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Sheep Farm Visit: Interactive Sheepdog and Shearing Demonstrations in Galway
4.7
52 Ratings
Leenaun
Come and see a classic, operational sheep farm in the mountains of Connemara;
Get familiar with the farm owner and his excellently skilled sheepdogs;
Observe a demonstration of a sheepdog rounding up sheep;
During the summer, you can watch a demonstration of sheep being sheared;
Experience bog-cutting using the slean (a type of turf spade).
Come and see a classic, operational sheep farm in the mountains of Connemara;
Get familiar with the farm owner and his excellently skilled sheepdogs;
Observe a demonstration of a sheepdog rounding up sheep;
During the summer, you can watch a demonstration of sheep being sheared;
Experience bog-cutting using the slean (a type of turf spade).
Duration:
1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Killary Sheep Farm - Come take an authentic look at farm life in Ireland. This sheep farm is a traditional working Connemara mountain farm which has been in the same family for generations. It has approximately 200 ewes and lambs who roam freely in the mountains overlooking Killary Fjord. On arrival visitors are met by Tom the farmer and have the…
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Killary Sheep Farm - Come take an authentic look at farm life in Ireland. This sheep farm is a traditional working Connemara mountain farm which has been in the same family for generations. It has approximately 200 ewes and lambs who roam freely in the mountains overlooking Killary Fjord. On arrival visitors are met by Tom the farmer and have the option to be outfitted with outdoor footwear and rainwear supplied by the farm.
Tom starts off the farm tour with a sheepdog herding demonstration. These extremely smart dogs are trained from puppies and it is incredible to watch them in action! In the summer months, Tom shears the sheep by traditional methods with hand shears. It is an old farm tradition not often seen anymore. The tour also includes a picturesque country walk through the farm grounds, with sweeping views of Killary Fjord and the mountain ranges beyond. Try your hand at bog-cutting using the slean (turf spade), a centuries-old practice of harvesting peat to heat homes.
If there are lambs about (and there usually are), you can count on a few needing bottle-feeding. You’re welcome to lend a hand!
What's Included
- Sheepdog demonstration
- Sheep shearing demonstration (summer months only)
- Traditional turf cutting demonstration
- Meet the farmer
- Sheepdog demonstration
- Sheep shearing demonstration (summer months only)
- Traditional turf cutting demonstration
- Meet the farmer
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
- Children 3 years old and under go free!
- Please note this farm is located 1 ½ hours drive from Galway City. You will need own transport to meet point.
- Children 3 years old and under go free!
- Please note this farm is located 1 ½ hours drive from Galway City. You will need own transport to meet point.
Location
Killary Sheep Farm
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start time.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(52 Ratings)
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Darkow4
Sep 30, 2024
Fun activity with a beautiful view! - This was such a fun activity! It was interesting to learn about how the dog was trained and to watch the demonstration. The drive up to the farm is beautiful, as is the setting for the demonstration. Get a spot in the very corner of the fenced area for great views of all the action! My only criticism would be that our group was very large. Thankfully I had a great viewing spot so I could see all the action.
Review provided by Viator
Erika_g
Sep 13, 2024
Beautiful setting and an exciting demonstration. - Rex is handeled masterfully by his owner. Rex was excited to get to work and obeyed every command instantly. It was a beautiful example of man and animal working together. Well worth the drive up the lovely mountain on the sheep covered hillside. If you love dogs you will love this demonstration. The owner is an interesting man who took extra care of my elderly mother(93 years) to make sure she had a prime location for the viewing and she loved it.
Review provided by Viator
Twila_g
Sep 13, 2024
PJ is really knowledgeable and funny - PJ made the sheepdog demo very interesting. We really enjoyed talking with PJ and learning about the history of his farm.
Review provided by Viator
Charles_d
Sep 13, 2024
No black sheep in my family after this tour - The dog responding to the handlers commands and the actions of the sheep was amazing. Can't say enough about how well the farmer handled our questions. He did so with humor and a sincere interest. A great way to spend a morning with the family.
Review provided by Viator
Catherine_b
Sep 11, 2024
Amazing Display of Irish Sheepherding!! - Such an incredible experience!! Watching the dogs and the sheep interact was a highlight of our Ireland visit. Knowing the dogs instinctively can herd sheep even without their master’s vocal calls is so cool!!! PJ was informative and answered questions for the group for quite a while too.
Review provided by Viator
Fedelia_s
Sep 9, 2024
Highly Recommend - PJ was a fantastic host! He was very welcoming and friendly from the moment we got out of the car. PJ was eager to answer questions and demonstrate how Rex the sheep herding dog follows commands. The entire experience was first rate and we’re so thankful we were able to learn about such a valuable trade.
Review provided by Viator
Deborahj_b
Sep 3, 2024
Europe 2024 - Everything was an eye opening experience. To see how smart the dogs are and how they work was amazing. The amount of time that goes into training the dogs and how the dogs move the sheep around with a simple voice or whistle command is definitely something to see.
Review provided by Viator
Bryan_g
Sep 1, 2024
Amazing! - Amazing experience! Guide was extremely knowledgeable and stayed to answer all questions. Road to get there is sketchy.
Review provided by Viator
Julie_h
Oct 1, 2024
A long way for a 20 minute demo - The demonstration was very interesting to watch. This was NOT 1.5 hrs. At most it took 30 minutes for the demonstration with questions and answers. It was a very long drive out in the mountains for a very short demo. I wish he had taken more time to talk about it and show us around. A bit disappointed in the lack of discussion
Review provided by Viator
Sylvia_m
Sep 5, 2024
Doesn’t really take 1 1/2... - Doesn’t really take 1 1/2 hours- perfect event to fill up your day. PJ can answer any questions and Rex is incredible at rounding up the sheep!
Review provided by Viator
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