Céad Mile Fáilte go Clonbur
A great place to live. A great place to visit!
Clonbur - An Fhairche, a Connemara Gaeltacht village (Village video), is nestled on an isthmus between the Great Lakes of Mask (to the north), Corrib (to the south) and Coolin (to the west). Lying at the foot of Mount Gable (1,370 feet), anglers, hikers and cyclists flock to the area every year to discover the aspiring Geopark status of Joyce Country with the Maamturk and Partry Mountains to the west and the limestone plains of Galway and Coillte forests to the east, the countryside is blessed with lakes, hidden waterfalls, streams, green valleys, woodlands and lonely Connemara roads.
This is where history and legends come together. Dominating the region of Clonbur is Mount Gable, sentinel to visitors exploring Joyce Country and Connemara. Its spectacular views from the summit, rewards hikers with stunning views of Lough Corrib, Lough Mask and Lough Coolin. “According to legend, the hordes of Firbolg assembled on the summit before their confrontation with the Tuatha De Dannann at the Battle of Moytura. In less ancient times this isthmus became known as the Gap of Danger where the 'plainsmen' met the less sophisticated, but often more stubborn stock of Joyce and Flaherty country”. Here was the stage where conflicting civilisations rubbed shoulders, and often swords http://clonbur.galway-ireland.ie/.
Hidden among the lakes are islands and castles and one very famous owner of Castlekirke, “Hen’s Castle”, was Ireland’s very own Pirate Queen, Granuaile http://clonbur.galway-ireland.ie/caislean-na-circe.htm. “Gráinne Ní Mháille in 1546, at the age of sixteen, married Dónal an-Chogaidh O'Flaherty who, because of his aggressive behaviour, got the nickname ‘the Cock’ and she was in turn called ‘the Hen’. When Donal was murdered she fought back with such fury and determination, the castle became known as ‘Hen’s Castle’, the name it still bears today.”
There is an abundance of wildlife in this region of Connemara with the lakes and islands offering such glorious habitats for birds and hawks, otters, mink, stoat, frogs, bats, trout, salmon, pike and much more. Early spring brings a special kind of magic where the “Dawn Chorus” is magnified by the silence of the landscape.
Local Things to See & Do in and around Clonbur, Connemara
The Road Less Travelled………. Clonbur is encaptured by the raw beauty of Connemara with Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way to the west and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to the east offering you the ideal base for exploring both wild rugged coastal scenery and the best of inland mountains, hidden valleys, lakes, bubbling streams, winter waterfalls and Clonbur Woods, the largest woodlands in Ireland.
Discover the Clonbur countryside in this stunning place of open space and unspoilt natural surroundings all topped off with the warmth of our village life and hospitality. Discover extraordinary pleasure in this inland region of Connemara, amidst a landscape of wilderness, tradition and heritage from the charm of village life in Clonbur.
Walking & Hiking in Clonbur, Connemara
The Lynch family has been welcoming walkers to Connemara for over half a century and understands the true meaning of old time hospitality. We welcome old and new friends equally and offer keen group rates to walking groups and clubs too. We can provide maps, guides and packed lunches for your day and if the weather is wet, we have a large drying room where we can keep your gear. We endeavour to always make sure your stay is enjoyable, hassle-free and above all, affordable.
Connemara boasts beautiful Mountain, Bog, Lake and Coastal scenery and if you have seen the classic 50's movie, The Quiet Man starring Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne, then no more is needed to be said! Attracted by the easy pace of life here in Clonbur, our guests love exploring the unspoiled Connemara countryside, rambling along the quiet mountain boreens overlooking the lakes, soaking up the stunning Connemara scenery.
