Donegal Town — Flight of the Earls
Uncover the secret escape route of Red Hugh O'Donnell and the Earls from Donegal Castle. Decode clues hidden in O'Donnell strongholds to expose their final farewell plot before exile.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1607, Ireland's last Gaelic lords, Red Hugh O'Donnell and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, fled their ancestral stronghold in Donegal Town under cover of night
Donegal Town — Flight of the Earls
You are a royal agent, tasked by King James I in the autumn of 1607 to investigate the sudden disappearance of the O'Neill and O'Donnell clans from the Ulster
Relive the tragic fate of Ulster's last great Gaelic chiefs, forced into exile during the Flight of the Earls in 1607, an event that reshaped Ireland's history.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« After plots were made against him and his fellow northern Earls they left Ireland forever in the epic journey known as the Flight of the Earls in 1607. »— Flight of the Earls Heritage Centre, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
The story that haunts this land
Your investigation into the Flight of the Earls in 1607 begins at the Flight of the Earls Heritage Centre in Rathmullan, a fort built in 1880 to defend against a potential French invasion. This center overlooks the exact shore from which Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, left Ireland on September 14, 1607. The exhibition, rich in models, maps, artworks, and wax mannequins, allows you to visualize the Earls and their families. This essential starting point for understanding Gaelic historical heritage marks the beginning of your exploration of Ulster Heritage.
Heading towards Donegal Town, you reach the site of Donegal Abbey, a major historic religious site. Although Rory O'Donnell is buried alongside Hugh O'Neill at the altar of the Franciscan church of San Pietro in Montorio in Rome, remnants of the O'Donnell presence remain locally. This place, linked to Gaelic and Franciscan heritage, offers insight into spiritual life before the Plantation of Ulster. Your walking tour allows you to appreciate the tranquility of this Irish historical monument, a must-see Donegal tourist site.
The route then takes you to Lough Swilly, the historic northern port from which the French ship departed on September 14, 1607. Approximately 90 family members and followers accompanied the Earls. The ship, initially bound for A Coruña in Spain, was diverted to France in early October 1607 by fierce storms. This key location of the Irish Earls Exile is a silent testament to this event. Visiting this site immerses you directly in the heart of history, a crucial moment in the history of Donegal and Ulster.
At the heart of Donegal Town, The Diamond, the historic central square, represents an urban focal point of Donegal's historic district. This vibrant square is the ideal place for a break and to observe the daily life of the town that was once the stronghold of the O'Donnell clan. The streets around the Diamond have witnessed centuries of Irish history, from Gaelic kings to settlers of the Plantation of Ulster. It is here that history blends with modern life, offering a striking contrast to the Donegal visitor.
Finally, your thematic circuit in Ulster leads you to the majestic Donegal Castle, a historic fortress linked to the O'Donnells. Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, was the patriarch of the O'Donnell clan before his departure in 1607. This castle represents pre-Plantation of Ulster Gaelic Irish power. Exploring its walls, you understand the magnitude of the loss suffered by Ireland during the Flight of the Earls 1607. The River Eske, a major waterway flowing through Donegal Town, adds a geographical dimension structuring the historic urban landscape, offering a comprehensive perspective on this region rich in Ulster monuments. Your Donegal scavenger hunt concludes here, providing a deep understanding of Irish history.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Maritime Epic
Relive the dramatic departure of the Earls by sea, a desperate act marking the end of an era.
Political Testament
Uncover the last wishes and profound motivations of the Gaelic lords before their forced exile.
Shattered Legacy
Explore the sites that bear witness to the end of the Gaelic order and the radical transformation of Ulster.
Reconstruct the testament of the last Gaelic nobility.
Uncover the secrets of the Flight of the Earls.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Relive the tragic fate of Ulster's last great Gaelic chiefs, forced into exile during the Flight of the Earls in 1607, an event that reshaped Ireland's history.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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