Ireland's School of Falconry
Ireland's School of Falconry
Ireland's School of Falconry
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Established in 1999 we are the oldest Falconry School in Ireland and offer exceptional Private Hawk Walk experiences where you fly our wonderful hawks in the spectacular grounds of Ashford Castle. No-one forgets the moment when their hawks first swoop down from a tree to land back on their gloved fists. Flying a hawk is a magical experience of a lifetime! We are unusual in that we train the hawks ourselves and fly them every day. We never sell them, they are much loved family members and we never part with them. This means we have many stories to tell about them as you enjoy flying them. On arrival you are greeted by your Falconry Instructor and shown around but, within minutes, you will be setting off to fly your hawks against the spectacular backdrop of Ashford Castle. We are very lucky to fly the hawks in such a stunning location, the open walkways give spectacular long flights then we move into the magical woodlands to show you the hawks agility as they zip through the trees.
Cong, County Mayo, Ireland
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Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
902 reviews
Excellent
891
Very good
9
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Amy
9 contributions
Oct 2019
Beautiful wood setting. Was really nice to see the new buildings for all of the hawks and huge owl they have. We did a private walk just my husband and myself which was well worth the cost, having the guide to ourselves to explain and teach us about the hawks and how they interact with each other. Our guide was actually from the States...as we are from Massachusetts. The guide took a few nice pics for us and my husband got an amazing video of the hawk coming from behind and landing on by arm perfectly! Such an amazing experience in Ireland. Can't wait to go back and to this again and hopefully my son can join us next visit he would love the experience as well!
Thanks again, Amy and Steve
Thanks again, Amy and Steve
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
9321NB
Dublin, Ireland293 contributions
Nov 2019
We stayed in Ashford Castle for our mini-moon in November 2019 and did a hawk walk while there. It was hands down one of the best experiences of our lives and I would highly recommend it. Our guide was incredibly friendly and immediately took my phone so he could take photos and videos of our interaction with the hawks. He got some incredible footage and I'm so grateful to him for that. The scenery for the walk itself was beautiful, and the individual personality of the hawks became delightfully evident as we spent time with them.
Thank you so much for such a memorable experience!
Thank you so much for such a memorable experience!
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BuckIsLove
Edmond, OK93 contributions
Nov 2022
Ask my kids what their favorite activity was on their trip to Ireland, and I am pretty sure they would say "The hawk walk!" I booked it based on reading similar things all over the web, and it truly was wonderful. Unless you are staying on property at Ashford Castle or right in Cong, it is a bit of a trip to get out there. We were staying in Galway and it was a 45-60 minute trip. We were there on a very misty and foggy day in mid November; actually a wonderfully atmospheric setting in these ancient woods with these beautiful creatures.
The instruction from the handler/escorting falconer is complete and not intimidating--just listen, following instructions, and calmly handle the birds and you will enjoy yourself immensely. The whole experience is about an hour, although you can pay for a longer walk. It was totally worth the fee, and it feels good to be supporting the care and study of these important raptors. The staff and facilities are top notch. A nice, clean restroom is available onsite at the falconry school (important for little ones after a long car ride). However, we found the school difficult to find by car on the grounds, make sure you get good, clear instructions from the staff at the gates.
The instruction from the handler/escorting falconer is complete and not intimidating--just listen, following instructions, and calmly handle the birds and you will enjoy yourself immensely. The whole experience is about an hour, although you can pay for a longer walk. It was totally worth the fee, and it feels good to be supporting the care and study of these important raptors. The staff and facilities are top notch. A nice, clean restroom is available onsite at the falconry school (important for little ones after a long car ride). However, we found the school difficult to find by car on the grounds, make sure you get good, clear instructions from the staff at the gates.
