Learn to Fly a Hawk: Ireland’s School of Falconry

Visiting Ireland and looking for something unusual to try? Why not learn to fly a hawk?

A Bird with a Clever Name

The curious guy in the photo above is a Harris hawk named Yoda. His birthday is May 4, hence the moniker. (“May the ‘fourth’ be with you” from Star Wars, if you’re not already a fan.) Yoda and I spent an hour together one summer afternoon at Ireland’s School of Falconry in Cong, County Mayo. I was on a home exchange in western Ireland at the time.

A farmer near the town of Westport a few days earlier asked me if I had ever “flown a hawk”. I didn’t know what that meant but was pretty sure I hadn’t. Irish expressions, like the accent, are sometimes hard to decipher. 

(I once dated an Irish woman who was fond of telling me, “You’re such an eejit.” I mistook eejit for egret and assumed it was an Irish term of endearment. Months later, while we watched an Irish film together, I realized eejit is the Irish pronunciation of idiot. I suppose in one sense she was right.) 

Falconry at Ashford Castle

Anyway, the farmer explained that about an hour away visitors could pay to fly hawks at the School of Falconry on the grounds of Ashford Castle. I never imagined myself a falconer, but I was intrigued. (Explorative travel!) 

Now, Ireland is unlike most of Europe in one important way— you need a car to get around easily. The sites, in my opinion, are just too spread out to rely on public transportation, which is my preferred strategy. (A bus tour would solve the problem, but you already know I don’t like to follow someone else’s schedule.) 

Thankfully, my home exchange hosts graciously offered me the use of their car during my two-week stay. I was free to explore! It was the first time I ever summoned the courage to drive someone else’s vehicle in a foreign country. And it will probably be the last.

Driving in Ireland

The car made it possible to comfortably explore seaside villages, walk the Cliffs of Moher, and visit ancient burial grounds. Without it, I wouldn’t have seen Galway, Achill Island, or Belfast. And if I hadn’t seen Belfast, I would have missed the inspiration for my book. So for all those reasons, I’m glad I had it. 

On the other hand, there’s the whole driving-on-the-other-side-of-the-road issue. It’s not that hard on straightaways— most of the time. My hosts, Gerry and Emma, left the car for me at Shannon airport, where I picked it up after an overnight flight. Worried that I’d be drowsy and forget to drive on the left, I went at a snail’s pace for the first half hour on the highway. In what I thought was the slow lane. 

But in Ireland, the travel and passing lanes are reversed, too. I eventually caught on from all the honking (I was a bit sleepy), but it was already too late. Half of Ireland was mad at me, and I’d only been in the country less than an hour. 

More Trouble Ahead

It wasn’t long before I encountered my first rotary, or roundabout. Those, too, work differently. More honking. I began to regret the car idea. Soon I was in the countryside, though, and there was no one left to piss off. The rest of the drive would be easy. 

That’s when I got the flat tire. It turns out Irish wheels have locks on them, and I couldn’t figure out the release. In my defense, I was sleep-deprived, and the car manual made no mention of tires in the index or table of contents. Quite some time later, an auto salesman happened by, found the key to unlock the wheel, and had me on my way again. And he pointed out the Irish spelling is t-y-r-e. (I felt like an eejit.) 

Ireland’s School of Falconry

So despite my trepidation about the hour’s drive to Ashford Castle, I set out for the village of Cong. I booked a 60-minute tour in advance and made my way through the castle grounds to the school. While I waited for the guide to join me, I explored the collection of aviaries. They held not just Harris hawks but other birds of prey, too. 

The school claims to have the largest, most diverse collection of Harris hawks in the world. The castle environs are their playground, and I was there for a play date. The “hawk walk”, as it’s called, is a private affair. It was just me, Yoda, and a trainer. (You can bring up to two observers with you at no additional cost, but they won’t be able to fly the hawk. Groups of up to four paid participants are permitted.)

Learning to Fly a Hawk

The guide who accompanies you on the walk equips you with a heavy sleeve and glove and teaches you how to interact with the bird. It was easy to learn, and Yoda was very well-behaved. I expected hawks to be a bit unruly and aggressive, but that is not at all the case with this particular species. Harris hawks are actually very social and easy to train. 

I practiced sending and landing Yoda with my gloved arm. Honestly, the bird did most of the work. Throughout the walk, I just gave the signals he’d already been trained to recognize (and occasional bits of fresh meat carried discreetly by the trainer). And even when I couldn’t see him, Yoda saw me— and easily returned to perch on my outstretched arm. Given that Harris hawks can have a 4-foot wingspan, I thought I might occasionally take a wing to the face, but Yoda was graceful. We never collided. 

Harris Hawks

Harris hawks are native to the Americas. Technically, they’re not falcons, but falconry refers to hunting with any bird of prey. Harris hawks are highly intelligent and known for the unusual trait of hunting in packs. Apparently, they’re quite useful in removing unwanted pigeons from problem areas. (If only I’d known Yoda when pigeons began roosting under the eave at my home in Arizona.) 

I was particularly impressed by the speed of a Harris hawk. When flying level, they max out around 28 mph, but in a hunting dive they reach speeds above 100 mph. At those speeds, they do collide with their target to stun their prey before killing and eating it. Harris hawks are also noteworthy for their large, strong talons, which allow them to move quickly on the ground, too. 

How it Works

Because all hawk walks are private and limited to a small number of people, slots can fill up quickly. Guests of the lodge at Ashford Castle get priority, so if you’re staying elsewhere plan well ahead. The cost for one person on a 60-minute walk in 2024 is currently 130 Euros, but the price drops to 100 Euros each for two people, 80 Euros each for a trio, and 70 Euros apiece for four people. You have the option to extend the walk for an additional half hour at extra cost. For more information and to plan your visit, click here.

Postscript

Did I mention the car was broken into while parked in Belfast? Two hooded thieves smashed the passenger window with a brick to steal some loose change and a hidden iPod. The security camera under which I intentionally parked captured the whole thing. 

So I’ll stick with public transportation from now on while traveling overseas.  

Driving overseas is just one occasion when travel insurance is a wise idea. Click here for a list of other times when trip insurance is a good bet.