Located on the west coast of Ireland, and bordered on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, Connemara which means ‘descendants of the sea’ in Gaelic, is one of the most beautiful regions in Ireland.
It’s the Ireland that everyone sees in the postcards – the luscious green landscape and the carefree life
It’s a magnet for everyone,from Americans retracing their ancestral roots and adrenaline junkies drawn to its excellent windsurfing spots, to overly-enthusiastic European cyclists, and others, like us, trying to escape the sweltering summer heat of southern Europe.
What is it about Connemara that leaves every visitor spellbound? Simple. It’s the Ireland that everyone dreams of and sees in the postcards – the luscious green landscape and the carefree life.
Its landscape is unique: scenic mountains and expanses of bogs blend in seamlessly with luscious grasslands and woodlands. That’s why it has been the idyllic setting for many a dreamy Irish-inspired Hollywood movie, including classics like The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, and The Field with John Hurt.
By far one of the top attractions in Connemara is the majestic Kylemore Abbey which boasts one of the largest Victorian walled gardens in Ireland and a verywell-restored head gardener’s house, giving an insight into the importance of the garden duringVictorian times.
Originally the home of wealthy British doctor and textile heir Mitchell Henry, his beloved wife Margaret who died of dysentery in Egypt, and their nine children, the abbey was bought by Irish Benedictine nuns in 1920.
It was a prestigious all-girls boarding school, attracting the likes of actress Anjelica Huston and several Indian princesses until it closed its doors in 2010. A handful of nuns still live there today but they are hard to spot among the hordes of tourists roaming the grounds.
From the extravagant rooms in the original castle and the beautifully feminine chapel – which Mitchell built in loving memory of his wife – to a walk in the estate’s oak plantation, followed by a homemade scone and tea made with fresh spearmint from the abbey’s garden, you can easily spend an entire day at Kylemore Abbey and not get bored.
No visit to Connemara is complete without a stop in Clifden, the ‘capital’ of the region which gained international fame in the early 1900s when Guglielmo Marconi erected his first transatlantic long-wave wireless telegraphy station to facilitate wireless communication between Europe and North America.
Clifden was once again put on the world map in 1919 when John Alcock and Arthur Brown’s first transatlantic flight crash-landed close to Marconi’s station.
Today, the picturesque town is one of Ireland’s most charming, and Connemara’s most lively, with its traditional bars, cosy family-run restaurants, quaint shops and friendly locals.
The sight of white-walled, thatched-roof cottages puffing out the musky smell of peat, servesas a reminder that much of Connemara is blanket bog; in fact, this unique eco-system, which is found in only a handful of spots in the world, is one of the last surviving blanket bogs in Europe.
Regardless of whether you are an adventure-sports lover, a history and culture fanatic or a couch potato, Connemara has something for everyone
Not much grows in this nutrient-deprived soil, which is why it is home to so many carnivorous plants. In the 3,000-hectare Connemara National Park, you can walk through this terrain on its well-marked trails (somewhat of a rarity in rural Ireland) and, even though you won’t see any local wildlife apart from the more obvious sheep and Connemara ponies, you’re probably only a few steps away from rabbits, foxes, stoats andbadgers, not to mention an amazing array of birdlife.
Ireland is already an island – albeit a bigger one than Malta – but off the coast of Galway and Mayo, the islands keep getting smaller. Steeped in localisland culture and history, it’s worth spending a night on oneof them for a truly castaway Atlantic feeling.
Clare Island – supposedly the home of Pirate Queen Grainne O’Malley and where a Spanish Armada vessel was shipwrecked in 1588; Inishturk with its British-built Martello Tower; and Inishbofin are the most popular choices.
To take in the best of the Connemara landscape, forget the idea of cycling in the rain on pot-holed roads; don’t think of driving around in a camper van or towing a caravan; and steer clear of the mass-market coach tours.
Self-drive is the best option. Just arm yourself with a good map, keep your eyes on the road, not on the sheep… and remember that these woolly creatures have right of way.
Regardless of whether you are an adventure-sports lover, a history and culture fanatic or a couch potato, Connemara has something for everyone. Just be sure to pack your rain jacket and umbrella as the west of Ireland is famous for having four seasons in one day!
Don’t miss …
The Sky Road: An 11-km drive from Clifden along the rugged Atlantic coastline.
Killary Fjord: Don’t think Norwegian-style fjord, but this 16-km-long Irish version is home to mussel and salmon farms, banked with sloping green hills and framed with cute stone walls and bridges.
Local food: Enjoy Atlantic lobster, Killary Bay mussels or freshly smoked salmon on thick crusty homemade brown bread, or some local lamb, washed down with a pint of Guinness and followed by an Irish coffee.
Gaynors Pub: This traditional bar, in the village of Leenane, was used extensively in the movie The Field.
Shopping: Invest in an authentic Aran jumper made fromlocal sheep wool and perfect to keep you warm indoors during the Maltese winter!
Live like a king: Overnight in a real castle like Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Abbeyglen Castle Hotel or Ross Castle.
Action and relax: Combine the two at Delphi Mountain Resort, where you can spend the day surfing, kayaking, hill-walking or rock climbing and the evenings in a special seaweed bath in their award-winning spa.
Island hopping: Visit the smaller islands off the Connemara coastline – Clare Island, Inishturk, Inishbofin, and the Aran Islands off the city of Galway – to get a taste of island life off an island.
Practical information
How to get there: Fly to Dublin and rent a car. Galway is around a 2.5-hour drive and Clifden a further 1.5 hours from Galway.
Useful links: www.connemara.ie; www.discoverireland.ie
Where to stay: B&Bs (www.bandbireland.com), Delphi Mountain Resort (www.delphimountainresort.com), Delphi Lodge (www.delphilodge.ie), Ballynahinch Castle Hotel (www.ballynahinch-castle.com).