Written December 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amandao722
Hewitt, NJ169 contributions
Jul 2022
Ireland's School of Falconry at Ashford Castle was simply outstanding! My husband and I booked a private “hawk walk” that could include 4-5 people in a group, but we were lucky enough to enjoy this tour by ourselves. Our guide was phenomenal and taught us a lot about the hawks and owl they take care of onsite, but the most amazing part had to be when we got to “fly” our own hawks. I wasn’t expecting to have so much time with the hawks, but we wound up spending the entire tour with them. Our guide took us through the Ashford Castle grounds and into the adjacent wooded areas where we were able to fly the hawks around without any distractions. It was incredible. We felt like we were experts by the time our tour was over! Definitely reserve your timeslot ahead of time, as they were completely booked when we were there. It was one of our favorite experiences during our trip to Ireland and something we’ll never forget.
Written August 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cheryl6800
Long Beach, CA28 contributions
Sep 2021
we weren't sure what to really expect on this "Hawk Walk". But, Tom the trainer of the Hawks, walked us through what to expect. We actually held the hawks on our leather gloves that were provided, then went walking in the huge park area. The Hawks would fly up, then Tom gave us food in our gloves, and the hawks landed back on our gloves to eat. What a Thrill. I would do this again the next time i am there.
Written October 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NANA A
Melbourne, Australia20 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
The Hawk Walk at Ireland's School of Falconry was the most amazing experience. To be up close with these beautiful birds, to see them glide toward you from the forest for a perfectly timed landing with such grace and to have them land on your glove and feed from your hand is something to remember. Our instructor, Niamh, was great company and taught us the correct handling while telling us about the training of the birds and the history of the school. Part of the Ashford Castle estate in Cong, the school is surrounded by forest and the well-trained birds are flown most days in these natural woodlands. For me, it was a unique and memorable experience. After months of anticipation and planning to include this experience in our trip, we were euphoric when we were finally able to fly Joyce, the Hawk, and were also introduced to another resident personality, the 25-year-old Dingle, a Eurasian Eagle Owl. If you like and respect birds, I would highly recommend you take the opportunity to book a Hawk Walk in these beautiful surroundings and be amazed.
Written June 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter M
2 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Our guide Conal was exceptional- very informative in a relaxed manner which helped us settle into the experience with no nerves . It was by far the best part of our trip to Ashford Castle and we would highly recommend it to anyone.
We fell in love with our hawk Rua and the relationship that Conal had with her was clearly evident. Loved every minute !
We fell in love with our hawk Rua and the relationship that Conal had with her was clearly evident. Loved every minute !
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cruiser171375
1 contribution
Mar 2022
Far exceeded all expectations...walking through the fairy-tale grounds of Ashford Castle and its lush woods as our falcons launched from our arms, soared between trees while exhibiting natural behaviors, and alighted back to our glove-clad arms again and again. It was humbling and magical to witness these majestic creatures up close and personal. Our guide, Jacob, put us at ease with his friendly, informative, and relaxed manner, answering all our questions all the while keeping close track of our birds of prey. So grateful to our son for suggesting such a fantastic activity!
Written March 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. I am so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time spent flying the wonderful hawks with us. It is very kind of you to take the time and the trouble to write a review and it really is very much appreciated by all of us here. I especially love your description of the magical Castle grounds as 'fairy-tale' , it is very accurate.
We are lucky to work with such amazing birds, they all have such unique characters which you no doubt found out while flying them.
Thank you so much once again, your review has pride of place on our staff noticeboard.
I do hope that we can look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.
Best wishes,
Deborah Knight on behalf of everyone here at Ireland's School of Falconry
Written April 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Spisak
Novi, MI258 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
We recently returned from our first trip to Ireland and wanted to share what a wonderful time we had at Ashford Castle and Ireland’s School of Falconry. The six of us decided to book the extended hawk walk (90 min). Booking and communication with the office was very easy. The day we went out was extremely windy and rainy, but we were still able to fly the hawks. Our guide was Connell, who was very knowledgeable, a great teacher and a fun guy. We were a group of 6 people with 3 hawks. The girls would fly the hawks for a while then switch and the guys would have a turn. The forest around the castle was beautiful and lush and it was beautiful watching the birds swooping through the canopy then landing on our arms when we lifted them. After our fantastic walk we went into a building where we all were able to fly an owl with with a 5 ft wingspan. It was an experience none of us will forget! We did not stay at Ashford Castle, but wanted to see it so we had lunch in the Drawing Room after our walk which was also arranged by Yvonne at the falconry school. (You cannot visit the castle unless you have a room there or dine in one of their restaurants). Thank you all for a once in a lifetime experience!
