This award winning heritage centre is situated on the N59 approximately 5 miles from Clifden-the capital of Connemara. It offers a unique insight into the history and heritage of this most beautiful part of the West of Ireland.
Whether you visit for an hour, an afternoon or stay for the day you will leave with memories to treasure.
The Dan O'Hara Heritage Centre is built on the site of the original cottage home of Dan from Connemara renowned in the popular Irish Ballad all over the world.
Along with his wife and seven children Dan lived in this tiny cottage and the family were self-sufficient even in times when poverty stalked most other areas of Ireland in the early 1840's.
On the eight acre farm the O'Hara family had their own crops, they had the usual array of farm animals as well as hens and ducks around the farmyard.
The turf for the fire was also cut in the local bog by Dan, and in the flickering firelight of Dan O'Hara's kitchen many a marriage stemmed from relationships developing into romance at the Ceili dances in this Connemara kitchen which was the the Ballroom of Romance of another era.
But the tranquillity was suddenly shattered by the dreaded "battering ram" and the landlord who laid his old home low when Dan was unable to pay the exorbitant rent demanded by his superiors after it was discovered he had modernised his little home in 1845.
Dan, his wife and seven young children had to abandon their homeland and work for their passage on an emigrant ship bound for New York, sadly his wife and three of their children died on that terrible journey.
With his four children fostered out to American families Dan was a broken man selling matches on the streets of New York - a far cry from the tranquillity that his family had enjoyed in scenic Connemara.
Now the cottage has been restored to it's past glory - we invite you to step back into the past in this traditional Dan O'Hara cottage and the music, merriment and memories of another era come floating back in your mind's eye.
Peaceful and thatched it nestles beneath the Hills of Connemara!
Connemara is the Irish landscape at it's most dramatic.
Explore the rich and varied history, unique culture and heritage of the area. You will find the history and characters as colourful as the ever changing landscape.
The Old Sod! € 20.00
The tour in a tractor drawn carriage takes you to the hilltop view, which has a spectacular view of the mountains lakes and bogs! During the tour enjoy a turf cutting demonstration during which you can even try your hand at cutting a few sods if you like!. Afterwards visit Dan O'Hara's Cottage. Inside Dan's restored cottage a turf fire burns as Martin gives you a fascinating review of Irish history. He talks about the history of the Celts, the Famine, the Land Laws and breaks into the occasional song.
20 Sheep went out the Gap! € 25.00
Take the tractor drawn carriage through the farm to the hilltop view, which has a spectacular view of the mountains lakes and bogs! During the tour learn about the sheep and the wool industry in Connemara. Watch as Spot the Sheepdog rounds up the sheep, hopefully they won't go out the gap!. If it's shearing season then you can watch Martin shear the sheep.
The Little Skillet! € 25.00
The tour in a tractor drawn carriage takes you to the hilltop view, which has a spectacular view of the mountains lakes and bogs! Visit Dan O'Hara's farm and learn how Soda Bread was made in the Skillet on an open fire. Afterwards enjoy Tea and Scones in the restaurant. Take away a copy of the Soda Bread Recipe and try it at home yourself.
The Jug of Punch! € 25.00
The tour in a tractor drawn carriage takes you to the hilltop view, which has a spectacular view of the Hills of Connemara as made famous by the song. Visit Dan O'Hara's farm and learn about Poitin Making in Connemara. Learn about the pots and pans and the excise man! Martin may even produce something to warm the cockles of your heart! Afterwards enjoy an Irish Coffee by the open fire in the restaurant.
Connemara through the Ages - the Whistle Stop History Tour € 20.00
Take a step back in time and visit the Crannog, Ring Fort and Clochaun. Learn about Connemara's Colourful Past in our 20 minute audio visual and enjoy our History Presentation on Connemara's Colourful Past.
Old Days - Old Ways! € 35.00
Get out of the office and breathe in the fresh Connemara air. Relive the lifestyle of a Connemara Farmer in days gone by. Activities to include sowing potatoes, turf cutting, footing turf, thatching, sheep shearing, making butter, baking bread etc. Activities vary according to the season. These are ideal events for Incentive Groups or Team Building Days for Corporate Groups.
