Ruairí O Neill's Connemara Tour 2012 with Schedule for 2015
Three years ago I organised a tour of Connemara. I had 18 people from a small town called Schoelkrippen in Germany come and stay in my village of Carna. We went to Mac Dara's island home of the 6th century monk Mac Dara. The reconstructed ruins stands at the tip of the island. It is now home to a large group of nesting birds and a sheep herd.
The sheep kept to themselves.
 |
| Listening to a talk on Island, it wasn't me as I can never remember any facts or dates, I have my own system of carbon dating, something is either Old, Very Old or Really Old, it never fails! |
 |
| Celtic Design on Cross on Mac Dara's Island. |
 |
| St. Mac Dara's Chapel, its roof was reconstructed in the 1970's |
 |
| Wait, come back, don't leave me here with all these Germans! |
Thanks be to God he's come back! After a picnic there we went on to Mason Island once the home of a fishing village now abandoned save for a few holiday homes.
 | |||||||||||||
| An amazing place to visit, a land covered in wild flowers untouched by human feet, except for ours of course but we stepped very lightly wherever we walked! | It was like traveling back in time, no sounds of the 21century, just birds and the sound of a breeze blowing over the wild flowers, grasses and gentle lulling from the sea. You could fall asleep as you dreamed your way over the landscape. |
 | ||||
| One of Clifden's hidden gems, turn in by the Tourist Office, take a left and swing down into the Station House Courtyard. There's an Art Gallery, a Hairdresser's called Hedze, two fashion shops called Design Platform and Ohh by Gum which also has a great selection of children's clothes and sweets! There is of course The Station House Hotel and The Signal Bar and Restaurant, a Theatre, a Café called Steam and Beauty treatment center called Renew. |
 |
| Exploring the Wedge Tomb in June. |
I also give classes on Photography and will help you improve your photographs with tips on Composition and help with understanding the importance of choosing the correct aperture and shutter speed.
Travel to Connemara With
Ruairí O’Neill’s Connemara Tour.
00353879744063
Ruairí is a Bord Fáilte
(Irish Tourist Board) trained
Mountain and Marine Guide and has been specialising in providing tours around
his native village Carna located in the heart of the Gaelic speaking Conamara
countryside.
His interests are archaeology,
Irish history, photography, jewellery and art. His weaknesses are dates, he can
never remember any, so if you are keen to know the exact date of the Neolithic
Tombs that he will bring you to, you are on the wrong tour! Ruairí’s version of
carbon dating is, Old, Very Old and Really Very Old!
Music on Ruairí O’Neill’s
Connemara tour will be provided by Clann Ó hÍarnáin, a family of
musicians and dancers from Carna. On any given night other local musicians may
turn up for an impromptu session.
Ruairí’s Connemara tour brings
you to places off the beaten track. He’ll take you to islands that seldom see
people. He is keen to provide you with a laid back tour of his native area. It
will give you time to meet and unwind amongst locals. He is known for always
trying to depart on time every morning but he is also known on occasions for
being stuck on local time, which is not the same as central European Time.
There is always time for one more cup of tea before a day starts.
Whether traveling on the sea
or walking around the coast you are likely to come across many species of
wildlife, from Rabbits to Hares and Foxes, Dolphins, Porpoises, Seals, Otters,
Basking Sharks. Birds are in abundance, from Seagulls, to Cormorants, Ducks,
Curlews, Swans, Peregrine Falcons and Kestrels to name but a few.
Book Early
as space is limited!
Cost of Tour for the month of September is € 1,200 pps
Included is :
B&B for 6 nights
Sterling Silver for Jewellery
Class
All Ferry and Bus costs
Musicians
High Tea at Ruairí O’Neill’s
Driver and Guides Tips
Ruairí O’Neill’s wit
Gaelic Language Lessons
Dancing Lessons
Travel Insurance is highly
recommended
Single room supplement of €
36.00 applies per night
Air Fare is not included
Fare is based on minimum of 15
people traveling.
Schedule
for Ruairi O’Neill’s Connemara Tour in September 2015
Sept 7th Monday
Arrival
1 .15 pm : Pick up at Dublin Airport
4.15 pm : Arrive at
Galway
Wander around the medieval
walled city of Galway and sample some of its excellent cuisine at its café’s, pubs and restaurants.
6.00 pm :
Depart for Carna
7.30 pm :
Arrive at Carna
Traditional Music at Tigh Mheaic
‘till late
Sept 8th Tuesday
Island Trip
10.00 am : Pick up at Carna
Bay Hotel
Visit Mac Dara’s Island and
its 6th century chapel. After a leisurely walk around the island we’ll head
over to Mason Island. Mason Island had
been until the 1930’s, a busy community but now it is abandoned save for a few
holiday homes.
