Local arts and crafts
Joyce Country Wool
During the Summer months, Carina Coyne, living at Lough Nafooey runs spinning demonstrations, so if you're a visitor in our area and would like to book an hour, you will get a true experience in her workshop, it's a hands on demonstration and something for everyone young and old to enjoy.
Joyce Country Sheepdog
Joyce Country Sheepdogs is part of a family run farm located in Connemara, Co. Galway on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. They offer you the opportunity to visit a working hill sheep farm and watch the Border Collie sheepdogs herding Connemara Blackface sheep.
Coolin Soaps
Clémence Guiraut works at the foot of Lough Coolin in Clonbur Co. Galway to bring sumptuous, planet friendly soaps, shampoos, & skincare
Hungry Monk Art & Craft Gallery
Robert and Susan Devereux live just outside the village of Cong, Co Mayo. They have been running their art and craft gallery in the village of Cong since 2008. Robert is an artist himself and Susan has a background in Catering and business management. They love all things Irish and are passionate in promoting and selling it.
Ciaran Hogan Baskets
Ciaran Hogan is a basket maker located in the Spiddal craft village in Connemara. He work from his studio which is open to the public. He also runs courses for those that would like to give it a go.
Lough Mask Distillery
Inspired by the wild and rugged beauty of the landscape, the purity and abundance of the Lough Mask waters and the rich culture and history of the area, they knew they had to set up a distillery in Killateeaun, (Coill an tSian, Fairy Wood) in Co. Mayo. The distillery is located on the shores of the Lake in a reconditioned building. They discovered the empty building a few years back and have restored it, making it ready to house their micro-distillery. Their production started early in 2018, and their first spirits are now flowing.
Joyce Country Geopark Project
The aspiring geopark is home to rocks of many ages and has examples of rocks from most of the geological periods, from the Precambrian to the Quaternary (700 million years ago to the present day). The rocks and geological structures are what help us piece together Ireland’s movement through geological time: from its origin in a new shallow ocean close to the South Pole, to when Ireland went from being two separate continents to colliding and becoming one, to being part of a long mountain belt, to moving northwards to the tropics and being covered by warm, clear seas where coral reefs grew, and finally to its current location. These sites of interest help tell this geological story that not only spans millions of years, but also many different latitudes, climates, temperatures and sea-levels. They also show times when Ireland experienced lots of volcanic activity, or when Ireland was under an ocean and covered by the sea. The landscape we see today ties all of this geological activity together, including how glaciers of the latest geological period, the Quaternary, has shaped the landscape.
