Drimoleague Heritage Walkways

An energetic loop walk combining village landscape, hilltop panorama, woodland and riverbank. This walk has a number of Memorial Benches. Take a while to sit, enjoy the peace and reflect on the people of the area whose lives are commemorated. As you walk along the river, note the heronry in the trees, and watch out for dippers and kingfishers. See map for directions.

A pleasant walk along banks of the Ilen River, with some lovely views on your return journey. Money Bridge is a fine double arched bridge. When it was blown up in the troubled times a temporary footbridge was erected west of it and the river was forded by horses and carts bringing butter to the fair. It has always been a meeting place, and the new amenity area brings this custom back. The old weir, up the river from the bridge, carries many a tale of days gone by. Its system of tanks, pipes and filters can still be seen. As you walk notice the fine specimens of ferns along the path and look out for tree-creepers, tiny birds combing the bark for insects and larve. See map for directions.

Gentle countryside and hill walk with beautiful views and cultural, archaeological and historical points of interest. The riverbank and the little neck of land created by the changed course of the river are a glorious sight in spring when bluebells carpet the ground. See map for directions. Notice the plaque at Trawlebane Bridge, which commemorates the 150 ^th anniversary of the birth of Captain Francis O’Neill. Originally from Trawlebane, Francis O’Neill went on to become a Captain in the Chicago Police and was an accomplished fiddler. In 1903 he published ‘O’Neill’s Music of Ireland’ which is still considered to be the most authoritative collection of traditional Irish melodies in a single volume.

This pleasant stroll starts at the Railway Yard and takes you through Drimoleague’s history leading to a restful amenity area at the mall. Along the route you will see the Holy Year Cross (1950) on the Cnocanín, the highest point of the village. Near this cross is a curious phenomenon of which there are very few in the country. It is a ring fort, but rectangular in shape. Word has it that soldiers camped here in connection with events at Castledonovan. See map for directions.

Leaving Castledonovan Bridge, walk the old path along the banks of the Ilen River, with its cascades, cliffs and patchwork field systems. A beautiful riverside walk following the course of the Ilen river until it emerges at Gurteeniher North to follow a quiet country road to Ahanafunsion bridge. The old village of Gurteeniher ran westwards from the present road. It was depopulated at the time of the famine. Today it is once again a busy place with Glenilen Farm producing award winning dairy mousse, yoghurt, cream and old-fashioned country butter. This artisan dairy business is a good example of local sustainable business in a rural area. See map for directions.

An invigorating loop walk featuring magnificent hilltop views over Bantry Bay. This walk takes you up an old bog road, beside rushing streams, two lakes and the huge erratic rocks after which Glanaclohy is named. You can visit the old homestead of George the Sky, so called because his house was situated so near the sky, and wonder what it was like for him and his family in days gone by. See map for directions.

Starting near Coomanore Lough, the Mullaghmesha to Kealkill walk offers breathtaking views, history and heritage. Along the way, look out for an ancient crab apple tree growing atop a large rock. There is a fine heathland on these old red sandstone hills with the pink and purple flowers of bell heather and ling. You may be lucky enough to see or hear the relatively rare red grouse with its harsh call of ‘go-back go-back go-back’. See map for directions.

An invigorating walk on bog road, valley and ridge with Loch Bofinna near its end. Starting at Coomanore point near the Lough, this walk continues westwards to meet the Bantry-Drimoleague section of the Sheep’s Head Way at Trawlebane Bridge.