Mason Island has
excellent beaches so bring your swimming gear! It’s a peaceful and tranquil
place to spend a day, wandering around its ancient stone walls and the ruins of its buildings. The only sound you will hear is that of
birds calling to each other and the sound of the ocean. It’s an ideal place for
a picnic!
4.00 pm : Return to Carna
Sumptuous Dinners with local
catch of the day a speciality available at Tigh Mheaic’s and
Carna Bay Hotel.
September 9th Wednesday
Jewellery
Workshop and High Tea at Studio Ruairí O’Neill
10.00 am : Pick up at Carna
Bay Hotel
Learn how to make a silver
ring or pendant for yourself, friend or family member. Ruairí will show you how
to work with Sterling Silver. It is also an opportunity to see the varied
collection of his work in Jewellery, Sculpture, Photography and Paintings.
Ruairí’s work is all made in Connemara and is for sale, so a chance to find an
unique gift to bring back with you.
High tea is in Ruairí’s family
home with guests enjoying homemade sandwiches, cakes and tea, the cakes are to
die for!
September 10th Thursday
Climbing
Cashel Hill
10.00 am : Pick up at Carna
Bay Hotel
Climbing Cashel Hill
requires a modest level of fitness, please let the guide know the day before if
you think it will be too strenuous so he can make an alternative option for
you. Good walking boots with ankle support are required. Walking poles are also
advised as the sections of the decent are steep. Ruairí will bring you across a
blanket bog with its myriad of plant life, don’t expect him to know the names
of every flower and plant, he won’t, as there are too many to remember!
The climb will be at a
leisurely pace and plenty of time will be given to stop and take pictures of
the magnificent scenery. We will have the sea on one side and the famous
Connemara Beann Beola Mountain Range on the other
side.
After the climb we will be
going to the nearby picturesque fishing village of Roundstone for
lunch in O’Dowds Pub. I recommend their Sea food Chowder
and Crab Claws.
On the returning journey we’ll
stop by Glynsk House for a pint or light refreshments and
shopping if required in their Craft shop.
Returning to Carna at 06.00 pm
app.
September 11th Friday
Sky Road and
Clifden
10.00 pick up at Carna Bay
Hotel
We’ll go to Clifden’s Sky
Road to take in the vista over the Atlantic Ocean below.
Returning to Clifden for
some shopping and café visits.
We will visit The Station
House Courtyard, site of Clifden’s abandoned railway. The
Railway Museum is located here, which houses a Marconi exhibition. In 1905
Marconi had a large base built a
few miles out the road at Derrygimla, to send and
receive trans Atlantic messages.
The Station House Bar serves
wonderful meals and the Guinness is good there.
Steam Café is a
must visit for the best coffee in the West and they’ve also mouth watering
cakes and deserts.
We will return to Carna via Ballynahinch
Castle for a walk along its river and yes, the Guinness is also
good here! As we say: "A bird
cannot fly on one wing alone!"
September 12th Saturday
Inish Boffin
or Inis Bó Finne (Island of the
White Cow)
9.30 am : Pick up at Carna Bay
Hotel
Ferry from Cleggan
Visit Bronze age settlements,
view Cromwell’s Castle.
Walk along shore stopping of
at the Blow Hole where seals are often seen swimming looking for
fish and tourists (if they are really hungry!).
Inish Boffin is a seal
sanctuary so seals are always present here.
In the summer time Dolphins
frequently come out to meet the ferry on the way to the island so keep an eye
out for them!
We’ll stop off at Murray’s
Hotel for soup and sandwiches. Yes, you’ve guessed it, the Guinness
is also good here.
The walk here is mostly on
tracks but there are some steep inclines so again good walking boots are
required.
Ferry returns to Cleggan at
5.00 pm
Returning to Carna for last
night of Music and Dance.
Schedule is to be used as a
guide. We may have to change some of the days around due to the weather and
weather in Connemara changes frequently.
Bring warm jumpers and rain
gear, yes even in summer!
September 13th. Sunday
Departure
10.00 am
: Pick up at Carna Bay
Hotel
12.30 am
: Galway Bus to Dublin
Airport, arrive at 3.00 pm
I hope you’ll enjoy your time
here in Connemara and come back again, tell your friends about us!
Ruairí O’ Neill
If you would like to book your
place or have any questions You can contact Ruairí at 00353 879744063 or email
him at silverj@eircom.net
No comments:
Post a Comment