Connemara Driving Tour - Self Drive

Connemara Driving Tour
+353 (0)91 537700

Connemara's unique landscape and quiet roads make it an ideal place to get behind the wheel and explore the countryside. You'll have the freedom to meander at your own pace, stop for photographs and detour down back roads to discover your very own slice of Connemara life. This two-day driving tour, with optional detours to the islands, takes in the best scenery and attractions on an easy loop from Galway City.



Day 1

Depart from Galway and follow the R336 west along the north shore of Galway Bay. As you leave the city behind you’ll pass through the small towns of Bearna and Furbo and from there it’s an easy jaunt to Spiddal. You’ll find a popular blue-flag beach here and also the Spiddal Craft Centre where you can see artists and craftspeople at work in their studios.

Spiddal is the gateway to the Connemara Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) and from here on you’ll see shops and signs marked out in Irish. Just past Spiddal is the town of Inverin from where you can take a short flight across to the Aran Islands. Alternatively you can take a ferry from Rossaveal which is only a little further down the road. The three Aran Islands make a wonderful detour and are well worth an overnight stay. With breathtaking scenery, an unhurried pace of a life and vibrant traditional culture, they’re a highlight of any trip to the region. On Inis Mór, the largest island, you’ll find the spectacular Bronze Age fort of Dún Aonghasa. Perched on top of a 100m-high cliff, this semi-circular fort is one of the most magnificent in Europe.

Back on the mainland continue on through the picturesque village of Costelloe to Screeb where you turn left on to the R340 towards Gortmore. Follow the signs to the left for Rosmuc and make your way down the tranquil back road to the water’s edge and the summer residence of Patrick Pearse (1879 - 1916), national hero and leader of the 1916 Rising. Pearse’s Cottage, a small, traditional thatched cottage overlooking the sea, contains an exhibition on Pearse’s life and a number of his mementoes.

Return to the main road at Gortmore and continue along the R340 which skirts the coastline and offers spectacular views out to sea and inland to the mountains. You’ll pass the villages of Carna, Toombeola and Ballinahinch before arriving at Roundstone, where you can visit Roundstone Music & Crafts, a traditional instrument workshop where you can see bodhráns, traditional goat-skin drums, being made. Roundstone also has a pristine white sand beach at Gurteen Bay, a great spot for swimming.

From Roundstone follow the road into Ballyconneely to visit the Connemara Smokehouse where a wide range of smoked and marinated fish is cured in the traditional way. Nearby you’ll find the famed Connemara Championship Links, a 27-hole golf course with wonderful ocean views. Head on towards Clifden and take a short detour down the N59 to visit the Connemara Heritage & History Centre (Dan O’Hara’s Homestead) where you can get a glimpse of life in times past. The restored cottage and farm includes a reconstructed crannóg (Neolithic lake dwelling) and clochán (a stone beehive hut) as well as a cottage and farm buildings. Exhibitions, demonstrations and commentary bring the rural history of Connemara to life. From here it’s an easy 10km back to Clifden, the capital of Connemara.



Day 2

Well rested and well fed, set off from Clifden and head north on the N59 to Streamstown. Follow the signs to the left to reach Cleggan, gateway to Inishbofin Island. Regular ferries make a day or overnight trip an easy detour while the stunning scenery, vibrant music scene and host of historic sites make it well worth the effort. Once back on the mainland return to the main road and continue on towards Letterfrack. Just before the town you’ll enter the majestic Connemara National Park. The park encompasses some of the region’s best scenery with excellent walking and panoramic views from the Twelve Bens. Driving through Letterfrack you will arrive at Kylemore Abbey and Garden, a romantic Gothic abbey now home to the Benedictine nuns. The restored Victorian garden, spectacular neo-Gothic church and cosy tea rooms are well worth a stop.

From Kylemore make your way to the pretty village of Leenane at the head of magnificent Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord. At Nancy’s Point, before you enter the village of Leenane, you can take a cruise along the nine-mile fjord with Killary Cruises and get an insight into the geography of this natural wonder as well as stunning views from the water. The Killary area is also home to two world-class adventure centres which make the most of the region’s rugged scenery. Leenane’s picturesque setting made it the perfect location for the 1989 film adaptation of John B. Keane's famous play The Field, directed by Jim Sherdian. The town is also home to the Leenane Sheep & Wool Centre which explains the history of sheep and wool handcrafts and has demonstrations of carding, spinning and weaving.

From Leenane head east along the R336 for spectacular vies of the Maumturk Mountains. Take a right turn at Maum towards Maam Cross and then go left onto the N59 towards Oughterard. Just before the town you can visit Glengowla Mines, a historic 19th-century silver and lead mine that throws light on life in the mines through a series of exhibitions, interactive displays and an informative guided tour. Continue on into Oughterard, a picturesque town nestled between the Connemara Mountains and the steel-grey waters of Lough Corrib. Renowned for its wild brown trout and salmon fishing, the lake is a mecca for anglers. Just beyond the town on the N59 to Galway you’ll pass the turning for the imposing Aughnanure Castle on the left. This well-preserved 16th-cenury tower house was built by the O’Flaherty clan and preserves a long and turbulent history. Continue along the N59 to Roscahill and take a left turn signposted for Brigit’s Garden, a woodland paradise with meadows and themed gardens that reflect the Celtic festivals. From here it’s an easy drive back through Moycullen to Galway city.