Things to do in Clifden
Clifden (Irish: An Clochán, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". Frequented by tourists, Clifden is linked to Galway city by the N59.
The Connemara Pony Show is organised by the Connemara Pony Breeders' Society and has been held on the third Thursday in August since 1924. Since 1947 the show has been held in Clifden.
Community Arts Week in late September offers poetry reading, lectures, recitals and traditional music.
During the Omey Island Races, horse racing occurs on the beach. In honour of Jon Riley, on 12 September the town of Clifden flies the Mexican flag.
Twelve Bens
The Twelve Bens range is a core massif of 22 peaks above 100 metres in elevation, centred around the highest peak in the range, Benbaun 729 metres (2,392 ft). To the north of this core massif lies the separate subsidiary massif of the Garraun Complex with 9 peaks around Garraun 598 metres (1,962 ft). To the west of the core massif lies 7 other isolated or subsidiary "outlier" peaks, thus giving a total of 38 Bens with an elevation above 100 metres.
Connemara National Park
Connemara National Park (Irish: Páirc Naisiúnta Chonamara) is one of six national parks in Ireland that are managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It is located in the west of Ireland within County Galway.
Connemara National Park was founded and opened to the public in 1980. It features 2,000 hectares of mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and forests. The entrance is situated on the Clifden side of Letterfrack. There are many remnants of human habitation within the park. There is a 19th-century graveyard as well as 4,000-year-old megalithic court tombs. Much of the land was once part of the Kylemore Abbey estate.
Clifden Castle
Clifden Castle is a ruined manor house west of the town of Clifden in the Connemara region of County Galway, Ireland. It was built c. 1818 for John D'Arcy, the local landowner, in the Gothic Revival style. Uninhabited after 1894 it fell into disrepair. In 1935, ownership passed to a group of tenants, who were to own it jointly, and it quickly became a ruin.
The former Demesne and Castle are now owned by several families. The gateway is visible from the Sky Road, and access to the Castle is through the gateway along a path that meanders across the hillside to the Castle. The surrounding grassland is populated by grazing cows, sheep and horses, and part of the castle ruins is a cow pen.
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey (Irish: Mainistir na Coille Móire) is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The abbey was founded for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I. The current Mother Abbess of the Benedictine Community is Marie Hickey.
The Estate includes large walled Victorian Gardens. Since the 1970s these have been open for public tours and 'nature' walks. The Benedictine community has restored the Abbey's gardens and church with donations and local artisans in order to be a self-sustaining estate.
Slyne Head Lighthouse
Slyne Head Lighthouse (Irish: Ceann Léime) is located at westernmost point of County Galway, about 12 kilometres (7 mi) southwest of Doonlaughan, Ireland and is maintained by Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL).
There were two lighthouses on this point built in 1836 but only the West one remains active.
Inishbofin
Inishbofin (derived from the Irish Inis Bó Finne meaning 'Island of the White Cow') is a small island off the coast of Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. Inishbofin has around 180 inhabitants and is a tourist destination.
