Connemara's only show mine — a family-run 19th-century silver and lead mine paired with a working sheep farm, where you go underground, pan for gold, and watch sheepdogs in action.
Don a hard hat and descend into a restored 19th-century silver and lead mine. Your guide brings the Famine-era history to life as you pass marble chambers, original chisel marks, and rare octahedral crystals of fluorite and quartz. Tours start in the museum and include a moment of total darkness to experience the 'miners' breath'.
After the mine tour, try your luck at the gold panning station — a hit with kids and adults alike. You keep any gems you uncover.
Farm owner Keith Geoghegan and his trained sheepdogs demonstrate the art of herding on a working organic sheep farm. Keith explains every command as the dogs work, and the viewing area is fully covered against Irish rain. You can meet the sheep and snap a 'sheepie' afterwards. Advance booking required.
Try the traditional Irish skill of cutting peat with a sleán (turf spade) on the farm's own bog. Learn how peat formed, how turf is cut, stacked, and dried — an annual ritual that once heated every Connemara home. Advance booking essential.
Stroll the farm grounds along a section of the old Galway–Clifden railway line. Spot Connemara ponies, local flora and fauna, and enjoy views of the Maumturk Mountains. Picnic spots available.
Glengowla hosts a working seismograph as part of Ireland's National Seismic Network. Learn how earthquakes are detected and how their impact ripples worldwide.
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