|
Tour of Lough Corrib |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distance - 140km / 88
miles
Galway City - Moycullen - Oughterard - Maam Cross - Maam -
Cornamona - Clonbur - Cong - Headford - Galway City
This tour follows the 140km shoreline around Lough Corrib.
Leave Galway City by the N59 for Moycullen village. |
|
|
|
A small detour to the right before Oughterard
leads to Aughanure Castle. Oughterard is one of Lough Corrib's main angling
centres and a busy market town.
If you have time a detour to the right in the
village square will lead you to the wooded hill of Doon, which has superb views
of Lough Corrib.
Return to the village after this detour. |
 |
Five miles passed Oughterard down the Sky Road, is The Quiet Man Bridge, which
was the setting for the 1950's film "The Quiet Man" starring John Wayne and
Maureen O'Hara. The bridge is set in a bit to the left but is visible from the
road and is clearly signposted.
As you drive westwards towards Maam Cross,
the landscape changes dramatically. Greenery gives way to mountains, moorlands
and lakes. Turn right at Maam Cross, and as you drive north you will be
surrounded by wonderful mountain scenery. At Maam Bridge, take another right,
and drive along by Lough Corrib.
|
 |
Caislean-na-Circe located on Lough Corrib between Maam and Doon, free from
islands except for the rock on which the ancient Hen's Castle of the O'Connor's
and the O'Flaherty's stands. The castle was home of the great pirate Queen of
Connemara, Grace O`Malley, who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth 1 of
England. The Lord Justice, in 1225, caused Odo O'Flatherty to give up Kirk
Castle to Odo O'Connor, King of Connaught; for assurance of his fidelity. |
|
|
Continue through the lively village Cornamona and
take in the beautiful views until you reach the village of of Clonbur, known for
it's excellent music. It's just a short trip to Cong from here. You cross the
border to County Mayo to reach this village, which was the setting for the film
"The Quiet Man".
|
Ashford Castle is a medieval
castle near Cong in
County Mayo on the shore of Lough Corrib.
The castle was built in the 13th century by the Anglo-Norman de Bugos family,
after their defeat of the O'Connors of Connaught. Ashford was rebuilt and
extended from the 1850s by Benjamin Guinness, and his son Arthur took his title
from an island on the lake. The Guinnesses sold it in 1945. |
 |
|
|
 |
From Cong return to Galway passing through Cross,
and on past Glencorrib. The ruins of Ross Errily Abbey are on the right as you
approach Headford. Headford is another angling centre and a busy town. Here you
can detour right to visit Ross Errily, wth Greenfields and the shores of Lough
Corrib a few miles further. |
|
|
Return to Headford and then towards Galway along
the Curragh Line. A detour to the right to Annaghdown on Lough Corrib, takes in
the ecclesiastical ruins of
Annaghdown Cathedral. This priory (above left) was designed along military
lines, as shown by these remaining fortifications.
|
|
Annaghdown, situated on the shores of Lough Corrib, was once the
site of a 12th century diocese, later abandoned by the Diocese of Tuam. St.
Brendan of Clonfert is supposed to have died here in 577 A.D., having first
founded a monastry. The archaeological remains of the village reflect its
monastic history, and comprise holy wells (named after St. Brendan and St.
Cormac) and ruins of a castle, the cathedral and Augustinian priory, another
religious foundation. |
 |
|
|
Approaching Galway City is Ballindooley Castle.
One of the many castles
around Galway City. It is a Norman castle, built approx 1480 the DeBurgo (Burke)
Family. It had the distinction of having been shelled by the British gunboat Helga during the 1916 rising. Recently restored and plastered, it's being lived
in again.
|
|
|
|
|
![](http://www.galway-ireland.ie/"images/m18.gif"){kind=small}