Written January 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie B
4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
This was one of the best experiences my husband and I have had! Our guide was so informative and sweet! We originally thought the hour-long experience would be more informational than interactive but we were wrong! We got acquainted with our falcons (Wookie & Yoda) and then went for a walk in the woods with them! Every so often we would let them fly and they would follow us and then come back. I would definitely do this again and strongly recommend this experience for anyone coming to Cong (Ashford Castle)!
Written November 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniela G
Bad Homburg, Germany
Hallo, ist die Einweisung mit den Tieren auch auf Deutsch?
Written July 21, 2019
Not as far as I know. The guide I had was fluent in English, but they may have translators.
Written July 21, 2019
It was well worth the cost and you get onto the grounds of Ashford Castle for free when you book a hawk walk.
Written February 26, 2019
The cost was -depending on exchange rate- $100 USD for an hour session. You walk with a Harris Hawk on a gauntlet, you stop periodically to let the hawks fly out and return. This happens numerous times on the beautiful grounds of Ashford Castle.The handler instructs and educates along the way, but you have your own raptor on your arm for an hour. I would book again in a heartbeat.
Written March 25, 2018
How do I book a 1 hour falcon walk?
Written June 26, 2017
I emailed to set up time, date, number of our group and I heard back within 24 hours each time I had a different question. Once we got there, "Mel" was out falconer and she was awesome!
Written June 27, 2017
I am a little confused by the description. Do you just walk in the woods and the hawks follow you around or do they come and go to your arm on command and many times during the walk? It sounded to me like you start the walk with the hawks on your arm, then they fly off and follow you through the woods and then return to your arm at the end. Is that accurate? Do you really get to spend much time with the hawk near you?
Written April 11, 2017
Hello feelinlucky, thank you very much for your query. The hawks will land on your gloved fist many times throughout the Hawk Walk. The majority of your Hawk Walk time is spent with you interacting with your hawk and with the hawk near you. They will come and go approximately 15 times during an average Hawk Walk and will follow you through the woods inbetween coming to land on your arm. Does that explain things better? or is it now as clear as mud! Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any other questions or if you would like any further information from me whatsoever. Kind regards,
Ireland's School of Falconry.
Written April 11, 2017
Can you book a falconry tour if you are not a guest of the hotel?
Written March 18, 2017
Dear DianneRoseKelly, Thank you for your query.
You do not have to be a guest of the Hotel to book a Hawk Walk, so there is no problem at all. I look forward to hearing from you and, hopefully, to flying our wonderful hawks with you soon.
Best regards,
All of us here at Ireland's School of Falconry.
Written March 19, 2017
Hello,
Are reservations required? Can you offer a suggestion on Lodging? How would we get there from Dublin without renting a vehicle? We would be there 3-17 to 3-19, 2017; Thank you for your time! Chuck
Written March 3, 2017
Reservations are required and can be made through Ashford castle. BTW, Ashford castle is a resort so you can make a reservation with them. As for how to get there from Dublin it is a 3 Hr car ride. no idea about rail or bus.
Written March 4, 2017
What is the age limit to be able to hold the Falcons? My son is 9 and would absolutely love to do this.
Written February 9, 2017
Hello Brittany, thank you for your query. I think your son will be fine with us at 9 years old. We have no set age limit as such because it always depends on the individual child. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any other queries whatsoever. I look forward to hearing from you and, hopefully, to flying our wonderful hawks with you soon. Best regards, Deborah Knight at Ireland's School of Falconry.
Written February 10, 2017
Yes, it is. There are paved trails through the gardens and to the falconry school. I am sure if you let them know that they will bring the falcon to you. We flew with the birds in a clearing very close to the castle. It was a great time.
Written July 5, 2016
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