Oughterard (Uachtar Árd) Overview

With a small population strung along the N59 between Galway and Clifden, Oughterard (OOK-ter-rard) watches most touring vehicles blink briefly in its direction before heading to bigger and better-known attractions. But this little town draws Galway natives to its quiet shores for weekend respites, and the city-weary traveler might do well to follow their lead. Hikers use Oughterard as a base for hikes into the Maumturk Mountains, while the less energetic prefer to angle in Lough Corrib’s salmon-rich waters. Aughnanure Castle, a few kilometers from town, is worth a visit even for those just passing through.

Transportation And Practical Information. From late June to early September, Bus Éireann stops on Main St. and runs to Galway. (30min.; M-F 8 per day 7:55am-8pm, Sa 7 per day 9am-8pm, Su 3 per day noon-9:41pm; €6, student €4.70.) During the winter, the Galway-Clifden Bus stops in Oughterard. (Both directions, M-Sa 3-4 times per day, Su 1 per day.) Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, but those who do report easy going in summer between Galway and anywhere west. An independent tourist office, Main St., provides a free town map and information about the area and offers Internet access for €1 per 15min. (☎552 808. Open July-Aug. daily 9:30am-5:30pm; Sept.-June M-F 9:30am-5:30pm, Sa 9:30-1:30pm.) Internet access is also available at the Oughterard Library (☎552 488. Open Tu and Th-F 2-4pm and 7-9pm, W and Sa 11am-1pm) and at Archers Pizza, Camp St. (☎552 034. Free. Open daily noon-11:30pm). The Bank of Ireland on Main St. has a 24hr. ATM. (☎552 123. Open M 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-5pm, Tu-F 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-4pm.) Flaherty’s Pharmacy (☎557 602. Open M-Sa 9:30am-1pm and 2-6pm), the post office (☎552 201. Open M-F 9am-1pm and 2-5:30pm, Sa 9am-1pm), and the Police (Garda) station (☎552 202) are all on Main St.

Accommodations. The only hostel in Oughterard is Cranrawer House (IHH) , 10min. down Station Rd. off Main St. Call ahead; the owner, an experienced fisherman with knowledge of the local fishing scene, has been considering closing. (☎552 388. Laundry €8. Common room lockout midnight-8am. Simple breakfast included. Open Feb.-Nov. 8- to 12-bed dorms €17; private ensuite rooms €16.) The large lawn of the 200-year-old Georgian Corrib View Farmhouse , about 5km down the Aughnanure Castle road off N59, descends to the lake, where angling can be arranged. Guests can also use the tennis court. (☎552 345. €40 per person.) B&Bs are easy to find on Camp St. and the Glann road. Abhainn Ruibe , on Camp St., is the yellow house on the right. (☎552 144. Singles €45; doubles €35 per person.)

Food And Pubs. Keogh’s Grocery, a.k.a. Spar, sells food and fishing tackle from its location at the Square at Main St. (☎552 222. Open daily 8am-10pm.)  The Yew Tree , Main St., serves as both a bakery and top-notch cafe, serving up gourmet sandwiches (€5.50-8), specialty salads served with foccacia bread and homemade dressing (€6.50-7.50), and tantalizing baked goods (cinnamon buns €2 each). Stop by on Saturdays for local honey, eggs, jams, and organic produce. (☎866 986. Upstairs cafe open Tu-F and Su noon-5pm, Sa 10am-5pm. Evening specials Th-Sa 5-9pm. Downstairs breakfast counter M-Sa 9am-5pm. Wine and coffee bar Th-Su 5-11pm. Market Sa 9am-4pm.) Breathnach’s Bar , across from Spar, and spill out onto the sidewalk. (☎552 196. Sandwiches €7.50-11, entrees €11-22. Live music Sa-Su; in summer, every night except Wednesday. Kitchen open 11:30am-10pm.) Faherty’s, Camp St., is another option for food and drink (☎552194; the sign outside signals live music nights). Across the street at Keogh’s Bar, fill up on pub grub or just grab a pint. (☎552 222. Th disco; in summer Sa-Su live rock or trad.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. Three and a half kilometers south of town, a turnoff from N59 leads to Oughterard’s top attraction, 16th-century Aughnanure Castle. Here the Drimneen River curves around the impressively preserved fortified tower that was once home to the O’Flaherty clan but now houses a family of bats. The optional 40min. tour (available upon request; no extra charge) explores highlights such as the secret chamber and the murder hole—a hole that intruders would fall into before being submerged in scalding oil. Be careful—the O’Flahertys were not a tall family, and they intentionally built their spiral staircases to trip up ascending attackers. Near the entrance is the area’s only yew tree, a tree that used to grow in abundance and was revered for its magical qualities. (☎552 214. Open May-Sept. daily 9:30am-6pm; Sept.-Oct. Sa-Su 9:30am-6pm; call on weekdays. €3, students €1.30.) The caverns of Glengowla Mines, 3km west of town off N59, are Ireland’s only silver and lead mines. When mining was abandoned in 1865, Glengowla became Ireland’s first show mine. (☎552 021; www.glengowlamines.com. Open daily Mar.-Nov. 10am-6pm. Call for low season hours.) Glann Rd. covers the 13km from Oughterard to a lookout point for viewing the infamous Hill of Doon, where the pre-Celtic Glann people annually sacrificed a virgin to the panther goddess Taryn. The 77km Western Way Walk begins (or ends) in Oughterard at Glann Rd. and threads through mountains and loughs, affording gorgeous views of the Twelve Bens, Maumturks, Clew Bay, and Killary Harbour before finishing in Westport.

