Barna Woods, a few minutes’ walk from the sea, is a pocket of native woodland just west of Galway, and a good reason to come out here, along with the beach at Silverstrand and the view over the bay. Barna (officially Bearna, ‘gap’) is an Irish-speaking village on the R336, about seven kilometres west of Galway City, with a population of 2,336 at the 2022 census. It was once called Freeport, because boats berthed here to dodge the mooring taxes at Galway port. The village has a harbour, and the woods and beach are separate stops to the east.
If you have an afternoon, walk the woods, then cross to Silverstrand for the view over the bay. Both are free.
Barna Woods
Galway City Council’s woodland map shows the route through the broadleaf trees. Enter from Barna Road or via Cappagh Park, stay on the paths and keep dogs on a lead. The native oak, ash, hazel and birch close overhead, and there are wildflowers and birds along the way.
Silverstrand and the water
Silverstrand is a sandy beach facing Galway Bay, set against a backdrop of low coastal drumlins with a wide view over the water. Part of the strand is covered at high tide, so check the tide before you commit to a beach day here. Check the council’s beach information for lifeguard cover and bathing notices, and follow signs on the shore. Water sports are on offer at nearby Rusheen Bay, so check with the operators for current courses and seasons.
Closer to the village, either side of the stone Barna pier, are two smaller bathing beaches, quieter and good for shore fishing or watching the boats. The pier itself was built in the 1820s to a design by the engineer Alexander Nimmo, the man responsible for much of Connemara’s early coast road and harbours.
The village and its food
Barna has built a reputation for seafood for a place this size, and there are cafés and takeaways around the pier and the village. Opening times change through the year, so check before you go.
History sits quietly around the edges. Barna House, a Georgian house of 1778 built by the Lynch family on the site of an earlier O’Halloran castle, still stands, now divided into apartments. The shoreline around Silverstrand has its own footnotes: a one-day skirmish here during the Spanish Armada period, and a long later history of smuggling along this stretch of coast.
Golf and getting there
Barna Golf Club is an 18-hole course a short distance north of the village, with Galway Bay and the Aran Islands in view. Take the R336 west from Galway, or check Bus Éireann route 424 for the Bearna stop and current departures. Use the designated car park at Silverstrand, and follow local signs at the woods.