Book Your Stay
Book Your Stay
Letterkenny · Donegal · Beyond
Rockhill House is well placed for three quite different shopping destinations. Letterkenny, ten minutes away, is the North West’s principal retail hub — high street brands, independent specialists, and one of the best artisan markets in Donegal. The county itself is internationally known for handwoven tweed, traditional knitwear, and craft producers from Ardara to Kilcar to Killybegs. And within 30 to 90 minutes, Derry and Belfast both offer exceptional shopping in their own right — the Craft Village in Derry and St George’s Market in Belfast among the finest in Ireland.
Letterkenny
10 min
from Rockhill House
Letterkenny Shopping Centre
40+
retail units
Artisan Market
Weekly
Saturdays & last Thursdays
Magee 1866
160 yrs
of Donegal tweed
Hanna Hats
Est. 1924
handcrafted headwear, Donegal Town
McElhinneys
Ballybofey
Donegal’s leading department store
10 Minutes from Rockhill House
The shops worth seeking out beyond the high street. Letterkenny has a genuine independent retail scene that rewards exploration.
Local Produce & Coffee
Local produce, artisan food, and a genuinely good strong coffee. One of those shops that tells you more about a town than any tourist guide. Worth stopping in even if you are not buying.
Antiques & Jewellery
Antique furniture, china, and a wide selection of fine and contemporary jewellery. A well-regarded independent shop that has built a loyal following across the North West. Excellent for unusual gifts and one-off pieces.
Donegal Pottery & Tweeds
Donegal pottery, tweeds, and art alongside a good coffee. A local favourite that combines the practical and the beautiful in the way the best craft shops do. A pleasant stop on any Letterkenny afternoon.
Giftware & Interiors
Giftware, home interiors, and accessories with a carefully curated selection that stands apart from the high street. The kind of shop you tend to spend longer in than expected.
Irish Design & Donegal Makers
A beautifully curated Irish design and gifts shop in Letterkenny, stocking work by Donegal and Irish makers across ceramics, jewellery, textiles, artwork, and beauty. Producers include McNutt of Donegal, Voya, Donegal Natural Soap, Garrett Mallon jewellery, and Shaun Egan Photography. One of the best places in the town to find genuinely local work.
amelias.ie →Children & Crafts
Creative hobby products for children — the kind of shop that keeps younger visitors occupied on a rainy afternoon and sends them home with something to make. A reliable find for families.
Sport & GAA
The place to find Donegal county colours and GAA gear. A well-stocked sports retailer that covers everything from football to outdoor pursuits. Also try Elverys in the Retail Park for a broader range of sportswear brands.
Every Saturday & Last Thursday
The Letterkenny Artisan Market at Carrygally Business Park in Lismonaghan is one of the best market days in the North West. Fresh farm produce, street food, vegan treats, and local crafts from producers who are happy to tell you where everything comes from and how it was made.
A short drive from Rockhill House and well worth timing a Saturday morning around.
Saturday Market
Every Saturday, 10am – 3pm at Carrygally Business Park, Lismonaghan, Letterkenny.
Thursday Evening Market
Last Thursday of each month, 5.30pm – 9.30pm at the same location.
What to Expect
Fresh farm produce, artisan bread and cheese, street food, vegan options, local crafts, and producers who know their goods.
High Street & Retail Parks
For high street brands and larger retail, Letterkenny is the principal destination in the North West.
Letterkenny Shopping Centre
The largest shopping centre in the county, with over 40 retail units including Tesco and Penneys. The main covered mall for everyday shopping in the town.
The Courtyard Shopping Centre
Centrally located on Main Street with independent retailers alongside anchor tenants including Sports Direct, Eason, and Iceland. Good for a browse through the town centre.
Letterkenny Retail Park
A convenient cluster of quality stores including Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx, Next, and River Island. Also home to Century Cinemas, making it a full day-out destination for families.
Donegal’s Craft Heritage
Donegal is internationally known for its handwoven tweed and craft heritage. The county’s weaving towns — Ardara, Kilcar, and Donegal Town in particular — are worth the journey from Rockhill for anyone interested in authentic Irish craftsmanship. These are working producers, not tourist reproductions.
Est. 1866 · Donegal Town
A landmark store founded over 160 years ago, specialising in luxurious handwoven tweed clothing. Classic jackets, suits, and a made-to-measure service for those who want something genuinely bespoke. One of the most respected names in Irish tweed.
Live Weaving Demonstrations · Ardara
A flagship store and visitor centre in Ardara, the heartland of Donegal weaving, where you can watch live hand-weaving demonstrations alongside purchasing authentic tweed coats, jackets, and Celtic jewellery. Ardara itself is a village worth an afternoon.
Est. 1924 · Donegal Town
Founded by David Hanna in 1924, this family-run business is famous for handcrafted bespoke headwear — traditional caps, hats, and made-to-order pieces. A hundred years of craft in a single shop. One of the most distinctive things you can bring home from Donegal.
Woollen Mill · Kilcar
A small working woollen mill in Kilcar, dedicated to maintaining the traditional craft of hand-weaving while incorporating modern designs. The kind of producer whose work is carried in shops across Ireland but whose mill is worth visiting for the context it provides.
16 Local Makers · Killybegs
A collective of 16 local makers in Killybegs offering Donegal-made art, wool sweaters, and handcrafted gifts. Every piece in the shop is made locally — a genuinely curated selection of work from people who live and create on this coastline.
