The Long Way RoundNotebook No 107June 2025
Galway to Cong, the road few visitors take.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
When we head into Connemara from Galway, we always choose the Headford road. This route stretches the journey by an hour, but it allows for a more contemplative appreciation of the terrain. We find this gentle unfolding of the landscape far more rewarding than the direct Oughterard path.
Slea Head
We always pause at Ross Errilly Friary, its stone walls standing in silent witness to past eras, before continuing on for coffee in Cong. The narrow road tracking the tranquil shores of Lough Corrib offers a quiet progression into the region. These stops create the texture of our trips.
This journey reveals more of the country, and for us, that choice is clear.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.