Things to See and Do in Dunmanway and the surrounding areas

DUNMANWAY, (Dún Mánmhaí), the geographical centre and friendly heart of West Cork, is a small town with a big story to tell. With such a central location, Dunmanway is an ideal base to explore the renowned beauty of West Cork and to sample its culture, cuisine and hospitality. Dunmanway offers so much to see and do within the area and its hinterland to locals, visitors and those just passing through. Originally a market town, it is steeped in history and widely known for the Ballabuidhe Races and 400-year-old horse fair.

Keeping the family entertained is easy, with so many facilities for them to enjoy, including a 25-metre swimming pool, pitch and putt and an all-inclusive playground to name just a few activities. Visit the many castles and heritage sites nearby or for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits, Dunmanway offers hillwalking with spectacular scenery, mountain biking, tennis and much more. There really is something for everyone.

Here is our list of things to see and do in Dunmanway and the surrounding areas.

This article originally appeared in our bumper Things to See and Do guide for West Cork in 2023. You can read the full guide via our ePaper at southernstar.ie/epaper

1. FUNMANWAY

Located high over the beautiful rebel countryside is ‘Funmanway’, West Cork’s adventure land. Funmanway’s Paintball and Splatball course is one of Ireland’s best outdoor centres. The entire nine- acre woodland area is covered by forest, hills and open terrain completely linked by bridges, runways, forts and platforms, which make for a 4-dimensional paintball area like no other. Funmanway also offers camping with an entertainment area with BBQ and pizza brick oven. For further information contact James on 085 8060020 or visit www. funmanway.ie.

2. KICK-AROUND AT ASTRO-TURF PITCH
For footballers, the ground conditions need not be a barrier to enjoying a kick- around on Dunmanway’s astro-turf pitch at Bantry Road. And the best part is, that it is free to use and available seven days a week during daylight hours.

3. HOLE IN ONE
The Pitch & Putt course is situated on the Bantry Road approach to Dunmanway from the west. It is overlooked by the municipal swimming pool and is part of the town park amenity and recreational area. It offers a picturesque rural vista to the area. The club caters for all ages including the elderly. It caters for children and youths during the summer. The course is open to visitors at all times during the year. Green Fees are €5 per person per day. Clubs and balls are available to hire at the pavilion and at the nearby swimming pool.

4. BALLABUIDHE
The annual Ballabuidhe festival takes place in Dunmanway over the August bank holiday weekend with a number of events happening throughout the weekend. Including a family fun day, horse racing, pub singing sessions, traditional music and dancing, busking in the square and a live broadcast from West Cork FM. The Ballabuidhe Horse Fair dates back to 1615 and is one of the oldest fairs in Ireland.

5. MURALS

Photo: (Noel M Photography)

As you travel through Dunmanway you will notice the stunning hand-painted murals dotted throughout the town. Many recall Dunmanway’s magnificent history, such as Duffy’s Circus winter base in the 1940s and ’50s, the West Cork Railway which closed in 1961 and the Broadway cinema. All murals are painted by local artists and add to the character and charm of the town.

6. SAM MAGUIRE’S LIFE STORY TOLD
Walk, cycle or drive the Sam Maguire Passport Trail, which has been developed to help you discover the fascinating and tragic story of Sam Maguire, the man after whom the famous All-Ireland GAA Senior Football trophy is named. You can buy a Sam Maguire Passport in most of the shops in Dunmanway for only €2, which will guide you to seven locations where you can learn about Sam’s life and his influence in the GAA and as an Irish patriot. The trail takes two to three hours to complete and finishes at St. Mary’s Church where Sam is buried. For a short introductory video on the Sam Maguire Passport Trail, see the SamPassport Facebook page.

7. MODEL SCHOOL, DUNMANWAY

Built in 1848, this primary school, located at Bantry Road, opened as a non-denominational, co-educational school. It originally included accommodation for eight student teachers, who would spend a year or two studying and gaining practical experience before finishing their teacher training in Dublin. It also included an agricultural department, which trained post-primary pupils in the most modern farming techniques at that time. Perhaps its most famous past pupil is Sam Maguire. It is a stop on the Sam Maguire Passport trail with a storyboard giving information about Sam Maguire’s school days.

