Corrib Cruises - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Discover the ancient form of falconry at the oldest established Falconry School in Ireland - flying hawks is an experience of a lifetime.The school is home to the largest and most diverse collection of Harris's hawks. It gives you the chance to fly our wonderful Hawks around the grounds of Ashford Castle during a one-hour Private Hawk Walk.

The 12th century Abbey at Cong was built on the site of an earlier 7th century monastery founded by either Domnall, the nephew of an Irish King or St Feichin. At one time, the abbey had 3,000 inhabitants, who were excellent scholars and skilled craftsmen. It is also the location where Rory O’Connor, Ireland’s last High King, died.

The Monks Fishing house is located at the back of the Cong Abbey. It was built on the Cong river so the monks could fish from the river all year around. This ingenious little building has a trap door for a net and a small arch that allows the river to flow underneath it. There was also a rope line connected to the kitchen in the monastery that alerted the monks of a fresh catch.

Inchagoill Island, located midway between Cong and Oughterard, is one of the largest of many wooded islets along Lough Corrib. It has spectacular views of the Maumturk range, Joyce Country and the mountains of Connemara. There also stands the ruins of two ancient churches, both of the small Irish type but of far different styles and dates.

Ross Errilly Friary is the largest and best preserved Franciscan Friary in Ireland. is a National Monument of Ireland and among the best-preserved medieval monastic sites in the country. Though usually referred to by locals as "Ross Abbey," this is not technically correct as the community never had an abbot.

Aughnanure Castle was built in the 16th century as a stronghold of the O'Flaherty clan, and is renowned for its unusual double bawn. The castle was built by the O'Flaherty family in the 16th century, one of Connacht's most notable lord families. Aughnanure is one of over 200 tower houses in County Galway, constructed mainly by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman land owning families. The tower lies close to the shores of Lough Corrib, and translates to "the field of the yews" in Irish.