The Connemara Challenge! € 35.00
Are you up to the challenge! Poc Fada, Wellie Throwing, Sheaf Tossing, Farm Feuds, Horseshoe Throwing, Tug of War, Obstacle Course, Farm Quiz, Treasure / Scavenger Hunt are just some of the activities available. Again these are ideal events for Incentive Groups or Team Building Days for Corporate Groups.
After tales aplenty on a tour described as the "Highlight of Ireland" you can enjoy lunch or a snack in the adjoining restaurant or take time to browse the craft shop.
Activities on Request:
Turf Cutting
Sheaf Tossing
Thatching
Tug of War
Sheep Herding
Sheep Shearing
Horse Shoe Throwing
Lecture on Topics including:
Rural Development
Tourism
Farming
Demonstration on Irish Coffee making
Accordion playing in the cottage
Dan O'Hara's Homestead gives an insight into life in Connemara in the 19th century and the hardship endured by tenant farmers. Dan was forced to emigrate when he was evicted from his home for non payment of rent. His story is immortalised in the ballad Dan O' Hara.
"Connemara through the ages"
The first settlers in Connemara settled mainly along the shoreline and rivers. They were hunter-gatherers and the main legacy they have left behind is 'middens' or ancient dumping sites which are found along the coast.
Farming began in Connemara approximately 6000 years ago. Evidence suggests that the settlers began to clear the woods in the valleys and that it was predominantly pastoral farming with some arable farming. They also continued to fish and hunt. The vast amount of megalithic tombs which dot the landscape in Connemara are reminders of these first farmers and their beliefs and rituals.
Many of the standing stones, stone alignments and burial monuments in Connemara date to the Bronze Age. The Celts emerged from Europe about 1000 B.C and brought with them new skills and traditions which have survived in Ireland to the present day. They were a warrior class and evidence of this shows in the remains of cliff top forts and crannogs which can be found in Connemara today. Reconstructions of a ring fort and a crannog are found on the grounds of the heritage centre.
History Presentation
St. Patrick, a former slave is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. It is believed that his followers concentrated on converting the lords or clan leaders in the belief that this would lead to a conversion of the masses. Many pagan rituals were incorporated into Christianity including the worship of spring well and pilgrimages to Mam Ean and Croagh Patrick. Many of these traditions have survived to the present day. The isolation of Connemara suited the monks in early Christian times and there are monastic remains on many of the islands off the West coast.
The O'Flaherty clan were a seafaring family with castles at prominent locations along the coast. They were driven to the west by the Norman settlers and displaced the former rulers of Connemara -the O'Cadhla's and the Conmaice Mara. They spent most of their time waging war on the wealthy Norman merchants who lived within the confines of Galway city. Inscribed on the city walls was the motto ''from the fury of the O'Flahertys, good Lord deliver us'' The O'Flahertys were eventually dispossessed following the confiscation of their land during the Cromwellian wars. They turned their attention to smuggling and wrecking and traded wool on the continent in exchange for sherry and wine.
One of the most colourful characters in the history of Connemara was Richard Martin. Known as Humanity Dick or Hair Trigger he owned the 100,000acre Ballynahinch estate -the largest landed estate in Ireland. He was an M.P. in the Parliament in Westminster and one of his achievements was Martin's Act. This is the basis of all animal rights legislation today. It is said that he imprisoned people he found mistreating animals on his estate in the small island castle on his estate.
John D'arcy founded Clifden as a commercial centre in order to raise the living standard in the area. The main resources were fishing, marble and wool. The classic 19th century design is still in existence today although many of it's buildings no longer remain. It had three main streets, a market, a gaol, a courthouse and a harbour. Clifden Quay was designed by Alexander Nimmo. The D'arcy home lies in ruins today on the Sky Rd.
The building of the Galway to Clifden railway opened up Connemara to the outside world. It opened in 1895 and closed in 1935. In 1907 the first commercial wireless telegraph station was set up on Derrygimla Bog by Marconi. It developed into a large station and operated a 24 hour service between it and it's sister station in Nova Scotia. The station was destroyed during the Civil War and never functioned again.
