both of ye.

You're leaders in traditional music in Ireland.

And- and Donegal, I'm sure is very, very proud of ye.

What I would love is ye to take your fiddle playing and your gorgeous voice and put it together for us.

Would ye- would ye s- would ye perform something for us?

SHAUNA: Yeah, we'd love to.

DAMIEN: Sure.

SHAUNA: Yep.

MICHAEL: What are you going to perform?

SHAUNA: We're going to do a song called "The Heathery Hills," which was written by a poet called Ethna Carbery a long, long time ago.

And I don't know who put the melody to it, but it's- it's beautiful words, beautiful imagery.

And Damien accompanies me on it, and it's quite unique what he does, it's well, sure.

♪ Like a singing-flame the little red lark ♪ ♪ Poured the joy of its heart above me ♪ ♪ My grief oh my grief ♪ For the Heathery Hills ♪ And the lad that used to love me ♪ MICHAEL: With traditional music, I mean, you couldn't find a better place to live because it's alive and thriving in this part of Ireland.

SHAUNA: Mm-hmm.

MICHAEL: In most parts of Ireland but particularly in Donegal, right?

SHAUNA: Yeah.

DAMIEN: It's fantastic, yeah.

And there's a very strong fiddle tradition up here as well.

So there's a- an organization called Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí.

They organize loads of weekends.

Like they have Glenties Fiddle Weekend, Glen Fiddle Week, and it brings people from all over the world and they all come to learn Donegal-style fiddle playing here in Donegal.

MICHAEL: Tell us about that Donegal-style fiddle playing.

DAMIEN: Well, it's a- it's a very unique style.

It's very different to the- to the styles that you hear other where- other places in the country.

♪ I would part its ease ♪ And its golden store ♪ Though the wise folk may deride me ♪ ♪ ♪ For a summer eve ♪ On the Heathery Hills ♪ And the lad of my heart beside me ♪ (birds chirping) ♪ MICHAEL: While I'm living like a king, I might as well dress like one too.

Luckily, Donegal town is also home to the makers of the very best tweed caps and hats in Ireland.

♪ Some are willing to make the pilgrimage across oceans just to have their very own Hanna Hat handcrafted for their head.

But for me, it's just a short walk up the road from the castle.

Eleanor, Tony, anyone who knows me over the past 20 years knows that on or off stage, I have been wearing Hanna Hats.

Congratulations, because I know you're heading up to a big centenary celebration very soon.

How long have ye been involved in it yourselves?

ELEANOR: I started back in Hanna Hats when I was about 14, 15 years of age, traveling to the States with my father to sell Hanna Hats.

MICHAEL: And Tony, I know you've been here a bit longer, right?

How long are you in the- in the shop?

TONY: Well, I'm here since August, 1979.

I started here with David Hanna, and that would be Eleanor's grandfather.

MICHAEL: If ever there was a family business, this is a family business.

So tell me, so if- when you come here to Donegal Town and a lot of American tourists and people from all over the world want to come to- to see where the hats come from, what ex- what do you have?

What happens when you arrive at Hanna Hats?

What do you learn about?

ELEANOR: Well, we're delighted when they come through the door here.

They meet us as a family, and they meet all our staff as well.

We can explain to them where the tweed comes from.

We can explain how the caps are made, and they can see the machinists inside making the tweed caps and hats.

And if you're very lucky, you can pick a tweed, and can get a cap made as well, depending how busy we are on that day.

MICHAEL: So, obviously, I'm a little bit obsessed with the caps.

Was there any chance that you could, Tony, measure me up for one because I'd love to say that I have a custom-made Hanna Hat.

TONY: That'll be fine.

We'll just do that for you now.

♪ 23 1/4 inches, that's a perfect medium.

MICHAEL: I'm glad you said perfect.

And that is beautiful piece of tweed.

(machine motor whirring) (machine snapping) The all-important snap.

TONY: Yes, so this here is one here, and we'll do the same again in the cap when that piece is made up.

(machine sounds) MICHAEL: So, is that it now?

MARILYN: Yeah, and there's your lovely Hanna Hat.

MICHAEL: Well, I will wear this with pride.

(indistinct sounds) Yet another Hanna Hat on me head.

How's it look, Marilyn?

MARILYN: Lovely, very, very nice.

MICHAEL: Thank you.

Custom hats made individually by hand for precisely the head they're meant for is emblematic of the Irish sense for craft and locality.

But here in Donegal, it runs deeper than that.

After all, if it's tweed hats they're making, your next question might well be, "Where does the tweed come from?"

♪ The answer of course, is right up the road at Studio Donegal, which maintains the tradition of hand weaving, a craft they truly believe in even after the advent of machine weaving threatened to make what they do obsolete.

(loom sounds) Here, true artists of the loom work still to provide a quality of tweed and yarn that's simply unparalleled in our day.

Tristan, we're here at this magical, almost medieval-looking piece of machinery with Kevin here.

Explain this creature of a machine.

