Take ‘the world’s only daily place names tour’ in West Cork (it gets rave reviews)
Do you enjoy a bit of local lore with your strolls?
A unique walking tour that leaves Castlehaven every day of the week is gaining a reputation for being one of the best authentic experiences you can enjoy in West Cork.
Guide and storyteller Conor Ó’Buachalla has been leading locals and tourists alike on his 3.5 hour tour Placenames and their Amazing Stories.
The walk takes in secluded beaches, holy wells, fairy forts, hidden trails, and rural boreens within about five kilometres. While undulating, the trail is easy and fun for beginners.
“It is said the mighty inscribe their toponymy on the landscape,” says Conor.
“Gaels, Vikings, Normans, Spaniards, pirates, English, and the Irish all controlled this section of coastline at one time or another and they all left their mark in the toponyms and microtoponyms of this beautiful area.”
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The €48 ticket includes parking, a picnic lunch featuring local artisan foodstuffs, and hiking poles for those who want to use them.
Fans are raving about the day tour, which is one of a selection of interesting offerings available via Conor’s company Gormú.
“We are fans of guided tours and have done them all over the world and this is easily the most novel tour we ever went on.” said reviewer Joe B.
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“Conor uses place names as the jumping-off point for amazing stories on how people lived, loved and fought in this remarkable townland. It’s a really novel concept and it opens up a whole chapter of Irish culture that we had honestly never really considered up to this point.”
Maura G visited from Dublin during the summer and booked the tour for her family: “I am not a “history person” and I just loved it, as did my 18 and 11-year-old daughters.” she said.
“Definitely not a tour I could have done on my own or through a guidebook.”
You can book a tour on the Gormú website here.
