Some stars choose Cote d’Azur, Sicily or the sparkling waters of the Maldives. Some splash out on six-figure safaris. But not Sarah Jessica Parker, the star behind everyone’s favourite New Yorker, Carrie Bradshaw. Instead, for the last 30 years, Parker has regularly visited a holiday home on the coast of County Donegal in northwest Ireland.
While Carrie’s New York was defined by chaos – the noise of the city, the constant drama of a brimming social calendar – the Donegal coast brings its own kind of drama to Sarah Jessica Parker’s life.
© Getty ImagesHome to some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe and blessed with rugged, rocky beaches, winding ocean drives and weather so unpredictable there’s not a Manolo Blahnik in sight on the coastal paths, this quiet corner of Ireland offers almost as much excitement as New York City, but in a far slower, wilder way.
Where does Sarah Jessica Parker actually stay?
SJP, as the locals refer to her, has fallen head over high heels for the region thanks to her holiday home in the tiny, rural village Roelough on the south Donegal coast. Inherited by her and her husband, Matthew Broderick, from his family, they have visited numerous times over the last three decades and have now gained planning permission for an extension to the home, expanding its capacity for family holidays to come.
Even after 30 years of holidaying here, she still waxes lyrical about it on Instagram: “Photos really. They never quite capture it. And there is always more. And you should have SEEN it,” she wrote in 2025. Surrounded by livestock grazing pasture, rocky hilltops and jagged cliffs, and with some of Donegal’s best scenery on its doorstep, it’s easy to see why she has such a love affair with the region.
What is there to do in Donegal?
Take a hike
Those who come to Donegal, including SJP, almost all beeline for Sliabh Liag (pronounced ‘shleeve league’), a 20-minute drive west of Roelough. These are Europe’s highest accessible sea cliffs, towering 600 metres above the ocean and providing homes for nesting guillemots and kittiwakes.
© Getty ImagesOnly the hardiest hillwalkers should climb the One Man’s Pass hiking route, which follows the narrow ridge atop the cliffs, but most can handle the Pilgrim’s Path, a 2.5-mile stroll from the village of Teelin. Alternatively, should your boots not be made for walking, opt for a shuttle bus from the same village, or park at the Sliabh Liag Car Park and follow the tarmac road for 25 minutes to the cliff viewing platform.
Unwind on the sand
The coast here is not all plunging coastal ramparts, though, as Donegal has some of the most enchanting beaches in Ireland. Fintra Beach, near Killybegs, is a large swathe of soft golden sand, which spans almost 2,000 feet wide and the shore, at low tide, is almost 200 feet from the grassy dunes that separate it from the village above.
A half-hour drive north from here, you’ll find another Blue Flag beach at Portnoo, which has a sand spit connecting to a tiny island at low tide, and a beachside sauna for a wild spa experience.
Where to shop
SJP has been known to indulge in a little retail therapy while she’s holidaying here, checking out the handwoven blankets from Studio Donegal in Kilcar, just a couple of miles from her home, as well as the finely tailored tweed by Tríona, which Carrie wore in coat form in And Just Like That.
© GC ImagesHead to their visitor centre in the town of Ardara, where you can watch the looms in action before wandering down the road for a pub lunch at Nancy’s. This local stalwart is a rabbit warren of snugs and dining nooks with locally smoked salmon and Guinness beef stews on the menu.
A little further afield to the east, Donegal town is home to the Magee department store, which has been spotted in SJP’s wardrobe over the years. This fifth-generation Irish business has tailored tweed for men and women, fine homewares and Irish designer shoes and clothes.
© Getty ImagesWhere should I stay?
Self catering
Good quality holiday homes abound in south Donegal, including this restored sheep farmer’s cottage with sea views in Kilcar, or this modern house on the shores of Fintra Beach.
Opt for a five-star hotel
If you want the five-star, celebrity treatment, head a little further east to Lough Eske Hotel.
© HarcourtSet on the shores of a large lake and with beautiful walks on its doorstep, this 19th-century castle is an impressive abode and has generous bedrooms (from £385 per night), a fabulous spa inside an old glass house, and a restaurant serving Irish ingredients from land and sea.
Look out for the Lucian Freud portrait of Andrew Parker-Bowles on the ground floor – the Queen Consort’s ex husband is a director of the organisation that owns the hotel and has visited several times, so you’re in good company.
