I visited Glengowla earlier this weeks and I cannot rate it more highly. The mine has been restored brilliantly and the tours (given every 20 minutes) are so well researched and informative. This is the only show mine in Ireland and was used to mine for lead and silver in the 19th century. The mine flooded after a period of... more

The whole family thoroughly enjoyed visiting Glengowla where lead and silver were mined. For younger children there is the opportunity to pan for "treasure"; outside the visitor centre are raised wooden boxes filled with grit and water. The children are shown how to swill the water and grit around their pan and find little pieces of "treasure" - tiny bits... more

Take the road from Galway and the mine is set a few kilometres on the road out of Oughterard this is a lead and silver mine that was worked for about 15 years and closed due to falling lead prices in the 1860's. The lead was sold to the British to make bullets for the Crimean War. Adequate parking and... more