Gougane Barra, County Cork

Gougane Barra is located in a beautiful part of West Cork, not far from the town of Macroom. The scenery in this area is breath-taking, and it is in these hills where the majestic River Lee rises, flowing through Ballingeary and onwards towards Cork City.

Steeped in history, there is a tiny island at the edge of the lake at the entrance to the Forest Park where St. Finbarr, patron saint of Cork, founded his early Christian monastery in the 6th century. A place for all seasons, visit the park in Spring when the new growth mellows the stark winter landscape, or in Summer when the sounds of birdsong on the high trails ring out in the hills. Magical!