8. SAM MAGUIRE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Eircode: P47 Y997, off Main Street is the location of the Sam Maguire Visitor Experience and Community Bells. Visitors can visit Sam’s grave, view the videos about his life to find out all about the man, the cup and get to ring a few tunes on the Sam Maguire Community Bells. Open in July and August by appointment only, for visiting times and all enquiries please email: [email protected] or contact Carmel 087 9932694.

9. GO RACING AT DROMLEENA LAWN

Dromleena Lawn, is home of the annual Ballabuidhe Races, which attract huge crowds to Dunmanway on the Sunday and Monday of the August bank holiday weekend. Ladies’ Day takes place on Sunday 6th August with many prizes for the best dressed ladies and gents.

10. KILMICHAEL AMBUSH SITE

Seen as a turning point in the War of Independence, 16 British auxiliaries and three Irish republican volunteers were killed at this site in a carefully planned ambush mounted by the Third West Cork Brigade flying column, led by Commandant Tom Barry on November 28th, 1920. The ambush site was redeveloped in 2014 to make it a safer place to park at and explore. A compacted gravel loop path allows the site to be experienced from different vantage points with storyboards recounting what happened on that fateful day over a century ago.

11. AGRICULTURAL SHOW
Dunmanway Annual Agricultural Show takes place on 2nd July at Dromleena Lawn. Dunmanway Show is renowned as one of the highlights on the showing circuit each summer. Walking around the showgrounds is like looking at a slice of country life. The hotly contested classes for horse, ponies, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, poultry, domestic arts, horticultural offer a wide variety of activities to keep spectators entertained. There is always a wide range of sideshows; including Macra na Feirme competitions, live music and dancing, FREE children’s entertainment and prizes for the most appropriately dressed lady and family, bonny baby competition and much more.

12. PLAYGROUND
Dunmanway’s all-inclusive playground is popular with all ages. Redeveloped in 2021, it offers up-to-date equipment for children of all levels, including zip wires, climbing frames, swings, slides, sensory stations and much more. The playground has seats for parents to rest and watch on, as the children enjoy hours of fun.

13. GAME, SET, MATCH
Calling all tennis enthusiasts, it’s time to dust off the rackets and brush up on your tennis skills for a visit to Dunmanway’s tennis court, adjacent to the playground on Bantry Road. The tennis court was originally introduced to the town in the mid 1970’s and was completely redeveloped in 2021.

14. HERITAGE TRAILS
The heritage walks are designed for the casual walker and will suit all ages and level of fitness. In a booklet – Heritage Walks around Dunmanway’, available at Tourist Information Centre at Dunmanway Library – you will find five walks varying in grade and length, all starting and finishing in the town centre. You can immerse yourself in the heritage, history, mythology, architecture and culture of Dunmanway, but remember that you are sharing these roads with all types of traffic, so stay safe and respect your fellow travellers.

15. GONE FISHING
Dunmanway offers a variety of fishing options for the avid angler. With the Bandon River at its door-step, you can enjoy great trout and salmon fishing. While local lakes offer game and course fishing. All within a short drive of the town. Or you could try your luck to catch a huge pike that lurks in the Chapel lake right within the town. All anglers are encouraged to use catch and release whenever possible. For day tickets, contact P McCarthy on 086 1009760

16. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING
The local hillwalking club leads a walk every second Sunday. These are moderate walks, not too strenuous and capable of being done by the average walker, generally taking from 3 hours to 6 hours to complete with a distance between 6 to 12 kilometres. Visitors are welcome to join the club on any of these walks provided that they have the proper footwear and raingear. Summer schedule for walks is : June 18th, July 2nd, 16th, 30th, August 13th, 27th. For more information contact Tommy 086 1225867 or Denis 086 0610220.

17. TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Mr Scruffy and Larry the talking macaw parrot are waiting to welcome you to their amazing pet store on the Main Street. Come and meet all the wonderful animals. You will be greeted on arrival by Red and Rio the parrots. Bobby the floppy eared furry rabbit and Elvis the singing guinea pig are waiting to meet you. Families are welcome to visit the store with a dedicated area for children to pet and feed the adorable animals. The reptile area is home to Sam the sugar glider, Roger the bearded dragon, Barry the deadly phython, chameleons, horsfield tortoises and many more creatures. Scruffy’s Pet Shop is a must on everyone’s staycation to do list this summer.

18. ENJOY THE GREAT VIEWS FROM NOWEN HILL

The highest point in the Dunmanway area, at 530 metres, is Nowen Hill. The effort of walking to the summit is rewarded with fabulous views over the Mealagh Valley and Bantry Bay to the rolling hills of West Cork and Cullenagh Lake, as well as ancient standing stones and stone circles.

19. REBEL MOUNTAIN BIKING
For the adventurous types, Rebel MTB Club is a club serving mountain bikers with tracks based at Mallabraca, five miles outside of Dunmanway. The club caters for all levels and regularly hosts beginner and improver classes. Riders must be members to be insured and club spins are held every Tuesday evening at 7pm. For enquiries, please email [email protected] or visit their facebook page @rebelmtbcork.

20. FAILTE IRELAND TOURIST INFORMATION POINT
Dunmanway Library, located in the town centre is a busy community space with frequent activities, art displays and space to read and relax. It is also your one stop shop for all the information on what Dunmanway has to offer and a good place to pick up brochures on the area. The library is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm from Tuesday to Saturday (open through lunch). Tel: 023 88 55411. Email: [email protected].

21. STAY CONNECTED
If you’re visiting Dunmanway and need to check in with work, Brookpark Business Centre offers 1GB broadband connectivity and hot desk facilities for a modest fee. Brookpark also offers conference, training and board room facilities as well as office space. See www.brookpark.ie.

22. TRACE YOUR ROOTS

Dunmanway Heritage Centre offers helpful information and assistance to those seeking genealogy information covering the Dunmanway area. The 1901 and 1911 census records as well as Griffith’s Valuation of 1852 are available as a valuable resource in genealogy research and the staff at the heritage centre are most helpful in searching church records for the Dunmanway area. Requests for information by email are welcome. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 023 88 56508.

23. DUNMANWAY HERITAGE CENTRE
Dunmanway Historical and Cultural Association was founded in 2003 by a group of local people who are passionate about promoting and preserving the history of Dunmanway. The centre, located at Atkins Hall features exhibitions on Sam Maguire, The Cox Family, The Great Famine, The Model School, Education in Dunmanway from the 18th Century to the 21st Century and many more diverse subjects. School children are especially welcome to visit the centre to research school projects. Also available at the centre is research on Archaeology in the locality, Fenian leader Michael Doheny, Fr. James Doheny, Duffy’s Circus and place-names and register of headstones in some local graveyards. The centre has a collection of antiques and files etc. Historical journals published by the centre and some rare books can also be purchased. Open Monday to Friday 10.30am to 5pm. Closed on Wednesdays. Contact number 023 8856508 or email [email protected].

24. GARDEN TRIAL
A member of the West Cork Garden Trial, Longhill Garden invites you to visit this beautifully designed and ever evolving garden. There is something for everyone with wonderful water features, a wide variety of colourful plants, a pets corner and a secret fairy garden. Panoramic views of the countryside and rock-face backdrops offer ideal photo opportunities. The Garden is open seven days a week. Feel free to take the opportunity to enjoy a picnic in the garden, or why not make arrangements to meet your friends there. Voluntary contributions only, no admission fee and kids are most welcome. The garden is in full bloom and the pet animals are waiting to welcome you too. For group bookings please call ahead to John on (086) 0826736. Eircode: P47 CC97.

