Gormú

17/09/2024

Luí na gréine ó Bhéal a'Chinn Mara

We caught the last rays of light over the upper reaches of 📍Castle Haven thís evening.

Photo taken from 📍Béal a'Chinn Mara 🌁

15/09/2024

🖤 **Ticéidí Ar Díol: A Scare at Samhain 2024!** 🖤
🎃 **Tickets On Sale: A Scare at Samhain 2024!** 🎃

We're thrilled to announce that **A Scare at Samhain** is an even bigger part of the **Leap Scarecrow Festival** this year! Get ready for a Halloween adventure like never before! This year’s experience is bigger, better, and bolder than ever, with an even more immersive and thrilling experience. We’re diving deeper into the ancient Irish myths that haunt West Cork's wild landscape. 🐺✨

Join us each afternoon for eerie storytelling, encounters with creatures from folklore, plenty of laughs and all the spooky fun that comes with the Leap Scarecrow Festival. Tickets are selling fast – don't miss out on this terrifyingly improved adventure! 🕯️🔮

👻 **Tickets available now on our website!** Link in bio 🔗

13/09/2024

An tOileán Ard ag breacadh an lae
We captured this stunning sunrise over An tOileán Ard / High Island as we drove down to our dawn swim experience this morning😍🌅🌊

12/09/2024

…..and so it starts 🎃🧙🍁👻

https://www.gormu.com/tour/a-scare-at-samhain

11/09/2024

A Scare at Samhain is back for 2024 Leap Scarecrow Festival and this year, it's going to be bigger and better than ever!
🍎🍁🦇

Send a message to learn more

10/09/2024

Conor was back in one of his 'happy places' again last Thursday, as he got to visit the teachers and children of the Mealagh Valley at Dromclough National School for
This brilliant initiative was supported by Teagasc and The Heritage Council

10/09/2024

Conor was delighted to visit Dreeny National School last week for National Hedgerow week. He discussed ditches as we know them here in Co. Cork, their plants and the lore that surrounds them. It was a wonderful visit at such a progressive school.
This visit was supported by Teagasc and The Heritage Council

10/09/2024

We are delighted to have started working with the innovative team at Cottages for Couples. Theirs is a fantastic product and it's great to see them promote the area around Skibbereen as an adventure hub.

30/08/2024

Bó Bán ag An Beacon

A sunny day in West Cork wouldn’t be complete without a friendly encounter with one of our local residents 🐄

This stunning white cow stood gracefully in front of the iconic Baltimore Beacon and was captured beautifully by our guests, Sarah and Eric.

We think this image perfectly showcases the charm and natural beauty of our landscape. The Beacon, a steadfast guardian of Baltimore Harbour, has guided sailors safely to shore for generations. Today, it remains a symbol of our deep connection to the sea and the stories that shape our heritage.

Join us on an adventure where every view (and cow) tells a tale, and every moment is filled with the magic of West Cork.

25/08/2024

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

As a mark of respect for Celine’s mother, Mona, who was beloved by all who knew her, our tours will not be running again until Wednesday, the 28th of August.

Thank you all for the overwhelming flood of condolences since the news broke yesterday.

The death has occurred of Mona Mc Cormack (née Mc Aree) of Newbliss, Monaghan Ireland, on 24/08/2024. You can view the full death notice and add your condolences here.

24/08/2024

Cuan an Chaisleáin / Castle Haven / Porto Castello

Was so serene after tonight’s bioluminescence swim experience. BTW, did you know that it’s one of the few Spanish placenames in all of Ireland?

20/08/2024

Logainmneacha - some spots to see an amazing Wombat Media documentary on local placenames are still available.
It features our co-Founder Conor Ó Buachalla. We got a look at an early draft version and Castlehaven looks stunning, we’re not so sure about the narrator 😂

As part of National Heritage Week Wombat Media presents a short documentary that explores placenames in Castlehaven with Conor Buckley

20/08/2024

Gealach na Farraige 🌕✨🌊

A magical evening this evening as we got a full moon on our bioluminescence swim experience. It made for a very special night of storytelling around our new fire-pit. 🔥

15/08/2024

We are delighted to let you know, that our high acclaimed daily placenames walking tour is going to be the focus of a new short film.

It's first screening is on in An Sciobairín / Skibbereen on August 24th. Of course if you cant wait that long, the tour runs every day😜

We will be launching a short documentary called 'Placenames and Their Amazing Stories' as part of National Heritage Week
Presented by Conor Ó Buachalla of Gormú
Funded by Cork County Council & The Heritage Council
Free event, register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/manage/events/983308932487/details

09/08/2024

Dúinín Dhiarmuid Mhóir

West Corks most spectacular dúinín was looking good in this mornings bright August sunshine. We suspect Diarmuid Mhóir would have liked this pic! 🏰🌞🌊

02/08/2024

Comhghairdeas Paul agus Fintan! 🙌🥇

To celebrate the O'Donovan / McCarthy victory in Paris, we have an amazing special offer this Bank Holiday Weekend on our Gormú eBike tours.

Both of our eBike tours feature numerous places historically associated with the McCarthy and O'Donovan clans, such as Castle Salem and Raheen Castle.

Use the promo code BONNÓIR (meaning "gold medal") at the checkout to avail of our "buy one get one free" offer.

