What fairytale stay in an actual honest to goodness castle (Dromoland) in the Irish countryside…read morewould be complete without an obligatory horse ride? If you answered none, you are correct. Booking through the castle, it seemed like something simple to just check off the list of "Can you be believe we are actually doing this" after sitting on a horse for an hour or so of successfully not killing ourselves, and move on (perhaps to skeet shooting or falconry). We had not counted on the charm of Ballyhannon House & its staff which easily turned a cool thing to do, into one of the most memorable of the trip. A living embodiment of Irish hospitality Johnny picked us up at the castle, after being really flexible on the timing as we were a bit behind schedule, and took us to the stables where we filled out the appropriate paperwork, assessed existing skill level (read: none), and enjoyed a nice crisp glass of white wine (beer etc were also an option). Things progressed quickly from there as we got fitted for helmets, boots (my "wellies" were already g2g thank you very much), stored our purses, gathered our courage (read: finished the wine) and headed into a stone courtyard. Where (drum roll please) I promptly fell in love. No, there was not a strapping Irish stablehand lurking... I met my "safe for a 5-year-old" stud of a horse, Hector. Showing more faith in us than I believe we had warranted thus far, we got a quick lesson on how to make horse friends (protip: the spot between the eyes along the nose) and were entrusted to walk them them on into the indoor barn like space (arena?) for mounting & basic instruction. This is a good time to note that I have had a firm belief since childhood that I was meant to be an excellent horsewoman, if not for my prohibitive severe dust/hay/horse allergies. It was also a good time for me to mention this to our host, who was surprisingly sensitive to them and made sure to keep things short inside (the worst possible trifecta for my breathing passages) and checked in often to make sure I wasn't slowing passing out. Amazingly the combination of Benadryl, wine, and fresh-air gave me an opportunity to ride that I have never really enjoyed until this point (face hives were still included however). In the barn we: mounted up, learned stop/go and left right basics, posture tips & tricks, along with some horsie trust exercises (think eyes closed) and were pronounced fit to head outside. We mixed walking with some trotting action right out the gate and it helped us settle in early on for the trek. After a nice outdoor venture along country lanes we reached a point where our pre-negotiated time was coming to an end. Perhaps it was the absolute glee that I am sure was radiating off of us, but we were able to come to a new agreement on the spot that extended our time, enabled us to see even more of the countryside, and was more than reasonable on the pocket book (at that point I would have paid triple to keep the experience going, so they fact that I paid less than budgeted originally is another mark in their favor). This really let us relax and enjoy the fact that we were not only sitting on REAL horses, but were riding about the Irish countryside like it aint no thang. During the leisurely ride (where we demonstrated enough competency to be riding completely on our own, handle the occasional car, and get up to a decent trot alternatively) I learned about the generational business itself and the 18th century manor house. They have a fairly large amount (to my untrained mind) of instructional horses, along with racehorses on the property. They seem to do a lot of corporate events, kids, and tourist type riding opportunities and would be great for groups. Care was also taken to point out geographical and interesting views (and a sad swan) during the ride; which I appreciated, especially when we were riding along the edge of the castle property. Upon return I was loathe to say goodbye to my trusty steed, learned about my lack of leg strength on dismounting, and was offered after ride drinks/snacks. Johnny drove us back to Dromoland completing the door to door service, really putting an exclamation mark on how 'is this real life' the whole experience was. It is hard to top making a childhood fantasy come true (I was meant to jockey at Churchill Downs I am now even more convinced, and my friend's fiancé better look out... I see ponies in the future for that one) in such spectacular fashion (read: Irish FREAKING countryside). This will easily be a memory I carry with me for a long time to come, and it was the openness, hospitality, and skill of Ballyhannon House Horse Riding Stables that really enabled it to happen.

From the moment he answered the phone we knew we were in good hands with Johnny. Had an amazing…read morehorse experience at his stable. So thankful we had an afternoon to learn from his wisdom and provide an amazing first time experience for our kids. Recommend for anyone even thinking about being around a horse, stable or good people.

I found this stable on yelp/the Internet when I was looking for a place to go riding on my trip to…read moreConnemara/west coast of Ireland. Their rates are very affordable €35 for a beach ride, which in Hawaii where I'm from, would be at least $80. It was simple to call and make reservations and when we arrived, the other people hadn't arrived, so one of the owners (a lovely woman from Belgium I think) took me out on a private ride. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to ride one of the connemara ponies they breed (and the area is known for), but so many positives outweighed that. The beach scenery was stunning, and we cantered a bit on the sand. My guide even rescued my phone from the waves when it dropped out of my pocket. I will be back next time I'm in Ireland to do some more trekking with these beautiful ponies and people. Mahalo!

It is advised to call before as it is a well-known riding center in the tourist guides. They offer…read morea one-hour horse tour which was convenient for us: a couple with a young kid of 5. My wife did a one-hour while I waited with our son. He had a 5 min ride within the red barriers to keep him happy. There are no poney for kids and what they call Irish Poneys are quite tall. They give you the necessary boots. The ridding center is located 500m after the Golf course.

I am an equestrian me with 40 years of experience. I have shown dressage for 30 years up to 3rd…read morelevel. I really wanted to ride in Ireland. I chose Coopers hill because it was convenient. To my surprise the guides the owner and the horses were amazing and super knowledgeable. I recommend this experience for riders of any level. Special shout to jazz man and Maureen for making this an experience of a lifetime. Sam James and paul were also so awesome. What awesome horsemanship. !!!i won't ever forget !

