Starting at Shannon, the route heads North through the country town of Ennis
with its ancient abbey and narrow streets crammed with shops to Ennistymon, home
of Dylan Thomas's wife. Lahinch, on the Atlantic, is fame for its golf
course. Do stop to look at St Brigid's well, dating from pagan
times. If hunger pains are striking the Doolin Craft Gallery has
outstanding home made food as well as a garden that is worth deviating to
see. The brave might check out the sulphur springs of Lisdoonvarna.
The more conservative will merely sample the smoked salmon at the Burren
Smokehouse. Follow the main road to Ballyvaughan over the Burren to
Gregans Castle.
Day 2 June 22
The
Whitethorn Gallery on the Kinvara road in Ballyvaughan is a good craft centre.
Even early in the day it is worth trying Linanes Lobster Bar at New Quay for
their outstanding crab
cakes. If that does not appeal then try turning right and follow the green
road right out on top of the mountain towards Kinvara, where both Dunguaire
Castle and the antique sailing barges in the harbour, known as Galway hookers,
are worth stopping to admire. From here the main road through Kilcolgan.
The Turlough and the Blind Poets graveyard are well hidden, but worth
discovering. Carry on South to see the tower of WB Yeats at Thor Ballylee
and the garden at Coole Park, the Irish Literary centre and then head into the
heart of the Burren passing ancient castles and medieval abbeys and following
tiny tracks (lots of opportunities for strolls across the mountains) to visit
ailwee cave before returning to Gregans Castle
Day 3 June 23
In
Galway see Nora Joyce’s House, Lynch Castle, Spanish Parade, St Nicholas' Church , The
City Walls and Shop Street.Via
Cong with its Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century and its associations
with the John Wayne film. Through Castlebar to Turlough Park, just outside
Castlebar. Ancestral home of
the notorious duellist Fighting Fitzgerald, it is now the National Museum of
Country Life. Back roads will lead you through Pontoon by Lough
Conn to Ballina where you could visit Enniscoe Gardens if there was still time -
Otherwise head on through Ballina to overnight at Ballycastle.
Day 4 June 24th Around Ballycastle
Walking
Nature walks are a pastime of natives and visitors alike. The beauty that
abounds in the Ballycastle area is unlike that found anywhere else. Colorful
flowers peek out from the native gorse; the ocean is always nearby; bog land
(where turf thousands of years old is harvested) and the rolling fields are
separated by the rock walls that are native to Ireland. Small pools of seawater
etched into rock formations are found all along the coast, providing life to
tiny ocean creatures. Downpatrick Head is one of the favorite spots to take a
walk along the ocean near Ballycastle. The Head, which stands about 300 feet
tall, is actually cut off from the mainland, separated by about 100 yards of the
Atlantic. It is said that Downpatrick Head is where St. Patrick cut off the head
of a snake with a giant sword, thus dividing the Head from the mainland and
driving all snakes from Ireland.
Archaeology
Ceide Fields offers a great deal to the history buff, including a look into
Irish
civilization more than 5,000 years ago. The Ceide Fields Interpretive Center was
built by the Irish government after archeological digs discovered stone walls
believed to delineate the first farms in Ireland thousands of years ago. The
650-foot cliffs at Ceide Fields rival any other in Ireland. For a more
active day there is a scenic route around the North West peninsula, following
the shore down to Newport and then back up across the mountains to Crossmolina.
An alternative exploration is to invade the on
obscurity of the Ox Mountains
Day
5 25th June - rather a lot of driving - to return through Westport and
Connemara to overnight at either Dromoland Castle or Thomond House
Day
6 26th June depending on flight times, maybe there would be time to
visit Bunratty Castle before departure from Shannon
Starting at Shannon, the route heads North through the country town of Ennis
with its ancient abbey and narrow streets crammed with shops to Ennistymon, home
of Dylan Thomas's wife. Lahinch, on the Atlantic, is fame for its golf
course. Do stop to look at St Brigid's well, dating from pagan
times. If hunger pains are striking the Doolin Craft Gallery has
outstanding home made food as well as a garden that is worth deviating to
see. The brave might check out the sulphur springs of Lisdoonvarna.
The more conservative will merely sample the smoked salmon at the Burren
Smokehouse. Follow the main road to Ballyvaughan over the Burren to
Gregans Castle. 
Day 2 June 22
The
Whitethorn Gallery on the Kinvara road in Ballyvaughan is a good
craft centre.
Even early in the day it is worth trying Linanes Lobster Bar at New Quay for
their outstanding crab
cakes. If that does not appeal then try turning right and follow the green
road right out on top of the mountain towards Kinvara, where both Dunguaire
Castle and the antique sailing barges in the harbour, known as Galway hookers,
are worth stopping to admire. From here the main road through Kilcolgan.
The Turlough and the Blind Poets graveyard are well hidden, but worth
discovering. Carry on South to see the tower of WB Yeats at Thor Ballylee
and the garden at Coole Park, the Irish Literary centre and then head into the
heart of the Burren passing ancient castles and medieval abbeys and following
tiny tracks (lots of opportunities for strolls across the mountains) to visit
ailwee cave before returning to Gregans Castle
Day 3 June 23
In
Galway see Nora Joyce’s House, Lynch Castle, Spanish Parade, St Nicholas' Church , The
City Walls and Shop Street.Via
Cong with its Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century and its associations
with the John Wayne film. Through Castlebar to Turlough Park, just outside
Castlebar. 
Ancestral home of
the notorious duellist Fighting Fitzgerald, it is now the National Museum of
Country Life. Back roads will lead you through Pontoon by Lough
Conn to Ballina where you could visit Enniscoe Gardens if there was still time -
Otherwise head on through Ballina to overnight at Ballycastle.
civilization more than 5,000 years ago. The Ceide Fields Interpretive Center was
built by the Irish government after archeological digs discovered stone walls
believed to delineate the first farms in Ireland thousands of years ago. The
650-foot cliffs at Ceide Fields rival any other in Ireland. For a more
active day there is a scenic route around the North West peninsula, following
the shore down to Newport and then back up across the mountains to Crossmolina.
An alternative exploration is to invade the on
Day
5 25th June - rather a lot of driving - to return through Westport and
Connemara to overnight at either Dromoland Castle or Thomond House
Day
6 26th June depending on flight times, maybe there would be time to
visit Bunratty Castle before departure from Shannon