Local sports enthusiasts occasionally swarm the Gaelic football pitch, near the intersection of Pier Rd. and Main St., where they spend €3-7 to cheer on the local boys in the winter and spring. The last Sunday of August brings an elaborate Agriculture Fair to the Gaelic pitch with Connemara pony shows, activities for kids, and a craft show in the Community Centre. Contact the tourist office for information about local competitions and events (☎552 808; oughterardoffice@eircom.net).

Angling on Lough Corrib is the most popular activity in Oughterard and is arranged for visitors almost entirely through the town’s accommodations. Corrib Wave House (☎552 147), Camillaun (☎552 678), Lakelands (☎552 121) and Nomaim Lodge (☎552 138) hire boats and lead angling expeditions (you don’t have to be a guest to participate). Only salmon-fishing requires a license, which can be obtained through the Western Regional Fisheries Board in Galway (☎563 118;wrfb@iol.ie). Surprisingly, golfing is usually less expensive than fishing.

Following the hatch of the mayfly in March, a number of angling competitions tangle Lough Corrib with lines between the last two Sundays of the month. Competitors from all over Ireland assemble in June for the Curragh Racing Championships. The family-oriented Oughterard Pony Show comes to town in July.

Daytrip From Oughterard: Inchagoill. Reputed to mean “the Island of the Stranger,” Inchagoill (INCH-a-gill) has been uninhabited since the 1950s; three families farmed the island when it, along with Ashford Castle, belonged to the Guinness family. Aside from a few ancient monastic ruins and some toppled gravestones, there’s little to see on the 52-hectare island. Still, at the right time of day, Inchagoill’s eerie beauty and solitude make it as captivating as any of its more touristed island cousins, and the views over the lough and castle are spectacular. Two churches lie just down the right-hand path from the pier. St. Patrick’s Church, built in the 5th century, has crumbled almost beyond recognition. The famous Stone of Lugna, which supposedly marks the gravesite of St. Patrick’s nephew and navigator, is 1m tall and stands among the other stones surrounding the church. Its inscription means “stone of Luguaedon, the son of Menueh.” (Good thing we cleared that up.) This is the earliest known example of the Irish language written in Roman script, and the second-oldest known inscribed Christian monument in Europe (the oldest are the catacombs of Rome). The second Church, the Church of the Saint, where 10 sculpted human heads decorate the arched doorway, dates back to the 12th century. (The Corrib Queen ☎091 552 808 sails daily from Lisloughrea Quay on Cong’s Quay Rd., Ashford Castle, and Quay Rd. in Oughterard; it offers a brief but enlightening tour of the island. 1hr. May-Oct. 11am, 2:45, and 5pm. €15 return, €22 return including stop at Ashford Castle in Cong with €5 entrance fee to castle grounds included; longer trip 11am Oughterard sailing only. Those interested in extensive exploration should take a morning ferry out and return in the afternoon or camp on the island; no facilities are provided.)