TRISTAN: Well, Michael, this is- this is a traditional Donegal hand loom, what's actually called a drop box loom, where we can weave with multiple colors.

MICHAEL: Right, can ye tell me, it looks so intricate and involved.

How long does it take to train somebody to do this?

TRISTAN: It's a little bit like when we were kids learning to ride bicycles.

You got up and you went, and you balanced, and you fell off, and you grazed your knee, and you got up and you- you know, you weren't gonna let your pride be dented, and you got up and you went again.

And most people, you know, can learn to do this, but the really good weavers are the kids who had the BMX bicycles and were able to do the bunny hops and the jumps and we were all so jealous of.

MICHAEL: I guess it all comes down to talent.

Kevin, let's have a look at your work.

Good man, off you go.

(loom rattling) Tristan, this is the part where I get to see the finished product and you know that I'm going to throw my credit card all over this place cause I love your stuff.

Tell us about a few of these pieces.

TRISTAN: Well, just- this is- this is one of my favorites here.

This is a little bit of fun, a little bit of craziness in design.

But for those of you who are interested in physics and relativity, this one is about how do you actually create a throw that, you know, tells the story, or at least I imagine tells the story of the theory of relativity and black holes.

MICHAEL: Right.

TRISTAN: So here you see- you can see we've got the black hole.

Now, it's not actually center of the throw because after all, a black hole isn't gonna just be center of the universe.

But here you've got white light and then this really is like, you know I imagine like what's happening, the power of gravity sucking the light in, causing to shatter into its various colors.

Then you've got blue, you've got gray and blue around the outside creating the atmosphere and the shards of color flying out.

(birds calling) ♪ MICHAEL: As we depart Donegal Town, we head into the sheep-strewn hills of an otherwise largely untouched landscape.

Its beauty is the kind which inspires and brings to me the old stories of our ancient island.

And our next stop is one entwined with just such a myth.

(seagulls crying) ♪ We're out on the bay in the lovely village of Ardara.

About 700 people reside here in what the Irish Times called the best place to live in Ireland in 2012.

And as you know, that's some stiff competition.

With such a close connection to the water, the legend of the Silkie is alive and well here.

If you don't know, they're Ireland's mermaids with a twist.

The Silkie are seal folk able to shed their skin to assume human form, then put it back on again to return to the sea.

(waves crashing) ♪ And instead of the sea nymphs of other folklore who lure men to their watery deaths, it was the beautiful Silkie who were forced to marry land dwellers, a feat accomplished by finding their seal skins and hiding them.

And right here in Ardara are some good people spreading the Silkie name farther abroad by means I heartily approve of, great whiskey.

I think we'll be giving them a visit next.

♪ Sliabh Liag Distillery is one of Ireland's newest, but its state-of-the-art facilities are being used to reclaim and maintain the long-standing distilling traditions of Donegal.

JAMES: It's triple distilling, obviously- MICHAEL: James Doherty, whose family once distilled small batches in just this manner spoke to me about the decision to return to this place and its methods.

JAMES: Irish whiskey of today is really the taste of the cities, and that taste starts with barley and you start with this kind of smell of sort of biscuits and sweetness.

MICHAEL: What I'm used to, yeah, sweetness, yes.

JAMES: But rural island would've dried that barley using peat smoke and so you get this amazing sort of tobacco-like aroma, sort of pipe smoke aroma.

MICHAEL: It's like scraped from a- from a pipe.

JAMES: And we keep that grain in all the way through the process.

And we're probably the only distillers in Ireland that do that by choice.

Smoke comes alive, tastes like hazelnuts.

MICHAEL: So James, obviously, this is my favorite part of the tour of your fantastic distillery.

Tell us all about the Silkie whiskey.

JAMES: Well, the Silkies are a blend of Irish whiskeys that we've released now.

They take you on a journey in smoke, so getting progressively smokier in the style of this distillery.

MICHAEL: Well, let's have a go.

The first one.

JAMES: This is the Legendary Silkie, which is almost butterscotch sweet on the nose.

MICHAEL: It is.

JAMES: Dark Silkie.

MICHAEL: Okay.

JAMES: And this is probably the one that's closest to my heart.

This won the San Francisco Spirits Challenge Best Blended Irish Whiskey last year, so we're really proud of that.

MICHAEL: Congratulations.

JAMES: And this now is sort of salted caramel sweet.

And now onto the Midnight Silkie.

So the one for the end of the evening.

MICHAEL: All right.

JAMES: Smokier still, single malt, rich, fruity, Christmas-like.

MICHAEL: It really does taste like Christmas.

JAMES: Thank you.

MICHAEL: And this is what I will be drinking this Christmas.

That is gorgeous.

It's been a long day crossing this awe- inspiring county.

And although I've enjoyed exploring its many traditions, I think it's time to return to one of my favorites, the pub.

And this establishment is more iconic than most.

Can you guess what it might be called?

I've just come out of the warmth of The Red Door Country House, a restaurant and rooms that's been providing comfort and rest to weary travelers like meself since 1789.

