Lough Corrib Tours and Activities

Delve into the rugged wilderness of Connemara, an Irish county thronged with historic monuments and natural splendor, on a full-day tour from Galway City. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, explore the perfectly preserved Franciscan friary of Ross Errilly Friary and enjoy some leisurely free time in Cong, a picturesque village. Gaze at the tranquil surfaces of Lough Carrib and Loch NaFooey and discover the elaborate walled gardens of Kylemore Abbey. Enjoy a pleasant balance of guided tours and independent exploration during this enriching excursion.

Come kayaking on beautiful Lough Corrib, Ireland's second largest lake with an experienced guide. The scenic lake is dotted with 360 islands and offers amazing views of Connemara's iconic hills and mountains. Explore the islands and take in the spectacular view of famous Ashford castle as we kayak past this historic landmark. Beginners to advanced kayakers welcome on this special journey to discover nature and have some fun out on the water.

Spend the day exploring the tiny Irish village of Cong, best known as the filming location of John Wayne’s The Quiet Man, on a full-day guided tour from Galway. On this tour, you’ll visit the Ashford Castle, the Royal Abbey of Cong, the Pigeon Hole Cave, and enjoy a history cruise on Lough Corrib. This fully guided coach tour packs in more sights than you could see in a day exploring on your own and includes all admission tickets and guide fees so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Go fly fishing on Lough Corrib during a full-day tour in County Galway. Join a guide for a day’s fishing on this large lake known for its brown trout fishery and admire views of the beautiful scenery. Learn new skills and try your hand at fly fishing in several hot spots around the lake. The guide with a boat and fishing equipment are included.

Hear what happened when Hollywood invaded the sleepy village of Cong in 1951 to make the John Wayne Classic The Quiet Man. The Quiet Man Film Locations Walking Tour brings visitors to the original film locations including Innisfree, Castletown, the Pat Cohan's Bar, the Dying Man's House, the Reverend Playfair's House, the fight scenes, the courting scenes and the "patty fingers in the holy water" scenes. Hear what the film stars were like, how they interacted with the locals and how the locals became involved in the making of the movie. The tour includes entrance to The Quiet Man Museum.

Imagine mounting your horse and riding into a magical 3000acre forest steeped in history and heritage alongside the beautiful shores of Lough Corrib with your private guide. The renowned Ashford Castle estate, once a hunting lodge owned by the Guinness family and a millionaire’s playground in the 19th century, plays host to you exploring its many rivers, caves, castles, towers, abbeys, ringforts and scenic views out to the majestic Connemara mountains. See the ruins of famous Cong Abbey, where the last High King of Ireland ended his days. Discover the many rare plants and wild creatures which take refuge in the natural limestone outcrops of the area. Take in the pure sense of tranquillity as you ride through the quiet forest paths and laneways between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. Option for younger riders to be lead by foot on a horse by our guides. Riders are first introduced to their horses, given some tuition and circuits around the arena before heading out on the trail.

The "Corrib Queen" departs from Oughterard pier daily (except Tuesdays) at 12:00pm, and sails onto Inchagoill Island. En route passengers experience awe inspiring views of the Connemara mountains, and experience the beauty of Lough Corrib's 365 islands.Having arrived on Inchagoill Island, passengers will be given a guided tour at St. Patricks monastic site which dates back to the 5th century. Leaving Inchagoill Island we continue our cruise onto the world-renowned Ashford Castle in Cong arriving there at approx 13:30. Passengers at this point have the option of taking the 1 km walk to the quaint village of Cong, famous as the location of John Ford's 1951 classic Hollywood movie "The Quiet Man". Passengers also have the option of enjoying the beautiful grounds of Ashford Castle, The Oughterard Cruise ticket price includes admission to the gardens at Ashford Castle. At 17:00 passengers will then board the Corrib Queen for direct transfer to Oughterard, arriving at approximately 18:00.

Get the best chance of catching brown trout in Lough Corrib by traveling with a dedicated guide on this day trip in County Galway. Hop aboard a local fisherman's boat for a ride out to the local spots where trout bite the most. Bring along your own picnic lunch as well as tackle and flies, but fishing equipment will be provided. Midday, stop on a local island to relax with lunch and some commentary on the local ecosystem.

View breath-taking views of castles and other sites of historical and cultural interest. Lough Corrib is home to more than 1000 islands and is a haven to many marine and wildlife species.

The Quiet Man Museum offers an on-set experience with exact replicas of all the key furnishings and artifacts from the movie including Sean Thornton’s big bed, Mary Kate’s cottage piano, china, pewter, cradle and the tandem bicycle, as well as costumes made by the same company – O’Maille’s of Galway – who made them for John Ford in 1951. Quiet Man enthusiasts can dress up in costume for photos. The Museum also showcases the largest collection of Irish newspaper articles from the time the movie was filmed, which were sourced through a painstaking trawl of the microfiche files in local libraries. This first hand account allows enthusiasts to read exactly what it was like when Hollywood took over the village of Cong in 1951. The Quiet Man Museum houses the original fishing rod used by Father Lonergan and Michaeleen Og’s horse Napoleon’s original harness and a first edition of the Maurice Walsh collection of short stories, Green Rushes, on which the screenplay for The Quiet Man was based.

Cruise on beautiful Lough Corrib, the second largest Iake in Ireland, dotted with over 360 islands. Guided visit to famous and historic Inchagoill Island to see: -St. Patricks Church (5th Century) -The stone of Lugna (470AD: Gravestone of St. Patricks navigator) -The Church of the Saints (Built in 1180AD by the Augustinian Monks of Cong) -The burial tomb of Muirgeas O'Nioc (Archbishop of Tuam in 1128AD)

Depending on the time of the year, you can spot, see and hear different types of birds. Your local bird watching guide and his knowledge of the local birds is excellent. The bird life varies hugely from April to September and the species available change all the time. These guided trips also include information on popular sites of interest on and around Lough Corrib and include castles, ancient settlements and the many islands in Lough Corrib.