While some prefer to ramble as they please, there are also guided walks locally, where the commentary and the walks together serve to enhance and personalise the whole walking experience. Here are some of our local walks and trails to get you started and please come back to us if you would like some more recommendations:
Mountain Trails:
Binn Shléibhe / Mount Gable:
Binn Shléibhe / Mount Gable (1370 feet) is one of the most beautiful and scenic mountain walks in Ireland. It dominates the isthmus between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask and guards one of the major routes into Connemara from the east. The starting point for a walk is approximately 2km from the village:
Sean Bhóthar (Old Road):
Sean Bhóthar is a 10km linear walk that connects Clonbur and Corr na Mona along the foothills of Mount Gable and according to local folklore, it is the route St Patrick took when on pilgrimage to Maméan. The route follows along the side of Binn Shléibhe/Mount Gable with stunning views of Lough Corrib. There is parking at both ends but walking from the hotel is ideal too. When you leave the Sean Bhóthar at the Clonbur end and walk towards the village you will be rewarded with beautiful views of Lough Mask and the Partry Mountains to the north:
Woodland Trails: https://clonburcloghbrack.ie/woodland-trails/ through Clonbur Woods, the largest woodlands in Ireland.
Clonbur – Cong Trail:
This 7.8 km trail can become a 15.6km trail by taking you over to Cong village to explore for a couple of hours and back to Clonbur for an evening of relaxation and dinner:
Clonbur Village and Ballykine Loops:
These 3.6 km and 7km loop trails respectively, take in the village, forest, ruins of Ballykine Castle and Lough Mask:
Big Island and White Island Loops:
These 3.4 km and 7.1km loop trails respectively, take in 2 islands / peninsulas on Lough Mask with a combination of forest and Lough Mask views:
Fishing in Clonbur – Lough Corrib and Lough Mask
Fairhill House Hotel*** is located between the world renowned trout and salmon fishing lakes of lough Corrib and lough Mask, probably the best and largest fishing waters in Europe.
Only 1 mile from each, we can arrange your entire fishing trip – Boats, Boatmen, Packed Lunches, Choice of lakes and Kynes Fishing Tackle Shop opposite the hotel. We also have a large drying room. We are the biggest fishing house between the two lakes and have been looking after fishermen for over 60 years.
Clonbur Angling Club, was established in the 1940’s and is situated in the secluded bay of Rosshill. It does a lot of important work to constantly improve our local fishing experience and the Club also provides, free of charge, boat handling and fly-tying courses for the young and not so young on a regular basis.
The West of Ireland offers some of the best fishing in Europe for wild brown trout, Atlantic salmon and sea trout in rivers and loughs. The great Western loughs Corrib, Mask and Conn are unique as venues for wild brown trout fishing in Europe.
World famous for the Duck fly, May fly, Daddy-long legs and Grass hopper, fishermen come from all over the world to visit. Most importantly, fishing is free. Numerous other rivers and loughs abound in the area, offering the visiting angler a wide choice of fishing, depending on weather and water conditions and his/her preferences.
Fishing Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib is 42,000 acres in size and stretches in length from within 4 miles of Galway City to within 2 miles of Maam Bridge, a distance of 33 miles. The Lough is renowned for its wild brown trout and salmon fishing. Brown trout fishing is usually good from the first day of the season. Trout can be caught on wet fly from opening day, Feb. 15th.
Each season, a number of specimen brown trout are caught on the Lough, and the record stood at around 21.5lb, caught in September 2002. However, on the 26th May 2012, a MONSTER brown trout, weighing nearly 24lbs (11kg), was hauled from the waters of Lough Corrib. The specimen fish, unofficially the second largest on record, was caught in deep water near the lake's biggest island, Inish Goill. If ratified by the Irish Specimen Fish Committee as authentic, the fish will go down as a record for Lough Corrib, and rank as the largest trout caught in Ireland in 118 years.
