Galway: The Connemara Experience
04/07/2009 Attractions: Atlantaquaria, Aran Islands, Patrick Pearse Cottage, Connemara National Park, Connemara Ocean & Country Museum, Dan O'Hara's Homestead, Kylemore Abbey,
Activities: Golf, Surfing, Swimming, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Horseriding, Hillwalking.===================ATTRACTIONS=======================
GALWAY ATLANTAQUARIA, SALTHILL:
Galway Atlantaquaria is Irelands National Aquarium and home to the country’s largest display of marine and fresh water life.
ARAN ISLANDS:
There are three Aran Islands, Inis Mór (Big Island), Inis Meáin (Middle island) and Inis Oírr (East island). They are situated in a north westerly/ south easterly direction at the mouth of Galway Bay. To fly see www.aerarann.ie. or for ferry see www.aranislandferries.com
PATRICK PEARSE'S COTTAGE, ROSMUC:
This small cottage overlooking the breathtaking lakes and mountains of Connemara, was used by Patrick Pearse (1879-1916) leader of the 1916 Rising, as a summer residence and summer school for his pupils from St Endas, in Dublin.
CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK:
Connemara National Park in Letterfrack is a vast expanse of scenic countryside.
CONNEMARA OCEAN & COUNTRY MUSEUM, LETTERFRACK:
Great for a family day out. The centre features an Aquarium and Maritime Museum. There is also an exhibition of Connemara's marine heritage
DAN O'HARA'S HOMESTEAD, CLIFDEN:
Award winning heritage centre situated on the N59 approximately 5 miles from Clifden. There is an Audio Visual & History Presentation which offers a unique insight into the history and heritage of the area.
KYLEMORE ABBEY:
Kylemore Abbey and its six acre walled Victorian Garden. Allow 2 hours to visit The Abbey, The Gothic Church and the Garden. A shuttle bus operates to the Garden.
SHEEP & WOOL MUSEUM, LEENANE:
Founded in 1992 with a view to displaying and conserving different items which were used in the wool industry locally.
==================BLUE FLAG BEACHES 2010================
Galway has 6 great Blue Flag beaches.
Salthill(West of Galway City)
Silverstrand/Trá na gCeann(West of Galway City)
Trá an Doilín (An Cheathrú Rua)
An Trá Mór (Inverin)
Cill Muirbhthe (Aran)
Loughrea Bathing Place
==================SCENIC DRIVES=======================
Along the way learn a little history, take in a round of golf, go horseriding, surfing, sailing,diving, or hillwalking... There are Restaurants, Cafes and Bars- all with great local food. Connemara is of course famous for its fresh fish.
-----------------------------GALWAY COAST ROAD--------------------------------------
The Coast Road runs along the beautiful coastline of Galway Bay and right to the heart of Connemara. Be enthralled by the natural and largely unspoilt beauty of this rugged coastline. This route is about 100 miles so here it is broken into four stages.
Salthill-An Cheathrú Rua:
Salthill just outside Galway City-An Cheathrú Rua(Carraroe) approx 25/26 miles.
Take the R336 Coast Road through Salthill heading west. Travelling along Galway Bay there are lots of little villages, inlets and beaches for you to explore.
Spiddal has a great craft centre while Inverin is home to Connemara Airport. You can fly from here to the Aran Islands see www.aerarann.ie. Outside Ballynahown take a left onto the R372 which will keep you close to the coast and bring you into Ros a' Mhíl(Rossaveel). From the harbour here you can take the ferry to the Aran Islands. Check www.aranislandferries.com for times and prices.
Continuing on to return to the R336 and into Costelloe. To stay on the coast keep left turning onto the R343 for An Cheathrú Rua(Carraroe).
An Cheathrú Rua is most famous for The Galway Hooker(fishing boat) and for Féile an Dóilín, its maritime festival held annually over the August Bank Holiday weekend and the last weekend in September. Check out http://www.doilin.com for details.
It's beautiful coral strand, Trá an Dóilín, is also a Blue Flag Beach.
An Cheathrú Rua-Carna:
From here it's on to Carna which is approx 33/34 miles.
Leaving An Cheathrú Rua turn left on to the R374 to Toureen. Here take a right and follow this road over the bridge to Leitir Móir/Lettermore. This the first of three islands, all connected by bridge. The countryside here is very rugged with lovely sandy beaches. For the golfer there is the exhilarating Connemara Isle Golf Links right on the Atlantic Coast. The other islands are Garmna and Leitir Mealláin/Lettermullen.
Back to the R336 and then onto Kinvarra. Approx 3 miles from Kinvarra turn left onto the R340-Coast Road.
3 miles further on turn left off this road heading to Rosmuck where you can visit PEARSE'S COTTAGE.
Continue on the R340 to Carna/Cashel/Glynsk. From Cashel Hill there are magnificent views out over Bertraghboy Bay. To the North, the famous Twelve Bens and the Maamturks.
