Gillick's World: Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way Re-published August 2015 | Page 15

Cnoc Suain
The Restful Hill

Cnoc
Suain,
pronounced
‘Kunnuk
Soo-in’,
literally
means
‘restful
hill’
in
Gaelic/Irish. Celebrating the
fresh air and the peace and
quiet, Cnoc Suain is a cultural
retreat located in a 17th century
hill-village amidst 200 acres of
Connemara wilderness. It’s
about a 30 minute drive from
Galway, just outside of the
village of Spiddal.
The
thatched-roof cottages, dating back to 1691
were restored, stone-by-stone, and over the last
16 years Charlie Troy and his wife Dearbhaill
Standun
have
instituted
award-winning
programs to re-awaken the knowledge of
Gaelic- Irish culture.
After a tour of the facilities with Charlie,
Dearbhaill invited me to enjoy coffee and
freshly baked scones, as she related that both
she and Charlie have educational backgrounds
that combine, music (Dearbhaill is an
accomplished fiddler), entertainment, botany,
geology (Charlie was a science teacher),
horticulture and storytelling. They dreamed of
creating an educational retreat that would
provide guests with an unforgettable experience
steeped in Gaelic culture.
Visitors can attend day
or overnight
programs—as couples, families or groups—to
explore the mystery of the bogs (complete with
tales of the bog men), learn about herbs and
participate in cooking lessons, enjoy literary
evenings, musical adventures (learn to play

the tin whistle), traditional dancing, a Gaelic
lesson…or simply walk in the wilderness and
be transported back to the 17th Century.

The restoration of the stone work and thatching
of the cottages was accomplished with the help
of two Romanian workers who were just
finishing a contract in the area. The cozy
cottages now include modern conveniences
including a kitchenette.
This is yet another
“Secret” of the Wild Atlantic Way! For more
information, visit www.cnocsuain.com