Ballynahinch Castle – Fly-fishing and a visit to Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland

From the Northern-most point of Northern Ireland at the Inishowen Peninsula and the town of Derry to the southern-most point of West Cork, Ireland’s west coast is dramatic. The rocky headlands with displays of Northern Lights, crashing waves along the Surf Coast near Donegal, the weather-beaten Cliffs of Moher, or the calm beaches and seaports of the Southern Peninsulas – this stretch of coastline is known as The Wild Atlantic Way. It will thrill you with its beauty and challenge you with its breadth of activities that are sure to keep you entertained. Here, along this 1,500-mile stretch on the Atlantic shoreline, you can smell Ireland, feel Ireland, and sense the power and pleasures of the Emerald Isle.

This video of The Wild Atlantic Way is from Discover Ireland:

In addition to its natural beauty, the city, towns, and villages along the Wild Atlantic Way are rich in cultural offerings. Art, food, history, and of course Irish dance and music, will lift your spirits. There are wonderful inns and resorts to make your stay both comfortable and memorable and historic manor homes and castles that for centuries, have played host to guests from far and wide. One such place is Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate, a short ride from the small town of Ballynahinch in Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland.

The castle is located on the Ballynahinch River in the heart of Connemara where the Twelve Bens mountain range frames the backdrop for this award-winning hotel. Named one of the finest four-star luxury castle hotels in Ireland, this unpretentious property is elegant and peaceful, yet it sits on one of the most productive salmon and trout rivers in Ireland and is a short distance to the Atlantic Ocean where surf casting and deep sea fishing are highly prized.

We traveled The Wild Atlantic Way from Cork, around the Ring of Kerry, to Dingle and Tralee, up to Limerick and County Clare, to the walled city of Galway where we ventured west 41 miles to Ballynahinch Castle on what was once known as “the longest driveway in the world.” The castle, first built in the 18^th century was, and still is, located on private land. The 450 acres as well as much of the river are private property and there were few visitors until the mid 20^th century, which is why the road to the castle was called “the longest driveway.”

The history of Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate

Noel, the historical guide at Ballynahinch Castle, took us on a tour of the estate while explaining the long and intriguing history. The property was originally conceived as a private residence to be enjoyed by the owner and his family. The magnificent and rugged Connemara region was a sportsman’s paradise. Over the years the property changed hands from its original owners 700 years ago, the ferocious O’Flahertys, to various local and even international owners. In 1946, the fisheries were opened to the public and visitors from around the world traveled to experience salmon and trout fishing at its best. In 1957, American businessman Ed Ball purchased the property for his personal use and in 1989, when Mr. Ball was no longer traveling to the property due to his age and health, the property was managed by Raymond Mason who has overseen the dramatic change and improvements to the grounds and castle. Today, Ballynahinch provides a leisurely retreat for fisherman and an enchanting and relaxing hotel, catering to guests from around the world.

We stayed at the hotel to experience the beauty and solitude of Connemara and the modern amenities of the hotel. However, the Ballynahinch River is sure to call and draw you to a fly line. Even those with little or no fishing experience will get the urge to slip on the boots, don a parka, and hire a ghillie, the name for an Irish fishing guide, to try a hand at landing a salmon or trout.

Truthfully, it doesn’t matter if you catch a fish or not, as the experience on the river with the gorgeous scenery and a guide to assist you along the way, makes for a relaxing outing. This is, until a fish hits the line and just like The Wild Atlantic Way, it will throw you from a peaceful retreat into high gear with adrenaline flowing through your body.

Ballynahinch Castle

Our accommodations at the property were one of the new suites built connected to the original castle. It was a beautifully appointed room overlooking the rapidly flowing Ballynahinch River. The first evening, we decided on a casual dinner and drinks in the Fisherman’s Pub where two musicians (Peter Carey and Aiden Curran) were singing Irish songs while playing their guitar and accordion. It didn’t take long before our feet were tapping and hands clapping to the traditional, and sometimes contemporary, Irish folk songs. For those familiar with American folk music, you will recognize many of the tunes as folk music of the 60s as they are rooted in Irish folk songs. Much of the music was bright and uplifting, while other songs tell a tale of separation, poverty, and sorrow of generations past.

Fishing on the Ballynahinch River

The following morning, after breakfast in the elegant Owenmore Restaurant in the original castle building, we joined up with our ghillie and headed to the private fishing reserve.

After driving 10 minutes from the castle, we arrived alongside the river and walked over the moss bogs to make our way to a small building that provided shelter from the elements. The weather that day was typical of Ireland where they say you can experience all four seasons in one day. And you can. Our early morning was cold and wet, but as the day progressed, the sun beat down warm in the afternoon. Dressing in layers and always carrying a waterproof outer cover is essential in Ireland.

Rock piers had been built into the river to provide casting points for visiting fishermen. Spaced far enough apart to assure adequate space for the cast, these piers jut into the fast moving river where many trout and salmon tend to stay in this highly oxygenated water. Your ghillie knows what’s best, so go with the local knowledge in selecting your rod and fly. Besides, he has cases and cases of dry and wet flies in his pocket so you can change as often as needed.

There is something almost spiritual about fly-fishing. From the art of tying the fly, the skill of the angler, the cadence of the cast, the dance of the fly on the water, the orchestration of the retrieve, the anticipation of a strike, and hopefully the impact of the fish hitting the lure, to the ensuing battle, and finally, the release to freedom. The thrill and adrenaline rush is just a flash away from the peace and serenity of being on the river surrounded by the beauty of the region.

We headed back to the castle and spent much of the remainder of the day on the river outside our hotel room. We watched as otter played in the swirling waters and fish jumped to tease us into chasing after them with our lures. I got back into cadence casting through the wind and challenged a trophy salmon to engage in a battle that has been fought on this river for centuries, but it wasn’t my day to win.

We enjoyed a late lunch in the pub surrounded by the many trophy fish taken from these waters over the years. The food was beautifully presented and prepared with many local ingredients, such as Connemara crab caught in nearby coastal waters. Relaxing and enjoying lunch with a pint of Guinness, I couldn’t stop thinking about the prospect of hooking into one of these huge salmon or trout. And I realized, there’s always tomorrow.

That evening we made our way into town to listen to more Irish music. We found a pub where the musicians from the prior night were playing. The pub was full of people settled in for the show and enjoying a Guinness or Harp as Peter Carey and his group played the old familiar songs of drinking, sorrow, lost love, and the grace of times gone by.

We returned to the Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate where we enjoyed one more round in the bar before retiring to our room. Thinking back on our visit, Ballynahinch provided the perfect setting to experience the Connemara region and was another memorable and spectacular adventure in Ireland.

For more articles on our travels through Ireland, please refer to these links:

An Ireland Roadtrip

16 Things We Learned While Traveling in Ireland

48 Hours in Dublin

Chef Gareth Mullins – The Marker Hotel Dublin & His Recipe for Rack of Lamb

What to Do and Where to Dine and Stay in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Guinness Experience at The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

The Best Game of Thrones Tour – Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Stunning Beauty of Kilkenny, Ireland and Mount Juliet Estate

Revisiting Ireland – Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare

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