A group of Irish language enthusiasts from Gaeltacht an Eachréidh had a wonderful day out on Saturday when we joined the poet and guide Seán O Coisdealbha for a full day tour of Conamara where the emphasis was very much on heritage, language, legends, and conversation.

The tour began in An Spidéal, Sean’s home village, early on Saturday morning where participants met up for a cup of coffee, a guided tour of rocks of huge significance, and a visit to the old pier (An tSeanchéibh) which was built in the early 19th century.

Sean told us that it was built to relieve poverty in the area during terrible times in the 1820s and was not really located in the best place for a  pier. It is now connected by a lovely walkway to the newer pier, where Sean gave us an insight into the history of An Spidéal.

We then drove west along the main South Conamara road to visit Bád Colmcille in Baile na hAbhann. Sean regaled us with wonderful stories and a few poems about this hugely significant site, which is off the beaten track for most visitors to Conamara.

The stunning views from the cemetery where the former Minister Noel Brown is buried were enjoyed by many of us for the first time as Sean brought us on a tour of sites of historical significance in the region.

He said that the Irish language is indelibly linked with the heritage of the area and he brought us to an abandoned medieval town which many visitors wrongly believe is a Famine village.

After a break for lunch in Cookes Café in Casla, we moved further west to Ceantar na nOileáin, where we visited Tobar Naomh Anna in Tír an Fhia.

This well is visited by pilgrims throughout the year and Sean told us about the custom which people have of walking seven times around the well. The water from the nearby lake is believed to have healing properties.

Our tour ended at the Well of the Seven Shadows (Tobar na Seacht Scéal), located in the Millennium Garden beside the modern Tír an Fhia Catholic Church on Gorumna Island, a beautiful place of contemplation and a fitting place to end a day full of storytelling and sightseeing in the vibrant Gaeltacht of South Conamara.