25. TAKE TO THE HILLS
For the more enthusiastic hill walkers, Dunmanway offers self-guided walking routes, varying in grade, length and format, from forest loop walks in Gloundha/Keelovenogue and Mallabracka to open mountain walks on Nowen Hill, Maughnaclea, Shehy and Yew Tree Hill. Each of these walks affords panoramic views of West Cork and the spectacular landscapes around Dunmanway. The Coolkelure/Cullinagh Loop walk – entirely on country roads, offers a most pleasant route affording picturesque views of Coolkelure Lake and Cullinagh Lake as well as St. Edmund’s Church and Coolkelure House. There are more walks being developed at present and will be open to public enjoyment in the near future. These will incorporate hill- walking, greenway and cycle routes.

26. COOLKELURE CHURCH AND LAKE

St. Edmund’s Church in Coolkelure was built in 1865, a beautiful building in a tranquil pastoral setting in the hills 4km north of Dunmanway town. The church is open daily in July and August from 10am to 6pm for people to admire its stained-glass windows and enjoy a quiet moment for contemplation and reflection. Nearby Coolkelure House is surrounded by rhododendron hedges and the picturesque Coolkelure Lodge and Coolkelure Lake are a site to behold.

27. ROAD BOWLING
Dunmanway has a strong tradition of road bowling, a centuries-old sport, most popular in West Cork in the south and Armagh in the North of Ireland, whereby contestants throw a 28oz iron bowl along the road with the aim of getting from point A to B in the least amount number of throws. A game is called a score with supporters betting money on their favourite by making up a stake to match that of their opponent’s followers.

28. COMMUNITY GARDEN
Dunmanway Community Garden on the Bantry Road, is an example of the amazing community spirit of the town. With the help of volunteers, wannabe gardeners can participate in a variety of tasks the garden offers and are welcome to share in the enjoyment of its produce. The garden has a classroom, polytunnel, education garden, herb garden, mediation space, play area and lots of delicious vegetables. It is a place where people come to garden, learn, eat and relax. Parents can relax with a cuppa whilst children play in the sandpit and educational play area. There is something for everyone, young and old. Any questions phone Dunmanway Family Resource Centre on 023 8856818.

29. RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES
Sometimes the weather can be less than summery in July but Dunmanway library is just the place to go – try your hand at board games, chess, colouring and puzzles and keep the kids amused with some free, screen free entertainment. Summer Stars, is a fun reading programme for primary school children during the months of June, July and August. Each child gets a Summer reading card and tracks their progress by collecting stars. The library will host a number of arts related activities during the summer-the programme has yet to be finalised- please check in the branch for more details and keep an eye on Cork County Council Library & Arts Page on Facebook for updates. The library is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm from Tuesday to Saturday (open through lunch). New members and visitors always welcome and remember it’s free to join. Tel: 023 88 55411. Email: [email protected].

30. CRAIC AGUS CHEOIL
Dunmanway has an active Comhaltas branch that continues to promote the cultural heritage which has been passed down from generation to generation. Promoting music, song, dance and an gaeilge in all aspects of traditional culture and has hosted seven county fleadhanna as well as two Munster fleadheann. Comhaltas Croabh Dunmaonmhuí offers a variety of events throughout the Summer months, including Oicheanna Cheoil and Summer Music sessions on the Sam Maguire Plaza and monthly singing and story-telling sessions at The Greyhound Bar on the last Friday of every month, as well as traditional music sessions at Doheny Bar on the second Tuesday of every month.

31. TREASURE HUNTING
Find a bargain or hunt for treasure at one of Dunmanway’s charity shops. Tar Isteach (the Irish words for Come In) is the name of a community charity shop on the Main Street of Dunmanway, opposite St Mary’s Church, and it contains a treasure trove of anything and everything. The award-winning enterprise is run by a dedicated and enthusiastic bunch of volunteers. Monies raised there for more than a decade continue to be used to benefit local charities, sports clubs and community organisations.

