Is Donaghadee really the best place to live in Northern Ireland?

Donaghadee is the best place to live in Northern Ireland, according to The Sunday Times

I'm a blow-in, as the locals say - someone who was not born in Donaghadee but has now settled in the area.

Like me, there are thousands of people in this little County Down coastal haven who have decided to call Donaghadee home and, for others, there's a reason they've never left.

Now the Sunday Times has crowned it Northern Ireland's best place to live.

But rather than me just telling you why I relocated, I asked some residents why they think it deserves its new title.

For Jake Holford, from Newcastle upon Tyne in England, moving to Donaghadee in July 2021 was "a homecoming for my wife Lorna and somewhere new for me".

Jake and baby Jackson enjoy daily walks along the seafront

"We looked at a number of areas around Belfast and then fate led us to drive to a childhood favourite destination of my wife and in an instant we knew Donaghadee was home," he tells BBC News NI.

Jake and Lorna welcomed their son Jackson into the world in June and are expecting another baby this July.

"It's going to be simply a wonderful place for them to grow up," says Jake.

"Rockpooling, walks along the harbour, exploring the beach - that's what makes Donaghadee the best place not just for us, but for our family to live now and for many years to come."

'It's given us the space to breathe'

It's a similar story for Aimée and Sean Conway.

They moved to Donaghadee from London in the summer of 2020 after "getting a bit tired of the rat race and how unaffordable everything was getting".

The couple also hoped to start a family so they wanted to be close to Aimée's family in nearby Newtownards.

Aimée and her husband Sean moved to Northern Ireland during the Covid lockdown

"We love the fact that the majority of shops and restaurants are independent and locally owned, that the sea is on your doorstep and that you can see Scotland on a clear day," says Aimée.

"It's given us the space to breathe and relax and we're super happy now that our little baby son Vinnie gets to grow up in the best place to live in Northern Ireland."

The Chunky Dunkers - a community within a community

The slipway is the home of sea swimming group the Chunky Dunkers.

Allison Allen, Kathryn Strain and Bridie McElhill swim most days in Donaghadee

"The Dunkers is a community within a community really," says Kathryn Strain.

"Anybody is welcome to join us as long as they don't wear a wetsuit - that's our wee rule."

Bridie McElhill adds: "The location is perfect. We're the location for the North Channel swimmers so it gives us a world place.

"People from all over come here to swim and they all love it."

In the summer of 2022, Flavour First opened a sunflower field

From shoe shops to sunbeds, the town has lots of thriving businesses.

Gareth Irvine, who owns Copeland Distillery, which makes gin, rum and whiskey, lives in Donaghadee with his wife Yasmin and son Tadhg.

Copeland Distillery takes its name from the Copeland Islands, which are just off Donaghadee

"The community aspect of it is great, we love it," he says.

"We're so proud of being able to fly the flag for Northern Ireland - we have stuff on its way to Australia this morning and our next one is off to Japan.

"We're exporting Donaghadee globally and this [award] is just the cherry on top."

Donaghadee also claims the title of being home to Northern Ireland's oldest pub, Grace Neill's.

The bar was established in 1611 as the Kings Arms and was renamed after Grace Neill, who was given the bar as a wedding present from her father Hugh Jamison.

"We get people from all over coming to visit and they just love Donaghadee," says manager April Taylor.

'Perfect place to bring up a family'

For the Kelly family, who run Robin's Nest, a coffee and gift shop, Donaghadee has been home for 23 years.

Jill and Stephen live in Donaghadee with their sons Stephen, 14, and William, 11, and dog Coco

"I wouldn't want to live anywhere else," says Jill.

"It's the perfect place to bring up a family.

"The schools, Donaghadee Primary in particular, the walks, the facilities and the people just make it what is."

Jamie, pictured at Donaghadee lighthouse with his family, says there is "a real buzz around the town"

Fitness coach Jamie Lemon lives in Donaghadee with his wife and three children.

"The best thing for me about Donaghadee is how inviting it is for young families," he said.

"We can walk 10 minutes from our home into town, meet friends at the park, take in the amazing views and have dinner before walking home."

'I still love it'

Robbie Ingham plays for the local rugby and cricket clubs.

"I've grown up here and I still love it," he said.

"The amount of people who want to move to the new housing developments in the area, like High Trees, from outside of Donaghadee shows how good a place it is.

"There's a great welcoming atmosphere at the rugby and cricket clubs and there are loads of pubs and restaurants and walks."