Aughrim is a historical and attractive village just off the N6 about 5 miles south-west of Ballinasloe. With its historical heritage, it is a neatly maintained modern village blending the old and the new. There is much for a walker to appreciate. The landscape around Aughrim is mainly low lying hills which are said to look like horses backs from which the Irish name Each Dhroim comes from.

All approaches to the village are immaculately maintained and decorated by flowerbeds, paths and the battle stands where you can observe the sights of the great battle of 1691. Some of the major battle sights include; The O'Kelly castle, a main defensive position in the battle which is now a ruin. Also high cross, commemorating those who died in the battle. Both of these can be seen from the Ballinasloe approach to the village. There is also a cross, commemorating Patrick Hogan, a Government Minister who was killed in a car accident in 1936 adjacent to these sites. Across the N6 there is 'Bloody Hollow' where the worst slaughter of the battle took place and St Ruth's Bush where the Jacobite General St. Ruth was said to have been killed.

Also on this side of the village at Tristane there is a recreated blacksmiths forge and an old stone cottage displaying its contents and various tools of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This is a must see for every visitor to Aughrim and don't forget to get a few stories from the owner Paddy Hurney! The side of the village near Ballinahown is the birth place of William James McNevin (1763-1841) the father of American Chemistry and a prominent United Irishman. The cottage where he was born is now a ruin. On the way back to the village, you can observe the renovated old stone schoolhouse.

In the village itself there is the Battle of Aughrim Interpretative Centre where you can see the Martin Joyce collection of artefacts from the Battle and from Aughrim's past. You can also see an audio-visual display with an account of the battle. There is a small entrance fee. The centre is only open in June, July and August. Hyne's Bar in the village also houses a fine collection of artefacts from the area including some from the battle. There are 2 fine churches in the village, the Holy Trinity Church in particular is worth a visit with its fine stained glass windows. On the Kilconnell road, there are the ruins of an old Abbey.

Aughrim has ample facilities including bars, shops and accommodation (a hostel) and is also a request Bus stop on the main Dublin to Galway route. This makes it an ideal starting or finishing point for the walking enthusiast.

Clan Name

Aughrim is part of the ancestral home of the O'Kellys and forms a stage of the Beara-Breifne Greenway which is based on the historic march of O'Sullivan Beara in 1603.

Greenways Festival 2003

Aughrim is talking part in the Greenways Festival in summer 2003 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the legendary 1603 march of O’Sullivan Beara from the Beara Peninsula to the Breifne area. Click here for info on the events