Top Things to do in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands
What to do and see in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands: The Best Hidden Gems Things to do
Discover the best top things to do in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Ireland including Glengowla Mines, Arigna Mining Experience, Burren Birds of Prey Centre, Dun Duchathair, Derryglad Folk & Heritage Museum, Killary Sheep Farm, Scattery Island, Kilkee Cliff Walk, Wild Atlantic Way, Charleville Castle.
Restaurants in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands
1. Glengowla Mines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 426 reviews
Buried beneath the Connemara Mountain lies a way of life long abandoned and almost forgotten just waiting for you to explore! Let the team at Glengowla Mines lead you on a journey of discovery of how lead and silver were mined from the roots of the Connemara Mountains in the 1800’s. The constant dripping of water, the ‘miners breath’ and if you are brave enough - a moment of darkness will set the scene! Delve into the depths of Glengowla mines where you can explore the caverns of marble studded with lead and silver. Follow the veins of copper pyrite which will lead you to the ‘miners gold’ - Galena. Marvel at the rare and beautiful crystals of quartz and fluorite. Learn of the working conditions the miners worked under before the mines closed in 1865. A firm favourite with adults and children alike is to pan for gold and gems at our gold panning station and keep any gems you find! Not only will you enjoy guided tours of the mines,
Reviewed By sarahoR5721WQ
One of the best afternoons spent in Connemara. Great for kids and adults. The staff were all friendly and very patient with my son (and his millions of questions). The Sheepdog display is a must, we loved meeting Jess the sheepdog and watching her herding the sheep to us so we could pet and feed them. The mine tour was great, limited group numbers so not rushed and really interesting with a very knowledgeable and funny guide. We were taught how to pan for gold and even given a little bag to bring our treasure home. A relaxed afternoon in beautiful surroundings to wander around. Great attention to Covid measures, everything we touched was cleaned. I Highly Recommend a visit here!
2. Arigna Mining Experience
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 874 reviews
Reviewed By Meganmccarthy1705
Visited the mine on a recent breakaway in Carrick on Shannon. Such a worthwhile experience and would definitely recommend a visit. The staff are such lovely welcoming people and Maurice gave a fantastic tour of the mine providing lots of interesting information as well as first hand accounts of his own mining work. Amazing to see the conditions that people endured. The views from outside the experience are breathtaking but can be viewed from the fabulous coffee shop inside also. Really enjoyed ourselves!
3. Burren Birds of Prey Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 688 reviews
DYNAMIC FLYING DISPLAYS where the visitor can interact and get up close and personal to the birds as they fly overhead and through the audience. A HOME to Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, and Owls from all over the world.EDUCATION into the amazing world of Raptors, their biology, conservation and the ancient art of Falconry.HAWK WALKS which are a once in a life time opportunity to interact with some of nature's top predators. Guided and instructed by experienced Falconers, this hour long 'Walk with a Hawk' through hazel woodland and across Burren limestone pavement is tailor made for anybody seeking a totally unique experience.
Reviewed By 346katier
The centre is staffed by knowledgable and friendly people. The birds are well-kept and in great condition. Toilets (importantly!) also clean. There's a shop with a good collection and also a farm shop with local produce. The bird show is informative and the staff clearly engaged very much in conservation: staff are also very much on hand and welcome questions. In the show we saw, volunteers were allowed to have a hawk fly to their fist which was done as part of the show very well indeed. We loved it, and I am certain fellow visitors did too. It was lovely to see handlers so clearly interested in conservation and bird welfare. Very well done.
4. Dun Duchathair
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 143 reviews
Reviewed By redhead_roaming - Seattle, United States
Honestly, it's quite an adventure just getting to this place! We rented mountain bikes in town and we were glad we got those versus gentle city bikes. The road that gets you closest, while it looks smooth and nice on Google Maps satellite view, is full of large rocks that would take out city bikes - there was more than one occasion I almost biffed it even with my mountain bike! While walking is certainly an option, it kinda makes sense just to get bikes for the whole day to explore the island anyway. Anyway, the path ends near the cliff side, with a lone bench. It's not America - there are no signs, no safety rails, nothing. Be safe and be informed as to where you need to go. We left our bikes there and I was really worried they would get stolen but no one touched them - thank you kind people! Walking through the limestone landscape, you have to be careful where you step, as you could easily twist an ankle if you're too busy looking around. You start to notice that the stone walls have a couple entries in them and you can follow some virtually all the way to Dun Duchathair. Once you get there, there's not much to see of the actual fort. There's no signs about not walking on the structure and you kinda have to but we tried to keep that to a minimum, to keep the integrity of the structure for years to come. We sat and enjoyed the views for a while though, especially loving waves crashing along the steep cliffs. As cool as watching the sunset would be here, I 100% do not recommend it. I can't imagine trying to navigate the cliffs or the limestone landscape in the dark. For clothing, it wasn't a terribly cold day but with the wind, it made it. We had lightweight fleece jackets, pants and good hiking shoes.