Carna-Roundstone:
Carna to Roundstone is approx 20 miles. Continue on to Glenturkeen turning left here onto the R342 and after Cloonisle another left onto the R341 and on to Roundstone.
This lovely village at the foot of Errisbeg offers plenty of accommodation, pubs with traditional music- most evenings, and of course some excellent restaurants.
The beaches of Gurteen and Dog’s Bay about 2 miles out the Ballyconneely road are ideal for Windsurfing, Canoeing, Snorkelling, Scuba Diving and Sailing. Equipment can be bought or rented out in the village. There is also a Championship Links Golf Course nearby. Have a look at their excellent local website www.roundstone.ie for more.
Roundstone-Clifden:
The last stage of this drive is from Roundstone to Clifden(regarded as the capital of Connemara), about 15 miles.
The Ballyconneely Peninsula has beaches which are great for swimming, surfing and fishing- at low tide there are plenty of edible shellfish.
Derrygimla Bog, about two miles from Ballyconneely Village is where Alcock and Brown landed their twin-engined plane in 1919. They had flown from Newfoundland in Canada in just over sixteen hours.
Clifden is regarded as the capital of Connemara. In the pubs live traditional Irish music, great restaurants, designer clothing at the Station House, paintings at the various art galleries and antiques and quality craft work.
CLIFDEN STATION HOUSE MUSEUM has an exhibit on the ground floor which traces the history of the Connemara Pony, while the upper gallery houses the local history section.
---------------------------------------SKY ROAD---------------------------------------------
While in Clifden drive or walk the Sky Road. It's about 7miles with wonderful views over the bay. It takes you past the ruin of Clifden Castle overlooking the sea. A little further on the road splits with the low road by the sea and the high road to the monument. From the high road there are magnificent views of Inishturk and Turbot. Continuing on you will join the low road again. Keeping to the left takes you straight to the coast at Eyrephort. You will have to turn around here and return to the Sky Road where you can either return to Clifden or continue along the Streamstown Bay to rejoin the N59.
------------------------------THE CONNEMARA LOOP---------------------------------------
The Connemara Loop which is about 50 miles long, across bog and grassland, through the mountains and along the coast. The landscape while rugged and barren has a unique beauty to it. Highlights of this trip are without doubt Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park and Killary Fjord.
Before you head off have a look at the map of the route on www.goconnemara.com. Being a loop you can of course go in either direction.
From Clifden take the N59 north to Letterfrack. On the right on your approach to Letterfrack you will see the entrance to CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK. This park covers over 7,000 acres of scenic mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands. Some of the mountains here- Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght, are part of the famous Twelve Bens/Pins range. On foot make your way along the track to the top of Diamond Hill. From here you will be rewarded with some spectacular views. To the North East the Twelve Pins, Kylemore Abbey and Kylemore Lough , Tully Mountain on the coast to the West and to the North beyond Killary Fjord the summit of Mweelrea, Connaught’s highest mountain.
On now to KYLEMORE ABBEY www.kylemoreabbey.com. Kylemore Abbey & Gardens on the shores of Kylemore Lake simply has to be seen.
Inside the Abbey there is access to 6 rooms where through storyboards you will learn its history. From the Abbey its a short walk to the little Church. The Church is a ‘cathedral in miniature’, complete with a crypt, projecting corner buttresses and carved angelic gargoyles. A shuttle bus takes you to the Victorian Walled Gardens. A stream divides the enclosed section of the Garden into two distinct areas; the Kitchen Garden and the Flower Garden. The Victorian Walled Garden is closed from the end of October to the middle of March.
Continuing on from Kylemore the road will fork. The N59 left will take you straight to Killary, while the R344 to the right will take you through the unspoilt and scenic Inagh Valley. Towering above to the left are the Maumturk Mountains. To the right are the shores of Lough Innagh and Lough Derryclare. In Recess its left onto the N59 to Maam Cross. If you happen to be here on the first Tuesday after the October Bank Holiday it will be busy, this being the annual Traditional Fair. It is mainly an agricultural market selling cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens and highly-prized Connemara Ponies there are also traditional food and clothing stalls. In the Marquee some great traditional music and dance.
Leaving Maum Cross its left again onto the R336 taking you to Maam and Leenane. You will again be struck by the bleak yet fantastic mixture of bog, mountain and stream.
Leenane on Killary Harbour is simply stunning. It is Irelands only fjord and its where the roads from Clifden, Westport and Galway all meet.
Both freshwater and sea fishing are catered for by Aasleagh and Delphi fisheries. Sailing and diving are available from Scubadive West. Walkers can follow trails along the Western Way which meander over the Maamturk Mountains and along the side of Killary Harbour. For a cultural experience, visit the SHEEP and WOOL MUSEUM or come for the Currach Racing festival in June.
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