Hikes and trails: Enjoy an easy ramble back through the centuries at Portumna Forest

The quicksilver waters of the Shannon sparkling vividly through the trees at Bonaveen Point is undoubtedly the high point of this three-hour route around this leafy forest trail

Much of the forest has been restored to oak, ash and hazel woodland as part of an admirable native-trees regeneration scheme. Pictures: John G O’Dwyer

It is sometimes said that the 12th-century Norman invaders to Ireland eventually became more Irish than the Irish themselves. For the de Burgh family, this was certainly true. Arriving from East Anglia in the late 12th century, they established their base west of the River Shannon. Granted extensive estates by England’s King John, William de Burgh, the family patriarch in Ireland, soon became Governor of Limerick. In the 13th century, they expanded their control over Connacht and founded Galway City as a major trading port.

Later, the de Burghs became highly Gaelicized. Adopting Irish dress customs and laws under the name de Búrca, Burke or Bourke, they became deeply Irish and began marrying with Gaelic families. An internal rift in the 14th century split the family into two clans: MacWilliam Iochtar (Mayo) and MacWilliam Uachtar (Clanricarde). The descendants of Richard Óg Burke of Clanricarde then established themselves as independent lords in south and east Galway.