5. Derryglad Folk & Heritage Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 332 reviews
Open May-Oct incl : No trip to the midlands is complete without a visit to the Derryglad Folk & Heritage Museum, which is hidden in South Roscommon in a land of lakes and rivers. The collection deals with Farm & Folk life in Ireland from the 18th century to the recent past. The museum is privately owned and run by the Finneran Family and houses a unique 25 year collection of over ,7500 items includes horse-drawn machinery restored to the original working order, tradesmans tools and buttermaking equipment, laundry memorabilia, old and rare washing machines, 1930’s old-style thatched bar & grocery, old-style sheep shears, radios, gramophones , shop dockets and bill-heads, sports display McCormacks photography room where the contents include dark rooms finishing r D & P line, B & W colour processors. as well as much, much more. its an ideal destination for school tours, ICA Guilds, Ladies Clubs, Farming Groups, Vintage Clubs, Historical Societies, families,
Reviewed By astokes610 - Dublin, Ireland
Vert enjoyable experience at this museum. Everything so well preserved and presented you can see the owners have so much love and appreciation for the past. Was lovely to speak to the owner and hear how he has been collecting for the past 40 years. A great trip down memory lane.
6. Killary Sheep Farm
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 375 reviews
contains some of Ireland's most awe-inspiring and dramatic scenery including Killary Fjord. Sheepdog Demonstrations with highly skilled working dogs, feeding the lambs with bottles, Sheep shearing using the hand shears, turf cutting using the traditional method which visitors can try out this ancient method for themselves, walking trails, Great day out for all the family.
Reviewed By peteald - Downers Grove, United States
The drive up to Leenane is absolutely stunning. Once you enter the town of Leenane and see the Fjord you will be blown away, the mountains with the water and the amazing flowers are an unbeatable scene. We took a day trip up to the area on one of our last days in Ireland and wish we would have gone earlier so we could have spent more time there! Killary Sheep Farm is spectacular. We went in May, when it was a little warmer than usual for the time, and had a wonderful experience. There was a tour group of about 30 individuals there, and my girlfriend and I were the only ones there not a part of the tour. Tom took time to answer everyone questions and explain how a sheep farm operates. The best part was toward the end, we got to hold baby sheep and feed them. We feed a sheep that was just born the day before, they are so cute! You get a little bottle that you feed them with and you have one of the most adorable experiences ever. The farm is amazing, the family that runs it are so nice and helpful, and the views are impeccable. This day trip was the highlight of a week long trip all over Ireland. If you are on the west coast, or staying in Galway, make the trip up and have a day you'll always remember.
7. Scattery Island
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 405 reviews
Scattery Island Tours offers a daily ferry service to Scattery Island, at the heart of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. Scattery offers a unique Cultural & Heritage experience for visitors with a range of Monasitc & Heritage sites. Scattery Island is an EDEN award winner for Sustainable & Cultural Tourism. Sailings depart from Kilrush Marina in Co. Clare May to Sept. Guided Walking Tour included.
Reviewed By blackcatw13 - London, United Kingdom
Great trip would recommend wearing boots as trails muddy and slippery, also have to cross a stream to get to the lighthouse. Guides more than knowledgeable on the history
8. Kilkee Cliff Walk
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 496 reviews
Reviewed By _wilmount - Limerick, Ireland
A delightful walk along the wild Atlantic way, breathtaking scenery and the ocean is majestic, a must do when in Kilkee
9. Wild Atlantic Way
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,705 reviews
Reviewed By 2hopeless - Chichester, United Kingdom
After spending 3 days in Dublin we headed to the west stopping en route at the diner in Ballinasloe which was good for a quick lunch. We spent 3 nights in Galway, taking in the Galway Food Tour and enjoying the bars and street entertainment in the Latin Quarter. Onward for a few nights in Doolin Co. Clare visiting The Buren, Inis Oirr Aran Island, and the local hostelries. A lengthy scenic drive through Kerry, around the lakes of Killarney (unfortunately on a rainy misty day) to the Beara Peninsula for 4 days. Whilst we enjoyed all of it the change in scenery at each place captured the imagination and we all felt that it was merely an introduction for us to revisit soon. We travelled in June, however, roads are narrow and at peak holiday time it may be annoying as there are so many camper vans and huge tour buses at some of the more well known sights so cars have to move over, getting superficial scratches from the hedgerows. Be careful because there are ditches alongside the roads which are not obvious as they are covered in vegetation and may appear as solid ground.
10. Charleville Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 260 reviews
Charleville Castle, the Masterpiece of Francis Johnston, once derelict, vacant, closed-off and decaying, has been rescued from near ruin by volunteers of the Charleville Castle Community. Built originally as a dramatic Power Center in the Midlands - a most important Irish symbol of the Union with Great Britain 1801 - it is a project of the Peace Process - authenticate, intact and "of the people". The long avenue to the forecourt is now fully open - some areas require supervised access or guides [set donation] - Volunteers rotate on duty 24/7 - 365 days a year - sharing actively with the public. It is famous for its ghosts stories and unique architecture - it is not a state-funded project and depends entirely on volunteers and supporters - the local community and many thousands more openly express love and support for the Castle. Come visit - we hope you will get a real feeling of what it is to keep a big Castle like this alive - hopefully your visit can be enhanced by a guided tour.
Reviewed By 446natem - Tullamore, Ireland
volunteer-run, donation-supported (no defined entry fee), personal feel to the tour. this is a different tour than you'll have at a more traditional/formal castle, as it's not as established and (thankfully) not run by a large entity. the tour guide was excellent, as was the access to the rooms, the relaxed pace of the tour, and the stories about the family.