There are boats for hire at several locations around the Lough, and boatmen are also available at most boat stations. Please contact the Hotel directly for more details and we will help you to arrange your fishing holiday to Clonbur and Loughs Corrib and Mask: https://fishinginireland.info/news/trout-reports/lough-corrib/
Fishing Lough Mask
This is a Limestone lake of 22,000 acres connected by an underground channel with Lough Corrib, holding large brown trout, large ferox trout, and also famous for record pike, silver eels and perch. Mayfly are best from mid-May to mid-June on Lough Mask; Daddy-long legs and Grasshoppers are most common from late July and August. Fishing methods are wet fly, dry fly, dapping and spinning with Clonbur, Ballinrobe and Cong good centres. River fishing on the Finney and the canal joining Mask and Corrib are very good too: https://fishinginireland.info/2019/trout-reports/predator-competition-sees-big-fish-on-mask-in-difficult-conditions/
Adventure in Clonbur, Connemara
Fill a holiday with adventure at Petersburg Outdoor Education & Training Centre with both water and land based activities – Kayaking, Canoeing, Sailing, Windsurfing, Gorge-walking, Caving, Raft Building and if that does not tire you out, try Hillwalking, Orienteering, Abseiling, Rock Climbing and the ultimate, The Obstacle Course Petersburg Challenge! http://www.petersburg.ie/
Joyce Country Sheepdogs, Clonbur, Connemara
This fantastic family run farm is now in its third generation and is located on the shores of Lough Na Fooey. Joyce Country Sheepdogs (as seen in the Movie Marley and Me), offers you the opportunity to visit a working hill sheep farm and watch the Border Collie sheepdogs herding Connemara Blackface sheep. Border Collie sheepdogs and puppies are available to buy too: http://www.joycecountrysheepdogs.ie/
Joyce Country Wool, Clonbur, Connemara
Another ‘must visit’ close by is Joyce Country Wool where Carina Coyne’s knowledge and passion for hand spinning wool is infectious. Book a demonstration or class at their family sheep farm enjoy this “true experience in my workshop, it's a hands on demonstration and something for everyone young and old to enjoy”. With her home spun wool for sale in her delightful workshop, Carina is “keeping the long tradition of carding and spinning in Dúiche Sheoigheach”. You never know, you might like to bring home a new hobby! https://www.joycecountrywool.ie/
Cycling in Clonbur, Connemara
Cycling is one of the best ways to explore our area and we have a large secure car-park if you have your own bike and drying room facilities for a wet day. Maps are available from reception, we can set you up with a packed lunch for a picnic and away you go to see the beauty of the lakes and Connemara. There are long and short cycles some of which are off the main road, through the woods and many more on smaller roads but care is advised.
Spraoí sa Choill – Clonbur Woodland Park for Families in Clonbur, Connemara
This beautiful woodland playground is for young and not so young and all are welcome at Spraoí sa Choill to play, exercise and have fun together. Children can enjoy the wonders of the playground while teenagers and adults can avail of a variety of outdoor exercise equipment. You might like a gentle stroll through the woods, take a thrilling ride on the zip wire or simply watch your child explore and play in a calm green setting: https://clonburcloghbrack.ie/woodland-playground-project/
Clonbur Park Run
Whilst we cannot hold our Park Run currently, we look forward to welcoming it back post Covid-19: https://clonburcloghbrack.ie/clonbur-woods-parkrun/
“We love our village and are so proud to be a part of our local community and all the wonderful achievements that have happened over the last few years. Our vibrant Community Council https://clonburcloghbrack.ie/community-council/ work so hard and steered our village to becoming the winners of the All Ireland Pride of Place award in 2016 and the Bank of Ireland Begin together awards 2020. Being a part of our community is very important to us and we say “Míle buíochas” for all the extraordinary achievements of one tiny rural Ireland village community”.
