Connemara Day Tour Preview

This is a short photo stop at the bridge made famous in the classic 1952 John Ford movie "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. There is a picture at the bridge of John Wayne sitting on it.

The Connemara Giant is located directly across the road from Joyce's Craft Shop in Recess, Connemara. It is a wonderful portrayal of the typical Irish humor that Ireland is famous for. The sign for the sculpture describes it as a "Late 20th century antiquity" After visiting the Giant, (and the equally humorous, fictitious "Memorial" behind it!) why not visit the craft shop across the road for some retail therapy!

The following was written by Mark Joyce, the sculptor of the Giant.

The Connemara Giant was built in 1999 by Joyces Craft shop for no apparent reason. He is Irelands only late 20th-century antiquity. Local tradition says that if you touch the hand of the giant you will be imbued with the knowledge of his ancient tribe.

The historical genesis of the name ‘Connemara’ is ‘Conmaicne Mara’.

The Conmaicne Mara (the Conmaicne of the sea) were a people of early Ireland.

They take their name from a mythical ancestor known as Conmac. Conmac was in turn said to be descended from Fergus mac Roich and Queen Maeve of Connacht. The word Conmacne means "progeny of Conmac" (ne, a progeny). Conmac itself means "hound-son" (con, hound; mac, son).

The Connemara Giant was built by Mark Joyce for no apparent reason.

Roundstone is a pretty little fishing village in Connemara. The quaint little harbor is a picture-postcard and would be a great addition to your photo album! There are numerous bars and cafes if you fancy a quick coffee before hitting the road!

This is a wonderful photo stop on the way to Clifden. Weather permitting, you could walk along, what looks like a white sandy beach, only to discover that it is mainly coral!

This monument is dedicated to the famous first transatlantic flight, which was achieved in 1919 with the arrival of a Vickers-Vimy biplane behind the Marconi wireless station at Derrigimlagh, 4 kilometers south of Clifden. On-board were two British airmen, Captain John Alcock (pilot), and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown (navigator). The airplane had taken off from Lester’s Field in St John’s, Newfoundland at 4:12 p.m. GMT the previous day and arrived at Derrigimlagh, Clifden, County Galway at 8:40 a.m. GMT on Sunday 15th June. The distance covered was a little less than 1,900 miles. The flight time was 16 hours 28 minutes.

There are beautiful views of Mannin bay on one side of the monument, and Clifden bay on the other.

Clifden is a coastal, market town in 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" There are many pubs, cafes, and restaurants in the town so you'll be spoilt for choice for a lunch stop.

The Sky Road in Clifden is one of the most picturesque areas in the Connemara region. The circular route is 16km long and is part of the Wild Atlantic Way driving route.

Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden was originally built as a Castle in 1867 by Mitchell Henry as a romantic gift for his wife Margeret.

In 1920 the castle became home to the Benedictine order of nuns after their Abbey in Ypres in Belgium was destroyed in the early part of world war one. The nuns opened an international boarding school for girls and a day school for local girls there.

Although the school closed in 2010, the Benedictine nuns live there to this day.