Bournea Heritage Walks

Bournea Reaching Out introduce five self-guided Heritage Walks. We have introduced a heritage walk each year since we set up our group “Bournea Reaching Out” in 2013 and to date we have five wonderful routes. Our parish of Bournea is rich in history and natural beauty, so we decided last year that we would make these routes available to tourist and visitors to share the wonderful sights and heritage in our community.

This is O’Meachair Country. Walk in the footsteps of the O’Meachair Clan and feel the passion of past generations through places like Borrisnoe, Bawnadrum, Couraguneen and Clonakenny to get a real sense of what is was like to live here in in times past from the 16th century, before and up to the present day. We have three O’Meachair castles, Churches, Forges, Lime Kilns, Ancient Wells, and many more, from 15 to 20 unusual and extraordinary points of interest along each route.

We have two interpretive maps in the parish one located in Clonakenny and another in Couraguneen. The routes are colour coded 1 to 5 and correspond with the map showing each route in colour dots. For detailed historical information and GPS location on points of interest along each route, click on the link to each route.  

1 Clonakenny to Borrisnoe = Green

2 Couraguneen Loop = Red

3 Clonakenny to Ballynamoe = Purple

4 Shanakill Loop = Orange

5 Couraguneen to Clonakenny = Blue

Health and Safety: Remember all routes are on public local roads which are on average 3 to 4 miles long. with some routes crossing major national roads. Some of these routes are on hilly, winding country roads and can have heavy volumes of motorised traffic so in the interest of safety always walk on the right-hand side facing oncoming traffic, keeping as close as possible to the side of the road, wearing the correct clothing to be easily seen. A certain level of fitness is required and keep in mind that three of the routes are one way not a loop so make sure you have arranged to get back to your starting point. No access is allowed to points of interest or land on which they stand, as they are on private property. Walkers are participating at their own risk.

Enjoy the walk.