T&C's:

Offer only valid on Gormú eBike tours this August Bank Holiday weekend when booked through our website.
You must book a minimum of 2 places to avail of the offer.

02/08/2024

Mí Lúnasa

As we enter Mí Lúnasa / August (the start of our Irish autumn) here at Gormú, things are busy but in the best possible way. Every day we swim, we hike, we walk and of course we eBike.

We've had wonderful guests from all over the world this summer and made loads of new friends. A final bonus is our local wildflowers were just spectacular this summer, in particular the meadowsweet, buachalán buí and of course the heather which is covering all the local hills in vast swatches of purple at the moment.

Hope you all had a great summer and roll on the autumn!

31/07/2024

Fraoch cloigíneach

This summer, the bell heather here in West Cork is simply amazing. Of course, the backdrop isn’t bad either! 😂

29/07/2024

Leamhan Tíograch 🐯🦋

Found this beautiful Tiger moth just above Cuas a’ Leac on todays placenames walking tour.

25/07/2024

Ól an fál

Small businesses like ours don’t exist without great partners. This morning, Julian from Irish Hedgerow in Co. Tipperary delivered our latest batch of Sparkling Elderflower Refresher, which we incorporate into the picnic on our Placenames tour🥂

Our guests love it!

23/07/2024

Beirt Dheirfiúracha Iontacha! 👯‍♀️✨

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting Anne and Claire again, two wonderful sisters who just completed their third Gormú tour! 🥾🚴‍♀️

From the breathtaking cliffs of Toe Head to the mystical folklore of Myross, these adventurous women have truly embraced the spirit of West Cork.

Their journeys with us have been filled with enchanting stories, stunning landscapes, and the unique charm of our local wildlife. It’s always a joy to see our guests return and gives us a great boost that we are building out our Gormú experiences in the right direction.

A big go raibh míle maith agaibh for their enthusiasm and love for our tours. We can’t wait to see them again next year. 🥾✨

20/07/2024

Cnoc na nGabhar

Today Juliet joined us on our Whispers of the Land bespoke tour and we had an amazing bespoke 25km hike around Castlehaven.

So many highlights such as the Móin Rua at the end or orchid season, seeing Dúinín Dhiarmuid Mhóir in the early morning light but it’s hard to top our finish on the summit of Cnoc na nGabhar.

As always thanks to the landowners who were so generous with access.

07/07/2024

Discounted “early bird” tickets for the Gormú field trips available for who book during the month July.
- 20% discount this week, finishes Friday
- 10% discount during rest of July

Those of you on our mailing list will know that all our field trips for this year's festival have been announced! Local historian William Casey will be hosting a walking tour of Skibbereen on Thursday the 8th. The brilliant .ar will be hosting clifftop hikes, ebike tours, a placename walking tour, and dawn swims across the weekend. And if that isn't enough, we're also partnering with again for a kayaking tour of Castlehaven Bay.

For more details and to book your places, see our website. While you're there, why not sign up for our mailing list to get advance news!

https://westcorkhistoryfestival.org/

05/07/2024

Oileán Bhríde 🐰🏝️

Even on a damp afternoon eBike tour this afternoon, this vista of Oileán Bhríde from above Squince never ceases to impress our guests.

22/06/2024

An luí gréine is faide ó thuaidh 🧭🌅

Each year, we like to mark the furthest north (westerly) sunset we see from our kitchen window. It normally happens a few nights after the summer solstice.

We have an amazing view over Bán na gColpaí from our home. So is tonight an luí gréine is faide ó thuaidh? 🤔

07/06/2024

Oileán Cléire arís 😊

Back to doing our tours again tomorrow but 2 days on Cape is good for the soul. Bonus, it’s literally on our doorstep.

06/06/2024

Cléire - one of our happy places 🥰

01/06/2024

Slán leis an Lá 🌅✨

As the sun sets over West Cork, the sky suggests that a fine spell of weather is on the way .

Join Gormú for adventures that dive into Ireland’s dúchas. Explore clifftops, uncover placenames, and cycle through history.

Discover the magic of West Cork. Fáilte go Gormú. 🌿🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏊‍♂️

30/05/2024

Go raibh míle maith agaibh! It was a joy to explore the rich tapestry of our local placenames with such an enthusiastic and engaged group of teachers and children.

The students' curiosity and excitement truly made the day special. A huge thanks to the parents, grandparents, neighbours, and friends for contributing their snippets of local knowledge and placenames – it added a wonderful personal touch and deepened the connection to our heritage. This is no 'blandscape' but a school and area rich in tradition and culture.

Looking forward to more adventures in Scoil Náisiúnta Na Doirríní i bparóiste Chathrach!

27/05/2024

Lá Breithe Sona! 🎉🎂

We are celebrating Conor’s birthday today in the most spectacular way possible - filming on our eBikes with the fantastic crew from TG4’s Téacs Taistil along the rugged coastline of West Cork. 🌊📽️

It’s always a privilege for us to share the stories, folklore, and natural beauty of this breathtaking landscape around our parish of Gleann Bearcháin agus Míros. 🔵⚪️🌿

We are grateful for this experience and look forward to seeing , .cowboy agus bringing more of our dúchas and scéalta to life on screen next summer.

Míle buíochas leis na láithreoirí as an taithí iontach seo! ✨
🌍🎥