Workshops · Donegal Town
A cluster of workshops in Donegal Town where local artisans create and sell glass art, jewellery, pottery, and hand-felted items. You can often observe the artists at work Monday through Saturday — a different experience from browsing a finished display.
Est. 2020 · First Licensed Donegal Distillery in 180 Years
A boutique craft whiskey distillery in the Gaeltacht village of Croithlí, set between the Wild Atlantic Coast and the Derryveagh Mountains. Donegal’s first licensed distillery since 1840, using vintage Charentais Cognac stills over direct fire in a restored 1901 building that has been an Army barracks, a carpet factory serving kings and presidents, and the home of the world-famous Crolly Dolls. Award-winning small-batch Irish whiskey, guided tours, and tastings seven days a week. And if you want to try it before you make the journey — it is served at the bars here at Rockhill House.
THECROLLYDISTILLERY.COM →Beyond Letterkenny
McElhinneys · Ballybofey
One of Ireland’s leading independent retailers, known for an extensive range of designer brands, luxury beauty, and a dedicated bridal department. Famous for its dazzling Christmas window displays and a Donegal institution in its own right. Rated 4.5 stars from over 1,700 reviews.
Four Masters Bookshop · Donegal Town
An excellent selection of local history books, maps, and Irish music — the kind of independent bookshop that Donegal Town deserves. A very good place to find material on the history and landscape of the county that you will not find in airport shops.
Mulroy Music · Milford · 20 min
The place to find traditional Irish musical instruments — fiddles, uilleann pipes, bodhráns, tin whistles — from knowledgeable people who play them. 20 minutes from Letterkenny and the right stop for anyone serious about traditional music.
Derry Craft Village · 30 min
Worth visiting alongside a walk around the historic walled city of Derry, 30 minutes from Rockhill. One of the best-preserved walled cities in Europe, with the Craft Village sitting at the heart of the city centre. A very natural pairing with a Causeway Coastal Route day trip.
30 Minutes from Rockhill
Derry is an exceptional shopping destination in its own right — and 30 minutes from Rockhill. The combination of the Craft Village and the walled city streets makes it one of the best places in the North West for independent and artisan finds.
The Jewel in Derry’s Crown · 70+ Crafters
A reconstruction of an 18th-century street and 19th-century square at the heart of the walled city — Dickensian in appearance, with over 70 local crafters selling fine art prints, jewellery, glass, silks, tweed, and knitwear alongside coffee shops and restaurants. Among the makers: Edel McBride, the award-winning Aran knitwear designer whose work has been worn by Hillary Clinton and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The Craft Village is in the heart of the walled city, steps from the city walls. Combine it with a walk around the walls and the Bogside murals for a full Derry afternoon.
DERRY CRAFT SHOPS →Foyleside & Richmond Centres
For high street brands, Derry has two major shopping centres. Richmond Shopping Centre houses 35 retailers in the city centre. Foyleside is the premier shopping destination, centrally located with national and international brands.
Cooley Jewellers · Derry History Ring
Wedding and diamond ring specialists who also produce the Derry History Ring and Pendant, inscribed with eight icons of the city’s history including its famous Oakleaf and Acorn. A meaningful piece for anyone with Derry connections.
Guildhall Press
Ireland’s premier independent publishing house, based in Derry. Local history titles, poetry, and publications that give genuine depth to the city’s past. Worth seeking out if books are your thing.
90 Minutes from Rockhill
Belfast has transformed into one of the most compelling shopping destinations in Ireland. For those combining a day in the city with a Causeway Coastal Route trip, the combination of St George’s Market and the Cathedral Quarter is hard to beat.
Friday Market Since 1604 · Victorian Building 1890–1896
One of the oldest and most celebrated markets in the UK and Ireland, housed in a stunning Victorian building built between 1890 and 1896. The Friday Variety Market runs 8am–2pm with around 248 stalls selling fresh produce, antiques, fish, crafts, and street food. Saturday’s City Food and Craft Market (9am–3pm) adds live music from local bands. Sunday combines both from 10am–3pm and adds antique sellers.
The Friday market has been on this site since 1604 — making it one of the oldest continuously running markets in Ireland.
ST GEORGE’S MARKET →Cathedral Quarter · Independent Boutiques
The Cathedral Quarter is Belfast’s creative and independent shopping hub — little boutiques, craft shops, and indie stores on cobbled streets. The Craft NI gallery shows work from over 50 contemporary Northern Irish makers. Kindred of Ireland uses artisanal techniques to create contemporary linen fashion.
Steensons · Bedford Street
One of Ireland’s leading handcrafted jewellery designers, known for the locally made pieces used in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones-inspired jewellery alongside their own distinctive contemporary Irish pieces. A genuinely exceptional Belfast independent.
Victoria Square & CastleCourt
For high street brands and department stores, Belfast’s two main shopping centres have it covered. Victoria Square has House of Fraser, Urban Outfitters, and Hugo Boss alongside an Odeon Cinema. CastleCourt has over 80 stores in the heart of the city.
Complimentary for All Guests
All guests at Rockhill House receive complimentary access to our digital guide — including shopping recommendations for Letterkenny, Donegal, Derry, and Belfast. Market dates, craft producer tips, and everything else our team rate in the area.
ACCESS THE GUIDE →Plan Your Stay
Our team know Letterkenny and Donegal well. Whatever you are looking for — a particular craft, a market day, a specific producer — ask us and we will point you in the right direction.
