IrelandWestTours.com :: Tours - Tours of the West of Ireland your way! Irish Car Tours, Burren Tours, Connemara Tours

At Ireland West Tours the customer is King or Queen !

You start your Tour by being picked up at your Accomodation at a time that suits you. From there on you decide where to stop and when to stop. You decide when to go. Your driver will help you to make informed decisions, but the decisions will be yours.

There is no rigid time table, you decide how much time you want to spend at each location. All Tours have different points of interest, but what may be of tremendous interest to some one else might be of little or no interest to you, and of course the reverse applies.

By choosing Ireland West Tours you get to see and do what you want to see and do.

Your Tour . . .

. . . Your Way . . .

Popular Tours

"PLAY IT BY EAR"
You're "Free as a Bird" Tell us what you want and we will work out an itenarary for you.
You can browse through the locations on our tours page and let your personal driver know what is of most interest to you.

THE NUGGET
Galway... Moycullen... Oughterard... Maam Cross... Recess... Clifden... Sky Road... Alcock And Brown Memorial... Ballyconneely... Roundstone... Ballynahinch... Recess... Return To Galway.
This Tour has a unique blend of beautiful coastal and inland scenery.

City Taxis Galway

Quality Taxi Service in Galway

http://www.citytaxisgalway.com

Dartfield Horse Centre

Dartfield. Ireland's Horse World

http://www.dartfield.com/

Galway Hotel Guide

Welcome to the hotels in Galway website. The hotels in Galway City, Connemara Hotels and County Galway Accommodation are on the Galway Hotel Guide.

http://galwayhotelguide.com

Galway Arts Festival

Ireland's Biggest Arts Festival

http://www.galwayartsfestival.com

Flannery's Hotel

Professional Service and Top Class Hospitality

http://www.flanneryshotel.net/

Recent Tours

STROLLER
Galway... Moycullen... Oughterard... Maam Cross... Recess... Clifden... Sky Road.. . Letterfrack...Connemara National Park. . . Kylemore Park... Leenane... Killary Harbour ... Maam Valley... Maam Cross... return to galway
A Tour that offers a lot of variety. You can decide, on the day, how you want to use your precious holiday time. You can spend a lot of time exploring the grandeur of Kylemore Abbey and its walled gardens or just have a quick look and move on to stroll through Connemara National Park.

CLIFFS OF MOHER
Oranmore... Clarinbridge... Kilcolgan... Ballindereen... Kinvara... Dunguaire Castle... Ballyvaughan... Blackhead... Lisdoonvarna... Cliffs of Moher... Lahinch... Lisdoonvarna... Corkscrew Hill... Ballyvaughan... Return to Galway.
*THE BURREN* The Burren is an area of about 500 square kilometres of Lunar-Like Landscape that some have described as one of the Wonders of the World. Its apparent barreness is host to an internationally famous flora. Its scenery is magnificent and The Cliffs of Moher have to be experienced rather than described. The Burren has a farming history going back to the Stone Age, some 6000 years ago.

Locations

Galway
Galway City, on the west coast of Ireland, sits on the River Corrib.
It is generally agreed that Galway was named after the river, which was known until recently as the Galway River rather than the Corrib.

Moycullen
Moycullen is a popular base for Tourists touring the West of Ireland.
The man who guarded Napoleon in St. Helena , Major Poppleton , is buried in the family vault at Moycullen.

Aughanure Castle
Three kilometres from Oughterard
Aughnanure Castle is one of well over 200 Tower Houses in County Galway built by large, wealthy, land owning families, mainly of Gaelic but some of Old English (Anglo-Norman) stock. Tower Houses are fortified residences and were places of power and control over the surrounding lands.

Oughterard
Oughterard is set on the south-west shores of Lough Corrib
This 150-year-old village is a microcosm of all that is the best of Ireland.

Quiet Man Bridge
The Quiet Man Bridge is located 5 miles past Oughterard
Leam Bridge, as it is known locally, is in a condition almost identical to 1951 when it was used in the classic movie, The Quiet Man. This classic movie was filmed on location in Connemara and starred John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara with, amongst others, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen in supporting rolls. The Quiet Man was directed by John Ford who won an Oscar for best director. Our clip (below) shows the famous fight scene from the movie.

Maam Cross
Maam Cross has a replica of the traditional Irish cottage used in the filming of "The Quiet Man". Entry is free and you can see some of the implements of more than a century ago.
Maam Cross has a big October Fair where all manner of goods are for sale from ducks, hens and rabbits to donkeys, ponies and horses as well as the usual fair day stalls.

Recess
At the juncion to Kylemore on the Galway Clifden Road
The Joyce Family have quarried and worked Connemara Marble here for many generations.

