This easy to medium-difficulty guided walk starts at Guagán Barra, before following the ancient route north over the hills to Baile Bhúirne. Along the way we experience the mountain hermitage of Cork’s patron saint, stunning scenery, the march of Gaelic lords, and finally the Iron Age archaeological site and place of worship of Gobnait’s Shrine.
Slí Ghaeltacht - Guagán Barra to Baile Bhúirne
Walk along this ancient route from Guagán Barra to Baile Bhúirne, learning about events from the Iron Age to the modern day.
2021/06/12 09:34:16
ABOUT TRIP
Guagán Barra
We begin our walk in the beautiful hidden valley of Guagán Barra, where the 6th century holy man Fionnbarr of Cork made his hermitage.
The mystical Guagán Barra valley is glacial in origin, the still lake lying in a basin gouged out by the ice. As the climate improved and the glacier retreated, ridges of gravel were left behind, one of which forms St. Finbarr’s Holy Island. St. Finbarr built a monastery here in the sixth century and gave his name to the valley which means ‘rock cleft of St. Finbarr’. The island has been a site of pilgrimage for over a thousand years.
- Introductions, let your guide know what aspects of the walk you’d most like to explore
- Gear check
- Explanation of route and safety precautions
- Drive to start of hike (own transport)
Slí Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí
We follow the trail of Slí Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí north along quiet country roads and through farmland amongst stunning mountain landscapes.
Following the route of Slí Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí north towards Baile Bhúirne, we encounter beautiful landscape, medieval battles, and one of the earliest Christian churches in Ireland.
- Learn about the great Gaelic chieftain Dónal Cam Ó Suilleabháin and why he and a thousand followers followed this route north four hundred years ago.
- Discover where the first armed attack on British occupying forces after the 1916 rising occurred in the Irish War of Independence.
- Visit the ruins at Eachros, recognized as on of the earliest Christian sites in Ireland.
Visit to Gobnait's House and Shrine
The site of Gobnait’s House and Shrine is a place of significance for thousands of years, up to and including the present day. Archaeological excavations have revealed activity from the Iron Age, and Gobnait herself has been honoured and worshipped here ever since – and probably before! The shrine, holy well, and graveyard all form part of a whole that we will learn about before we set off on our journey proper.
Please remember that this is a current place of worship for many, and we will be treating it with the respect it deserves.
- Religious complex dedicated to the local saint Gobnait, dating back to at least the Iron Age.
- Local graveyard is the resting place of some of Ireland’s most significant artists, writers, and musicians.
- Learn about the archaeological finds discovered in last century that reveal the type of activity that went on here.
We end our trip with a walk through the ancient woodlands of Coill Ghobnatan, before retiring to the Mills Inn, where you can enjoy some well-earned refreshments!
The Mills Inn marks the end of our adventure. It is situated at the western-most end of the village of Ballyvourney, and here you can treat yourself to some well-earned refreshments!
BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY!
We look forward to seeing you on this magical adventure!