32. A BRACING WINDMILL WALK
A 7km to 10km walking trail around the Killaveenoge wind farm gets people close to the giant turbines from where there are great views of the surrounding countryside. There’s plenty of fresh air up there for all the family to breathe in and enjoy on this bracing windmill walk.

33. BALLINACARRIGA CASTLE

Ballinacarriga Castle, a four-storey, six-level tower house, is situated 7km from Dunmanway. Built in 1585, the castle was once home to the Randal Óg Hurley Clan. The castle’s good state of preservation is attributed largely to the fact that, up to the 19th century, it also served as a parish church. The castle, set on a high, rocky outcrop, overlooking Ballinacarriga Lake, provides a place of peacefulness and tranquility with nearby walks and picnic areas. Eircode P47 CK70.

34. FARMERS’ MARKET
Every Thursday morning a farmers’ market is held at the Sam Maguire Plaza, right in the town’s centre. Local stallholders offer fresh, organic, local fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese and fresh homemade baking. Every week come rain or shine, the local food producers and stallholders set up their stalls to provide a great social and shopping experience for locals and tourists alike.

35. CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING
Demonstrate your marksmanship with a day out at the clay pigeon shooting range. Open to NARGC members with a valid gun licence to participate. Spectators also catered for. Open every second Sunday from 11am – 4pm. Contact: Thomas 086 8540852 for arrangements.

36. SAM MAGUIRE PARK

The Sam Maguire GAA Park has the biggest crowd capacity in West Cork and some epic matches have been staged there over the years. The club runs an annual Kelloggs Cúl Camp which takes place in August and is one of the largest camps in West Cork. The GAA grounds were named after Sam Maguire and officially opened by the GAA president in 1974. A stop on the Sam Maguire Passport Trail, where two large storyboards are placed outside the pavilion with interesting facts about Sam Maguire, the GAA and the All-Ireland Trophy.

37. ON YOUR BIKE
Dunmanway Family Resource centre offers a Summer Cycling Skills Camp. This camp promotes a positive early experience in cycling and learning the basics of bike handling. It focuses on key bike handling skills (braking, balance, cornering, pedaling) while having lots of fun. Each session per age group is one hour. Ages start from 3, up to 12 years old. Takes place over 3 days : July 24th, 25th and 26th July 2023 at Dunmanway Family Resource Centre, Kilbarry Road. Only €10 per child!! All activities are taught in a fun safe supportive environment. Booking essential, phone 023-8856818.

38. PACK A PICNIC
Dunmanway has many picnic spaces dotted around the town. The picnic benches at the town park serve young and old, as parents can watch on as children make use of the all-inclusive playground. The picnic area at the lakeside fairy garden grants peace and tranquility. The picnic tables at the SuperValu carpark makes this a great meeting place. The benches under the canopy on Sam Maguire Plaza, offer a perfect spot to people watch right in the town centre, regardless of the weather. The new riverside walkway along the Sally River has got a complete revamp with the repainting of the Green Bridge, the new picnic tables and bench offers an oasis of natural beauty and a glimpse of the wildlife and natural habitat along the wetlands.

39. BALLINACARRIGA WALKWAY
Enjoy a delightful stroll around Ballinacarriga, starting from Ballinacarriga Church car park, heading towards the Randal Óg GAA pitch, continue along the walkway towards the river and Ballinacarriga Castle view point and onto the Randal Óg pitch. Follow the pathway around the perimeter of the pitch and back out onto the road at the second gate from the church. The entire loop walkway is 0.87km. For further information, contact 087 7633558. Eircode P47CK70.

40. GET CREATIVE

This August 18th to 20th, head to the market town of Dunmanway for the Annual Arts Weekend. Enjoy a self-guided walking art tour featuring a wide range of art works on display throughout various venues in the town. The Dunmanway Art weekend will have something for everyone including workshops, performances, art and music. Check out the Dunmanway Arts weekend facebook page for upcoming events and details.

This article originally appeared in our bumper Things to See and Do guide for West Cork in 2023. You can read the full guide via our ePaper at southernstar.ie/epaper