Top Things to Do in Galway, Republic of Ireland

Ashford Castle is one of Ireland's most celebrated and storied luxury hotels, rising magnificently from the eastern shore of Lough Corrib in the village of Cong, on the border of County Mayo and County Galway. It ranks among the finest castle hotels in the world, having welcomed royalty, heads of state, and Hollywood luminaries through its doors for well over a century. The property earned its fifth star and has accumulated a constellation of awards over the decades, most notably the title of World's Leading Castle Hotel at the World Travel Awards on multiple occasions. To visit Ashford Castle is to step into a living monument to Irish history, craftsmanship, and the art of hospitality at its most refined. The origins of the estate date to the thirteenth century, when the de Burgo family — Norman lords who came to dominate Connacht — constructed an initial fortification on this strategic lakeshore site. The property passed through several significant hands over the centuries, but its most transformative chapter began in 1852 when Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness of the famous brewing dynasty acquired the estate. The Guinness family invested enormously in expanding and embellishing the castle, adding the Victorian Gothic towers, battlements, and formal gardens that give the building much of its present grandeur. The estate later passed to Lord Ardilaun and subsequently to the Browne family before being converted into a hotel in the 1930s. It was purchased in 1939 by Noel Huston and has since changed hands several times, with recent restoration efforts ensuring it meets the very highest contemporary standards while preserving its historic fabric. The castle and its surroundings occupy a position of extraordinary natural beauty. Lough Corrib, the largest lake in the Republic of Ireland, stretches away to the south and east, its surface shifting between silver and deep slate depending on the season and sky. The castle itself is a dramatic composition of grey stone towers, crenellated parapets, and pointed turrets that seem to grow organically from the landscape, reflected in the still water of the lake on calm mornings. Its interior is a lavish treasure house of carved oak paneling, open stone fireplaces, flagged corridors hung with portraits and suits of armour, and bedrooms furnished with genuine antiques. The smell of turf fires, polished wood, and cut flowers pervades the public rooms, creating a sense of warmth that tempers the grandeur. The surrounding landscape belongs to the ancient and myth-laden territory of Connacht. The village of Cong, a short walk from the castle gates, is itself famous as the filming location for John Ford's 1952 romantic comedy The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Visitors still find numerous landmarks associated with the film throughout the village. The ruins of Cong Abbey, a twelfth-century Augustinian monastery of considerable beauty and historical importance, stand just a few minutes' walk away and are freely accessible. The Joyce Country uplands rise to the north, and the Partry Mountains form a blue haze on the western horizon. The estate itself encompasses nearly 350 acres of woodland, manicured parkland, and lakeside grounds, through which guests can walk, cycle, or ride on horseback. Among the estate's most famous attractions is the Irish Raptor Research Centre, established within the castle grounds, which conducts daily falconry demonstrations that have become one of the most memorable experiences on offer. Guests can handle Harris hawks, learn about the ancient art of falconry, and walk through the woods with birds in flight overhead. Fishing on Lough Corrib for wild brown trout is another quintessentially Irish pursuit available to guests, and the castle's boathouse serves as the departure point for boat excursions onto the lake. Archery, clay pigeon shooting, and a full-service spa complete the range of activities, making it as much a destination for outdoor pursuits as for luxurious repose. Access to Ashford Castle is straightforward by Irish standards. The nearest large town is Galway city, approximately 45 kilometres to the south, and the journey by car via the N84 and local roads takes around 45 minutes. Dublin is roughly three hours by car via the M6 motorway. There is no direct rail connection to Cong, so private car or taxi from Galway is the most practical approach for independent travellers. The castle operates year-round, though spring and early autumn are widely considered the most beautiful seasons to visit — the grounds are drenched in blossom in April and May, while September and October bring the dramatic light and turning colours of an Irish autumn. Accommodation is priced at a significant premium, reflecting the five-star standard, though day visitors are welcome to take afternoon tea or dine in the Cullen's at the Cottage restaurant without an overnight reservation. A remarkable detail that captures the castle's layered history is the Cross of Cong, one of the most important early medieval artefacts in Ireland. Originally crafted around 1123 to enshrine a relic believed to be a fragment of the True Cross, the Cross of Cong was kept at Cong Abbey — directly adjacent to the castle estate — for centuries before eventually being transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, where it remains today. The spiritual and cultural weight of that connection gives the entire landscape around Ashford Castle a depth that extends far beyond its Victorian embellishments and twentieth-century celebrity, rooting it firmly in the oldest layers of Irish civilisation.