We started for Lisloughey Lodge near Cong, County Mayo and expected to arrive around 9:30pm.
We got it wrong!
The newly opened stretch of the Galway road gives you back 30mins on the journey. This was a great start to what I was hoping would be a fantastic day exploring Cong, the grounds of Ashford Castle and with a bit of luck, Lough Corrib.
My wife came up with the brilliant idea of travelling with her to Mayo. She was working there for a day so going with her and staying over gave me a chance to explore the area and take a few photos.
There were a few little variables that if sorted would make this trip superb:
- I needed a free day – check
- The hotel could accommodate an extra person – check
- The weather would be reasonable – check
- I could get out on Lough Corrib with Corrib Cruises – to be determined
Everything looked very promising. I contacted Corrib Cruises and they said that if the weather wasn’t too bad (the forecast was good), if they got the numbers (they needed 8 people) and I could make my way to the pier at Ashford Castle then they’d take me out on the lake on their History Cruise.
The next day started well with a good breakfast in Lisloughrey. I ate a bit more than usual as I was planning to be out for most of the day. At around 10am it was overcast but I could see some blue skies peeping though the clouds. I phoned Dave of Corrib Cruises and was told we were down to one variable, if they got the numbers they’d sail. I said if I met any strays looking for something to do on my way to the Ashford Castle pier I’d try and persuade them to join us.
I had about an hour before the Isle of Innisfree was due to set off so I went for a walk around Ashford Castle. The building is simply magnificent. Add to that its aspect on Lough Corrib, its grounds and the many quiet paths available around the lake and into Cong it must be one of the most stunning buildings in Ireland. The sun started to shine though the clouds and this day promised to be something very special indeed.
I got back to the pier for 11am and Dave and Pat Luskin were there along with plenty of passengers to ensure we were going onto the lake. I paid the €20, fastened my camera bag to a seat (it was a calm day but I wanted to be certain it wouldn’t slide overboard) and waited for the trip to start. We were only going to be on the lake for a little over an hour. In summer months Corrib Cruises take longer trips to Inchagoill Island and Oughterard. I hope to come back to try these later in the year.
During the tour Dave and Pat pointed out many key historical sites along the Corrib. I got the feeling that there was nothing of historical significance related to the Corrib that they didn’t know about. In fact Pat has written a book on the subject called A Voyage Of Discovery, that is available to buy on the boat or online.
I got the impression that if weather permitted Dave and Pat would be on the lake every day of the year. Sure they are familiar with Lough Corrib and all its islands, but the light is never the same from one day to the next and makes every journey different. We started talking about photography near the end of the trip and it didn’t surprise me to hear Pat describe a photograph he took of mountains reflected in a perfectly smooth lake. The breeze and the rippling surface didn’t allow that today, maybe next time.
From the boat we could see a monument that looked like a grey obelisk beside a chalet and after we had our feet back on land Dave pointed out the walking route there. He said it was about 3 km from the castle and it would be rare for me to meet a car.
I wanted to see as much as I could before the sun went down or the rain clouds came in so headed off to find the monument. If it can be easily seen from the boat, I thought maybe there’s a good view of the lake from there.
It was great to walk in the woods with very few people around. There is a school of falconry and an equestrian centre on the castle grounds and sure enough I saw riders on horseback and two instructors with a hawk each exiting the school. I wasn’t fast enough to take a picture of the hawks, but I got the riders.
After walking around the grounds of Ashford I headed to Cong. Cong and Ashford have a strong association with the 1952 movie The Quiet Man, directed by John Ford starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Back on the 29th of December I had a chance to listen to Ryan Tubridy interview Maureen O’Hara about her career in the movies and the actors she’s worked with. The interview was super and she came across as a woman who was full of life. A great achievment for an actor who made her first movie in 1938 aged 18.
Cong sits on the border of Counties Mayo and Galway on a strip of land that joins Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. The ruins of Cong Abbey and the walks by the lakes make it a perfect base for exploration.
After all that, and since it was now nearly 3pm and I was feeling hungry, I headed back to Lisloughrey for something to eat. Although I was only staying for one night I thought the hotel was lovely and the staff very friendly. The food was good too. The seafood chowder I had when I arrived the night before was delicious, the breakfast the next day was very tasty and as you read, kept me going until well into the afternoon, and finally the burger I had for a late lunch really hit the spot.
The hotel has plenty of space, along with a games room with a pool table in the basement, and a Wii room with a large wide-screen television on the ground floor. I didn’t get to play pool or the Wii while I was there as I had plenty to do outside.