In June 1915 John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown landed in Derrygimla Bog. They had left Newfoundland sixteen hours twenty eight minutes previously in a Vichers Vimy biplane and had successfully completed the first trans Atlantic flight. A monument to this event is situated on the Ballyconneelly Rd.
Famine in Connemara
In 1800 the population of Ireland was 5 million and by the time the Great Famine struck Ireland it had increased to 8 million. In the 19th century Connemara had a large and vigorous population. The native culture was rich in history and tradition and the Irish language was widely spoken. The vast majority of the people lived in conditions of poverty and insecurity. No one owned the land they worked on and could be evicted on a whim. Housing was very poor -thatched cottages or one roomed huts made of stone and turf roofed with branches or more turf. Some had no windows with just a hole in the roof for smoke to escape. However visitors to Ireland commented on how healthy and vigorous the population was the average Irish man was 2 inches taller than his British counterpart.
The reason for this healthy large population was the potato introduced to Ireland in 1509 it grew in the poorest conditions and needed very little labour. An acre and a half of potatoes would feed five or six people for six months. About one third of the crop was used to feed pigs and other livestock. Anything else that was produced on the farm was sold for money to pay rent or buy other necessities.
This over reliance on the potato crop would lead to great devastation In 1845 a fungal disease called 'blight' (phythophthora infestans) began to affect the potato crop and led to the failure of the potato crop several years in succession. The British government was slow to react and this led to mass starvation and disease. Relief schemes were introduced but these were too late to have any great impact on the situation Grain continued to be exported and in one incident grain was left to rot in Clifden port while the population starved.
Hundreds of people left from Clifden Quay for England, America and Australia. Many of the ships reached port having lost nearly a third of their passengers to hunger and disease. Others too weak to leave ended their days in the Clifden workhouse. The Quakers did much to help in the area and founded 'soup kitchens' in an effort to alleviate the poverty and suffering. The result of the famine was that the social and cultural structure of Connemara was changed forever. Landlords were bankrupted, small farms amalgamated and the Irish language had begun to disappear.
Many of the standing stones, stone alignments and burial monuments in Connemara date to the Bronze Age. The Celts emerged from Europe about 1000 B.C and brought with them new skills and traditions which have survived in Ireland to the present day. They were a warrior class and evidence of this shows in the remains of cliff top forts and crannogs which can be found in Connemara today. Reconstructions of a ring fort and a crannog are found on the grounds of the heritage centre.
St. Patrick, a former slave is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. It is believed that his followers concentrated on converting the lords or clan leaders in the belief that this would lead to a conversion of the masses. Many pagan rituals were incorporated into Christianity including the worship of spring well and pilgrimages to Mam Ean and Croagh Patrick. Many of these traditions have survived to the present day. The isolation of Connemara suited the monks in early Christian times and there are monastic remains on many of the islands off the West coast.
The O'Flaherty clan were a seafaring family with castles at prominent locations along the coast. They were driven to the west by the Norman settlers and displaced the former rulers of Connemara -the O'Cadhla's and the Conmaice Mara. They spent most of their time waging war on the wealthy Norman merchants who lived within the confines of Galway city. Inscribed on the city walls was the motto ''from the fury of the O'Flahertys, good Lord deliver us'' The O'Flahertys were eventually dispossessed following the confiscation of their land during the Cromwellian wars. They turned their attention to smuggling and wrecking and traded wool on the continent in exchange for sherry and wine.
One of the most colourful characters in the history of Connemara was Richard Martin. Known as Humanity Dick or Hair Trigger he owned the 100,000acre Ballynahinch estate -the largest landed estate in Ireland. He was an M.P. in the Parliament in Westminster and one of his achievements was Martin's Act. This is the basis of all animal rights legislation today. It is said that he imprisoned people he found mistreating animals on his estate in the small island castle on his estate.
The building of the Galway to Clifden railway opened up Connemara to the outside world. It opened in 1895 and closed in 1935. In 1907 the first commercial wireless telegraph station was set up on Derrygimla Bog by Marconi. It developed into a large station and operated a 24 hour service between it and it's sister station in Nova Scotia. The station was destroyed during the Civil War and never functioned again.