This was NOT a good experience. We showed up 25 minutes before our booked 90 minute ride scheduled…read morefor 11am. The owner, older man, said he had no record of our reservation, although my wife had confirmed with Alana 3 weeks prior. When we asked how he'd accommodate us, he told us our only option was to take the 3 hour ride at 1245. No offer to give us the agreed upon price of €45 or even an apology! Just "well I guess she didn't write it down". What type of business operates this way? My wife began trying to contact the Centre via email 4 weeks prior to our trip. When she didn't get a response she called several times before Judy the owner picked up, said she was in middle of giving lessons and passed phone to Alana , who took our name and reserved time slot. My wife called 2 weeks later to confirm. We were only in Connemara for 2 days and planned an entire day around this 90 minute ride. Because we now needed to wait around almost 2hours we had to get lunch, spending another €25. Because our 3 hour ride didn't end until nearly 4pm we only had little more than 1 hour to spend at our other planned activity, Kylemore Abbey. The ride itself was ok. However, the initial interaction with the owner, his lack of accommodation, or even the obligatory apology leads me to believe that there are far better equestrian choices in Connemara

I had the most amazing time here. The staff is incredibly friendly and patient. They took us out…read morefor what was supposed to a 3 hour adventure and ended up being at least an hour or so more. It was a little misty - which made the sites more beautiful. We trekked across the beach at low tide to Omey Island. There was a cemetary, a few homes and plenty of ruins to entertain you. We rode back before high tide. I wish the day lasted much longer!

This was absolutely the highlight of our trip. My 8 year old had never ridden before and I haven't…read morein a very long time and the family was so sweet and patient with us. The trail that you ride through is so beautiful. Rambling hills and sheep covered fields were so serene and peaceful. This ride was magical. We've already started planning a trip to come back. I asked my son what rating he would give it on a scale of 1-10 and he said 2 million!!! We highly recommend!!!

For as long as I could remember, I dreamed of galloping and riding through the beautiful hills &…read moreland of Ireland. Every thing I could dream of was filled to the fullest at Castlefergus. So much so I rode the two days I was in the area. The only thing that was disappointing was I could not have stayed longer! MR. Morgan & his beautiful family made my experience a memory I will never let go! I can't express anything less than having the time of my life with "Bluey", the Morgan's, the country side in Ireland. So much so Im planning on returning with friends all the way from Florida. Thank You to all of you for the best experience of my life

Great horse riding centre with a variety of beach and mountain treks and trails. Horseback riding…read morewith home bred and trained ponies, cobs and horses.

Ferry Ride I…read morevisited the largest of the islands 23 years ago Worth the ferry ride for lunch Must visit? Perhaps, maybe,.... I have experienced a number of ferry rides

Early in the 1970s, I saw an article in National Geographic about this set of 3 islands in Galway…read moreBay. "Ive got to go there someday" I swore. In less than 5 years in was on a small plane from Galway city to Inishmore, the largest of the islands. All of Ireland is beautiful, but Inishmore was absolutely stunning. We passed on the horse and buggy ride and made our way on foot to the north side. Thousands of miles of stone walls line the roads and fields. We stopped at the stone hut that was used in the filming of "Man of Aran." At this point, we realized that we had to get back to the plane, so we managed to use a crank phone to put in a request to the island's one cabbie. We had enough time to take one more walk to the cliffs on the west side of the island. In 2008, we managed to go back and see Inisheer, the smallest and most southerly of the chain. At dinner, we had the only truly great steak I'd eaten in Ireland (usually better to stick to the lamb). I'd hoped to get a sunset shot, and the one I got showed all three islands at once. High on my bucket list is visiting the third island someday.

From the moment we arrived at Castlefergus Equestrian, we were met with an atmosphere of warmth,…read morekindness, and genuine hospitality. Every member of the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, and their exceptional patience and encouragement--especially with the children--was truly remarkable. Great help from some of the young women who ride at the stable. The team's expertise and calm manner put even the most nervous riders at ease. They took the time to ensure everyone felt safe and confident, which made the experience enjoyable for riders of all ages and abilities. Our children, in particular, had the time of their lives and are still talking about the horses and the people who helped them. A special highlight was meeting the proprietor, Mr. Morgan O'Brien. His deep knowledge of the area's history, combined with his passion for sharing it, added a rich layer of storytelling that made the day even more memorable. Listening to his tales about the heritage of Castlefergus and its equestrian traditions was a privilege in itself. This was more than just a horseback riding experience--it was a warm, personal, and educational journey that we will cherish. I can't recommend Castlefergus Equestrian highly enough for families, history lovers, or anyone who appreciates genuine Irish hospitality.

What a wonderful experience! We called a day before and were able to be squeezed in no problem for…read morean hour ride. The horses were all so sweet and the O' Brian family welcomed us warmly. We learned so much about their lovely farm and can't wait to come back!

Almost impossible to find the place but worth doing so if you are looking for something to amuse…read morethe kids.... or the adults for that matter. Cost was very reasonable, 15 euro per head for a 30 min riding lesson for Junior and cousin... and it lasted longer than 30 mins. The weather was bad so we were in the indoor arena for most of the session, its outdoors usually. Laura, the owner/teacher is great with kids, she seems to totally get that there are people who have a first time on a horse (not many teachers do!!) and she is determined to make it a memorable experience - good business practice of course but great to see. My son who is six loved every second, couldn't keep the smile off his face (despite his best efforts! If you happen to be in Aldi or Lidl and see riding helmet for sale... grab them, the gear in Carrowmore is basic and well used, it's always nice to have your own anyway. The ONLY thing I would change there is that the riders (young & old) are not supplied with back braces, its a really basic and incredibly basic bit of kit that all riders should use but no one does.