Corrib Cruises
Corrib Cruises on the beautiful Lough Corrib is a superb way to enjoy the variety of sights including Ashford Castle along the lakeshore. The cruises are daily and provide a commentary of the landmarks and history of the area. During the summer months there is also a two hour afternoon sailing which stops over on the historic island of Inchagoill. The cruise includes a guided tour of the island: http://www.corribcruises.com/
Quiet Man Museum, Tours, Cinema and Gift Shop
The Quiet Man Museum, Cong, is a must for all Quiet Man enthusiasts. It is an exact replica of the White O’Morn cottage in the movie. The Quiet Man Museum will reopen post Covid-19 and is generally open from 10am to 4pm daily. Private chauffeur tours range from 90 minutes upwards and operate year round by appointment: https://www.quietmanmuseum.com/
Ballinroble Golf Club
This 18-hole parkland course was voted best Connacht Parkland Course in 2013, 2015, and 2020. The Championship Parkland Golf Course at Ballinrobe Golf Club is considered by some, including Padraig Harrington, to be one of the finest in Ireland: https://www.ballinrobegolfclub.com/
Ballinrobe Races
Ballinrobe Racecourse has all you could ask for in a country racecourse, beautiful setting, lively atmosphere and the laid back relaxed attitude that Ireland is famous for. With 10 race meetings annually from April to September, its history is immense going as far back as 1774: https://ballinroberacecourse.ie/
Killary Fjord Cruise
Take in the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape – hills rising steeply from the silvery sea, with frequent shifts in light and shadow creating different colours on the peaks and valleys. This cruise is a Wild Atlantic Way favourite and a lovely way to see the landscape from the sea:
Scenic Drives
With so much to do, we will send you off for the day with a packed lunch followed by a hearty freshly cooked breakfast, and welcome you back to great food in our Restaurant or Eddie’s Bar, where we look forward to hearing of your days experiences out and about in this stunning Connemara landscape.
A Day Out on the Lough Mask Drive: This escape from the world drive will leave you rejuvenated and longing to return. Make sure you do…….. Clonbur – Finny – Toomakeady – Partry – Ballinrobe and home to Clonbur for dinner and a relaxing evening: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/hidden-beauty-unmasked-1.547095
A Day Out on the Lough Corrib Drive: This drive will bring you to Galway City where you can enjoy a little shopping or sightseeing. So after a delicious in Clonbur, visit the village of Cong – Headford – Galway City – Oughterard – Maam Cross – Maum – Cornamona – and home to Fairhill House Hotel for dinner and a relaxing evening by the fire. The starting point is Clonbur but the link will highlight some of the key places to visit along the way: http://scenicdrives.eu/european-scenic-drives/ireland-scenic-drives/scenic-lough-corrib/
A Day Out in Connemara following the Wild Atlantic Way in Connemara: Start after breakfast in Clonbur – Cornamona - Maam Cross – Recess – Clifden – Cleggan – Letterfrack - Kylemore Abbey - Killary Harbour – Leenane – Finny – Cloughbrack and home to Fairhill House Hotel for dinner and recounting your adventures in Eddie’s Bar.
A Day Out on a Scenic Drive through southern County Mayo: Enjoy this stunning scenic drive through the southern reaches of County Mayo - Ashleigh Falls – Doolough Valley – Louisburgh (Granuaile and Louisburgh Famine stories) – Murrisk – Croagh Patrick - Westport - Ballintubber Abbey – Ballinrobe – and home to Clonbur.
An Fhairche, or Clonbur in English, is a Gaeltacht village in County Galway, Ireland. The village of Clonbur sits between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask -
***** Reviewed July 2020
“We were very well looked after from beginning to end. Friendly staff, hospitable and fine rooms. Food was excellent and copious. All Covid related precautions were well taken.
There is great hiking nearby, including Mount Gable and lakeside paths. Will definitely return.”
***** Reviewed May 2019
“I have just spent 3 night here Eddie the Owner and all his staff are amazing They could not do enough for me the beer and food was amazing. The Full Irish Breakfast is the best I have ever had. Great fishing wonderful people. Thank you & See you next year.”
Contact
Address
Fairhill House Hotel
Clonbur
Connemara
Co. Galway
F12 KF22
Phone
+353 (0)94 954 6176