Away To Me Sheepdog Trial Demonstrations — Attraction in County Donegal

I seem to have accidentally written a novel, so here's the TL;DR version: this place is amazing and you should definitely book a demonstration!

We weren't expecting a sheepdog demonstration to be one of the highlights of our trip to Ireland, but our experience with Away to Me absolutely blew us away. The farm itself is stunning: lush green fields overlooking the ocean. On arriving we were met not only by James (one of the owners) but two orphaned lambs he'd taken in to make pets of. When James saw my partner and I cooing over the lambs, he promptly scooped one up and gave it to us to hold. Once we'd gotten a good lamb cuddle in, the actual demonstration started. James gave us a fascinating overview of Sheepherding in Donegal and introduced us to his beautiful dogs. Watching the dogs work was incredible -- frankly, they're probably smarter than I am -- and seeing their bond with James was even better. As a bit of a dog nerd, I was especially happy to learn about James' thoughtful and positive approach to training. I've seen herding dogs in videos, but watching the real thing is something else entirely -- you can really see how attuned they are to their handlers, and how complicated their work is. And learning about the community of folks who share the mountain and work dogs together gave us a glimpse into a local culture we knew nothing about.

I also want to note that James and his family are lovely people. Right after the sheepdog demonstration, our car failed to start in their driveway. When we couldn't get in touch with the rental car agency (it was a Sunday night), James, his parents, and a friend of his all helped us get the car started and back...

We had a wonderful time with FJ & Meghan. I just happened to notice Away to Me on google maps, and then I saw that they’ve reopened to the public as long as you have a booking. It was amazing timing, and we loved it! FJ gives loads of great information about the area and what makes border collies so special. He’s a knowledgeable man and clearly has a lot of passion for what he does, and that’s just nice to be around. My husband and I loved learning from him. My 3-year-old daughter was less interested in the learning and more interested in petting the dogs. It especially meant a lot to me how patient they both were with her. When she would ask a question, they answered her directly in a way she could understand. Not all adults have that ability with small kids and usually just leave me to answer her. Also, we thought it was fun to see 3 different sheepdogs at 3 different stages in their training so that we could get a better sense of what it takes to train them. Plus, as a bonus, the location is stunningly beautiful and right near other stunningly beautiful things, so it really makes for a...

We came across Away To Me quite by accident on holiday and we could not be happier to have done so! I've lived with dogs all my life but never with border collies and that could change now after spending time with Francis and his brilliant furry companions. What a treat to witness the skills and loving nature of these incredibly intelligent animals. And what an extraordinary experience to spend two hours (!) with a shepherd so patient, learned, articulate, funny, and wise. Francis holds a wealth of knowledge about the tradition of sheepherding, the relationships of the region, and the customs of the Donegal people passed down through the generations. We learned more than we expected, had some great laughs, listened to fantastic stories, and watched a truly gracious man share his (and his dogs) talents with us. If you love history, animals, good people, Irish culture, and niche experiences we cannot recommend Away to Me Sheepdog Trial Demonstrations enough. Tell Francis that Isabel and Gideon sent ya! So much love from...