Lough Inagh
The Inagh Valley is one of the most beautiful drives, not alone in Conneamra but in the world.
The Western side of the valley is flanked by the majestic Twelve Bens mountains, the lake itself is widely known for it fishing . Sheep roam the roads quite freely here so do take care when driving as they can be slow to change their direction...they are well adjusted to the more peaceful pace of life here in the Inagh Valley!

Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey, located in the Kylemore Pass in Connemara
Kylemore Abbey, located in the Kylemore Pass in Connemara,

Killary Harbour
Irelands only Fjiord
This fjord, called Killary Harbour, is the northern boundary of Connemara. In the fjord, the sea reaches 20 kilometers inland. Fjords, like U-shaped valleys, are carved out by glaciers. In fact, fjords are U-shaped valleys, but one cannot see the valley floor because it is submerged.

Leeenane
The beautiful village of Leenane is snugly situated at the head of Killary Harbour.
The roads from Maam, Clifden, and Westport meet at Leenane

Letterfrack
Connemara National Park is right beside Letterfrack
Letterfrack Village is set at the foot the Diamond Hill Mountain which is located in the Connemara National Park. Opened in 1980 the park has continued in its development and attracts many tourists each year.

Connemara National Park
Situated in the West of Ireland beside the Quaker founded village of Letterfrack.
Some of the Park's mountains, namely Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght, are part of the famous Twelve Bens or Beanna Beola range

Clifden
Clifden is often referred to as the "Capital of Connemara"
Clifden is a small market town which was founded by John D'Arcy in 1812 and grew rapidly in the first half of the nineteenth century. John Darcy's own home was Clifden Castle, a gothic structure now in ruins situated on the Sky Road.

Sky Road
Just on the outskirts of Clifden
The Sky Road is a seven mile exhilarating tour with panoramic views including D'arcy Castle, and the Islands of Turbot and Inishturk.

Alcock and Brown
Site of Alcock and Brown's landing
In April 1913, the Daily Mail offered a prize of £10,000 to "the first person making a transatlantic flight in a hydro-aeroplane in seventy two consecutive hours between any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland and any point in Great Britain or Ireland". Alcock and Brown flew a modified Vickers Vimy IV twin-engined bomber powered by two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines, each of 360hp, taking off from Lester's Field in St. John's, Newfoundland at around 1:45pm, June 14, 1919.

Roundstone
The village of Roundstone lies on the western arm of Bertraghboy bay in Connemara, Co. Galway, 48 miles (77km) north-west of Galway city.
The village is beautifully set on one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe overlooking the Atlantic at the foot of Errisbeg Mountain.

Ballyconneely
No visit to Connemara or the West of Ireland would be complete without a visit to Ballyconneely.
This peninsula, jutting into the Atlantic between Clifden to the north and Roundstone to the south, contains some of the most tranquil, unspoilt and interesting countryside to be found anywhere in the country

Westport
Just a few miles from Croagh Patrick.
Westport, designated one of Bord Failte's Heritage Towns, is situated in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, overlooking Clew Bay. One of the few planned towns in the Country, Westport was designed in the 18th Century by James Wyatt. It has become one of Ireland's established tourism centres, with many outstanding features, most notably the beautiful tree lined boulevard known as The Mall, running parallel to the Carrowbeg River.

Croagh Patrick
Legendary Holy Mountain with strong connections with the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.
Saint Patrick was not actually Irish. He was born in Britain around AD 385. Captured in his youth by Irish pirates raiding the Scottish coast, he was sold into slavery in Ireland.

Rosmuc
Located in the very heart of the Gaeltacht or Irish-speaking area of Connemara.
The Irish writer and revolutionary leader Padraig Pearse had a cottage in Rosmuc where he spent many summers perfecting his knowledge of Irish Language and lore.

Ballynahinch
Histioric Castle on the Ballynahinch River
Ballynahinch Castle is steeped in a wealth of tradition and has been intertwined in the history of Connemara and its people for many centuries. From the days of the O'Flaherty Chieftains, to Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Connemara, to Humanity Dick Martin, founder of the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and to H.R.H. the Maharajah Ranjitsinji, also known as the 'Ranji', Prince of Cricketeers.

Oranmore
Oranmore is situated on the eastern side of Galway Bay.
Oranmore, like many other towns and villages near Galway, is fast becoming a dormitory town for the city.

Clarenbridge
Home of one of the world's best known Oyster Festivals.
Over 100,000 oysters are consumed during the Oyster Festeval which is an integral part of the local tourist industry.

