Connemara 1 Day Tour From Dublin

The Connemara day tour takes you to the wild west of Ireland, with its lakes, mountains, and bogs, where the traditions of yesteryear are still very much a part of daily life. This scenic country tour includes a photo stop at the romantic Kylemore Abbey, a 90 minutes boat cruise on the Killary fjord in summer, or traditional sheepdog trials and turf cutting in winter. Before we head back to Dublin we make a stop off at the glengowla silver and lead mines. 6:30 am We depart from Suffolk street outside the old stone church (sitemap is available within the link to the booking page). We head towards Galway with a short break in Athlone to break the journey. 9:00 am We have a short coffee break in Galway and then head out the coast road taking a scenic route to Oughterard, "The Gateway to Connemara". We will pass through many quaint towns and enjoy the beautiful scenery before we enter the national park, which has no boundary lines but is marked by its truly outstanding beauty and panoramic, unspoiled views. Enjoy this truly unique part of Ireland. We will visit a famous bridge in the area that any fan of John Wayne "The Quiet Man" will recognize straight away. 10:30 am Time to visit the only Fjord in Ireland: "Killary Fjord". Enjoy the views across the water of Mweelrea, the highest mountain range on the west coast and marvel at the mussel beds in the harbor. During the high season ( April - October ) this tour includes a one and a half hour boat cruise around Killary harbor. Your lunch stop will be on the boat during these months. During the low season ( November - March ) the boat cruise does not run but instead, we will visit the Killary Sheep Farm, a traditional farm with approximately 200 ewes and lambs that roam freely around the fjord. You will be given a skilled sheepdog demonstration and told about how the people and the livestock cope with the barren land and the harsh weather. You will also be given a demonstration on Turf cutting. Maybe turn a sod yourself! 11:30 am Then we travel to Maam Cross, a particularly beautiful place with picture perfect views of lakes, hills and other gems. Breathe in the air and enjoy the stillness of this enchanted place. This national park is truly a hidden gem. This area is also a Gaeltacht area, which means that Irish is still the first language of its inhabitants. We expect you all to have a few words of Irish by the end of the day, but don't worry there won't be any exams! We'll drive along the mesmerizing Maumturk mountains and the Twelve Bens and arrive at the village of Recess, where we'll learn some more about the history of the region concerning aviation history and radio. I won't spoil it by saying more. 12:30 pm We will travel through the fabulous Inagh Valley, which was featured on the mobile phone add "can you hear me now", a line every Irish person says when reception is poor. This is a beautiful area and if you can't get a good picture here, you can't get one anywhere! Next stop is "Kylemore Abbey", once a prestigious girls boarding school, it now homes nuns on retreat and welcomes tourists from everywhere around the world. The abbey is situated at the base of the Druchruach mountains with views out to the northern shore of Lough Pollacapall. You will be allotted sufficient time to enjoy the views, history and the pure beauty of this place. 2:00 pm Next on the list is the village of Leenane where the iconic film "The Field" was shot - a must-see for any film buff. The story of the Bull McCabe captures the Irish mindset of the value of land above all things. From here, we will continue in a circular route towards Galway taking in views of the Sheefry Hills. 3.00 pm We visit the intriguing Glengowla silver mines which were abandoned in 1865 and is now run as a museum and a fascinating insight into life back then. 7:30 pm Back in Dublin after a long, yet full day of sights and adventure!