An Fhairche / Clonbur Forest Trail
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 4.54 mi
- Elevation gain
- 85 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 85 ft
- Max elevation
- 125 ft
- TrailRank
- 33
- Min elevation
- 51 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- one hour 20 minutes
- Time
- one hour 26 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1252
- Uploaded
- March 26, 2019
- Recorded
- March 2019
near An Fhairche, Connaught (Ireland)
Viewed 525 times, downloaded 11 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
We started late in the day so only did a small loop section. Will be going back in the summer weather to take the trail past the Ballykine castle ruins to see the Pigeon Hole Cave; go into the center of Cong; and make another attempt at White Island on the loop back.
Easy to locate the car park next door to Burke's Garage in the town of Clonbur. It is labeled well in Google maps as "Clonbur Wood Car Park". When you are done, be sure to walk over to John J. Burke's Bar & Restaurant , Tí Bhúrca, Clonbur for a pint, cuppa tea or a lovely meal (they serve food all day)
Waypoints
Photo
92 ft
Ballykine Castle Ruins
Remains of Ballykine Castle. It was built in the late 13th Century and acquired by the powerful Burke clan in the 14th or 15th Century. The Burkes hired ClanDonnell mercenaries for protection, and some of the McDonnells moved into Ballykine.
Photo
85 ft
Ballykine Castle Ruins
Ballykine Castle. It was built in the late 13th Century and acquired by the powerful Burke clan in the 14th or 15th Century. The Burkes hired ClanDonnell mercenaries for protection, and some of the McDonnells moved into Ballykine.
Photo
69 ft
Access to White Island
Unfortunately we could not do the White Island Loop. The standing water on the trail was too deep to pass on foot.
Photo
72 ft
Rosshill Cemetery (Teampall Brendain)
The trail passes through the extensive Ross Hill Cemetery which has several interesting features and is worth exploring. "In the Ross Hill cemetery of stands the ruins of Teampall Brendain. The ruin is sited within an ancient oval enclosure known as a Caiseal or Cashel. The western end of the ruin is of early Christian origin and in the trabeated doorway can clearly be seen the inclined jambs so distinctive of that era. This edifice replaced a wooden and less durable structure which was the Navigator's original monastic settlement on the site. Within 30 meters of the western doorway is a curiosity locally known as The Ogham Stone. The site, in the Ross Hill estate, was once the property of the unpopular Earl of Leitrim. The estate later became the property of the Guinness family." (Wikipedia) JOURNAL ARTICLE Excavations at Rosshill Abbey, County Galway Miriam Clyne and Joe Norton Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 44 (1992), pp. 195-208 Published by: Galway Archaeological & Historical Society https://www.jstor.org/stable/25550155 Page Count: 14
Photo
118 ft
All Saint's Heritage Centre
"All Saint’s Heritage Centre is one of the jewels in the crown in Clonbur. To see the building today, it is hard to believe that just a few short years ago the roof was gone and all the glass broken. All Saint’s Church of Ireland was built in the 1840’s by Lady Leitrim who also built the Crane House and Clonbur House in the village. Unfortunately, the church fell into disrepair having lost all its roof, slates and glass but in the mid 1990’s the local community initiated contact with the Church of Ireland bishop to see about taking over ownership of the church and thus refurbishing it. From beginning to end, the whole process took the best part of 20 years to get the building to what it is today and great credit must be given to all those in the community who gave so much of their time and energy to the project for so many years – without them we wouldn’t have this beautiful building today."
Photo
102 ft
Titanic Monument
"John Flynn was a native of the townland of Carrahakeen. John was home on a holiday visiting his widowed sister Bridget. Like thousands of other young Irish men and women, John had emigrated to America to ‘seek his fortune’. John settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked in the steel industry prior to opening his own business. He met and married Mary Cassidy who hailed from the Doorus Penusla, Cornamona. When John sailed for Ireland they had a family of six children ranging from 19 years to 3 years. John spent approximately a month at home with his sister Bridget to help her on the small family farm. After receiving a letter from his wife, he decided immediately to return to Boston. He bought his ticket in Joe Kyne’s General Merchants shop, in Clonbur village (Fair Hill House Hotel, today). On Tuesday 9th April, John made his way to Ballinrobe where he boarded a train to take him to Queenstown (Cobh). Along with hundreds of other passengers John boarded the ill-fated Titanic for his return journey to his wife and children." (Heritage Galway)
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