Kilcolgan
Kilcogan , “The Church of Colga”, lies on the N18 to Gort.
Kilcolgan is named after St. Colga, who departed Iona in the 6th century and established his own monastery.

Kinvara
Home to Dunguaire Castle.
Today, with improved economic and social condtions, Kinvara has become one of the most vibrant small communities in Ireland, with a fantastic mixture of old and new, encircled with a huge pride for our heritage and culture.

Dunguaire Castle
Tourist attraction located on the edge of Kinvara.
Probably, the most famous land mark that is associated with Kinvara, Dunguaire Castle was built in the 1500's and has changed ownership many times down through the years.

Ballyvaughan
It is situated in one of the most idyllic places in Ireland, nestled between the hills of the Burrenand the sea, on the southern shore of Galway Bay.
It is the ideal place for almost everybody: those who look for peace and tranquility in their holidays or long weekends,

Lisdoonvarna
Renowned for its Spa and annual matchmaiking festival.
The only working spa in Ireland the mineral-rich waters are reputedly cures for disorders of the arthritis - rheumatism.

Black Head
West of Ballyvaughan, to the southern corner of Galway Bay lies Black Head.
The rocks around Blackhead Lighthouse are much favoured by local anglers.

Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland.
The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top Visitor attractions. "Awesome" is a word often misused today, but the Cliffs of Moher are truly Awsome !

Corkscrew Hill
Spectacular descent from the Cliffs of Moher
CORKSCREW HILL, the steep and winding zig-zag roadway up the hill between Ballyvaughan and Lisdoonvarna, is aptly named. This terraced climb was designed as a famine relief scheme and has been included in many cycle and motor competitions.

Liscannor
Near the Cliffs of Moher
Famous for its flag stones and decorative building material

Barna
Barna, a quiet, seaside village located 8km from Galway City along the R336 coast road.
Fine views of the Burren Hills in Co Clare can be obtained from here, and the Aran Islands can also be seen when conditions are right.

Spiddal
The name "Spiddal" comes from the Gaelic word for hospital.
Quaint traditional Irish fishing village.

Inverin
A small village 4km/6km west of Spiddal
The airport that services the Aran Islands- Connemara Regional Airport - is located at Inverin; flights take a mere 10 minutes !

Rossaveal
The nearest port to the Aran Islands
Once a small quiet fishing village it is now the Gateway to the Aran Islands.

Kilrush
Today Kilrush is a pleasant market town on the Shannon Estuary. It has an excellent modern marina and associated maritime activities and facilities.
John Ormsby Vandeleur built the large family home, Kilrush House in 1808 and by that stage he practically owned Kilrush.

Ailwee Cave
In the heart of the Burren, lies one of the oldest caves in Ireland.
This cave was formed by the glacial melt waters of an early ice age. The erosive power of the waters carved out an subterrainian river deep underneath Aillwee mountain. This river has subsided since the last ice age, leaving behind one of Ireland's most stunning caves.

Ennis
Ennis is the county town and the main road junction of County Clare. Although an old town with narrow winding streets, it is a progressive business and marketing centre.
Although in ruins now, Ennis Friary was once home to over 300 Franciscan Friars and 600 students. It was established in 1240 when the Franciscans were invited to the area and granted land by Donncha O’Brien, King of Thomond.

Coole Park
Just a few miles from the town of Gort in County Galway.
The former home of Lady Gregory, a founder of the Abbey Theatre and friend of William Butler Yeats. The house no longer stands, but the estate is now a national nature reserve. The garden of the house, with its yew walk and autograph tree is preserved. Carved on the autograph tree, among others are the signatures of John Masefield, George Bernard Shaw, Sean O'Casey. Attractions include nature trails, walks, a lake and turlough.

Thoore Ballylee
Adjacent to Coole Park and the town of Gort it was occupied for a time by W.B.Yeats.
The tower had to be restored before Yeats could live in it. By the summer of 1919 Yeats and his wife and daughter had moved in.

Poulnabrone
The most famous, and photographed, megalithic tomb in the Burren
There are over seventy megalithic tombs in in The Burren, the most well known and most easily accessible being Poulnabrone. It was excavated in 1968 and found to contain the remains of " Between 16 and 22 adults and 6 juveniles, including a newborn baby"

Kilfenora
Home of "The Burren Centre" and the world renowned Kilfenora Ceili Band.
96 years in the business, the Kilfenora Ceili Band will soon be celebrating their centenary !

Leamaneh Castle
Historic Castle close to Kilfenora.
Another of Cromwell's officers, Edward Ludlow, is credited with what is probably the most widely used quotation about The Burren. He reached North Clare in 1651 and described the area as having"neither water enough to drown a man, nor a tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury him"

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