It has amazing views of Lough Swilly, along which ran the railway to Derry for 100 years.

The trains brought such a volume of pilgrims to St. Mura's Holy Well next door, that the landowner diverted the water onto the grounds here, creating a second well in the garden.

Well, if it's all the same water.

The pub only got more popular when Irish singer- songwriter Phil Coulter bought the place in the 1980s.

It's right beside Derry, so this little country house also saw its fair share of peace talks take place within its walls.

Today, ye can enjoy fine dining or a simple pint in the former storehouse.

And tonight, there's music in the bar, so let's see about that pint and have a listen.

♪ ♪ If it ain't love then it must be some magic art ♪ MICHAEL: Local band and sisters, The Henry Girls do what we've seen Donegal does so well, taking tradition, in their case American jazz, realizing what is vital about it, and making it entirely their own.

♪ Please answer me ♪ What can it be if it ain't love ♪ MICHAEL: You know, the reason that I- I love you, you're obviously that tight, beautiful.

You obviously know and understand each other's voices very well, so your harmonies are very tight.

But you bring an Irish sensibility to American jazz, and I know that's very hard to- to understand.

But I hear that Irishness, that folk singing when ye sing jazz together.

I would love if ye could sing for me, I know you do a Fats Waller song, and prove to everybody out there that you bring a little bit of Irish to Fats Waller.

How about it?

LORNA: Let's do it.

Yeah.

JOLEEN: Yeah, why not.

LORNA: Take it away.

♪ ♪ If it ain't love ♪ Why should I feel just like I do ♪ ♪ If it ain't love ♪ Why am I here longing for you ♪ ♪ What can it be ♪ That's makin' me dream of you night and day ♪ ♪ Keepin' me blue ♪ All the day through ♪ Whenever you're away ♪ If it ain't love ♪ Then it must be some magic art ♪ ♪ If it ain't love ♪ ♪ How did this song creep into my heart ♪ ♪ Oh why do I sigh ♪ To the moon high above ♪ Please answer me ♪ What can it be ♪ If it ain't love MICHAEL: Tell me, how do a group of sisters come together and decide to sing your kind of music together?

KAREN: We- we'd all sort of just grew up with music around us all the time, and- and we'd grew up with- with lots of different music.

You know, it wasn't just- like our dad would've loved traditional music, and it's kind of country music, and then our mom loved jazz and she loved I suppose, lots of pop music and harmony singing.

She loved singing harmonies with her sister especially, and also her brother, you know they were just they loved singing.

We had lots of singsongs and parties in our house (Karen laughing) when we were growing up.

MICHAEL: So that's where you learned it.

KAREN: Dragged out of bed, yeah.

But- And so yeah, and then we actually all- you know, we all went on and did music degrees in different- MICHAEL: Ah.

KAREN: Different places and- and different- probably specialized in different things.

Like I was, kind of- I did a bit of jazz and Irish music, like, both.

And yeah, just more- like more along the world music end of things.

And Lorna, you were the same with the ethnomusicology.

LORNA: Yeah.

♪ ♪ (Lorna vocalizing) ♪ ♪ Oh if it ain't love ♪ Why should I feel like I do ♪ ♪ Won't you tell me ♪ Tell me anybody ♪ If it ain't love ♪ Why am I here longing for you ♪ ♪ What can it be ♪ That's makin' me dream of you night and day ♪ ♪ Keepin' me blue all the day through ♪ ♪ Whenever you're away ♪ If it ain't love ♪ Then it surely must be some magic art ♪ ♪ If it ain't love then it must be somethin' ♪ ♪ If it ain't love ♪ How did this song creep into my heart ♪ ♪ Oh why do I sigh ♪ To the moon high above (sisters scatting) ♪ Please answer me ♪ What can it be ♪ If it ain't love ♪ ♪ If it ain't love MICHAEL: Thanks for joining me on my travels around County Donegal.

I'm Michael Londra, and I hope to see you next time on Ireland with Michael.

But for now, cheers.

Sláinte.

ANNOUNCER: Want to continue your travels to Ireland?

A deluxe Ireland with Michael DVD featuring all episodes of Season One plus bonus concert footage is available for $30.

Season Two plus bonus concert footage is available for $30.

A copy of the Ireland with Michael Companion Travel Guide featuring places to visit, as seen in Seasons One and Two, is also available for $30.

ANNOUNCER: This offer is made by Wexford House.

Shipping and handling is not included.

MICHAEL: To learn more about everything you've seen in this episode, go to IrelandWithMichael.com.

ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael was made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

MICHAEL: OK, put your hands up in the air!

Come on, let's get a-waving.

♪ In my heart its rightful queen ♪ ♪ Ever loving, ever tender ♪ MICHAEL: That's it.

♪ Ever true ♪ Like the Sun your smile has shone ♪ MICHAEL: Go on, Wexford.

♪ Gladdening all it glowed upon ♪ ♪