One of four in our party was extremely excited about this experience Four of four were completely thrilled we did it Joe is a showman in a reserved country farmer way His wit and personality make him a natural. Who knew the incredible intelligence of these beautiful creatures. We learned so much in a breath taking environment and had plenty of interaction with all of the animals on his property Possibly our favorite (and there were many) part of our trip💗

So worth a visit! This was one of the best experiences on my recent trip. When I was doing the research for a day tour from Galway, I found that Lally Tours had an itinerary that included a sheepdog demonstration. As a city dweller and animal lover, this had a lot of appeal to me as a unique experience or something I wouldn't get to do back home. On the day of our visit, my partner and I were the only people at that particular demonstration. Joe took his time explaining to us about the family business, his community, how he trains the dogs, and answering our many questions. Joe was an entertaining host - very engaging, funny and a good storyteller. I won't get much into the details of the actual demonstration; it's something you would need to see and enjoy for yourself. As a bonus there was a litter of pups on the property and we got to play with them a bit. They were really cute, especially when a couple of them went out to the field and started imitating or following the older dog herding the sheep. This was a really fun experience that I would recommend to anyone.

This is a truly unique experience in a stunning setting. Joe is so down to earth and welcoming. The dogs are really impressive, so well trained, enthusiastically showing off their skills and then joining us for lots of praise and petting afterwards. We got to see some puppies too, cuteness overload. It was wonderful to see this local business bringing people to such a beautiful setting.

We loved our tour here! You can see online that there are three tours Monday-Saturday: 11am, 1pm, and 3:30pm. I emailed ahead of time to confirm since it was Easter Monday and received an email back fairly quickly. When we arrived, there was another group that was just leaving because they showed up randomly instead of at the designated times. There's a toilet to use in the house if needed and a coffee/snacks cart at the bottom of the hill. The tour was great and there were three puppies at the time we visited. We saw two different adult dogs herd the sheep and an attempt by the puppies which was very cute. He didn't have his lambs yet, but one of his neighbors lamb's was visiting. There are also goats and miniature ponies to visit while you're there. Most people paid in cash at the end of the tour, but you can pay by card down at the coffee/snacks cart. The service kept going out, but we got it eventually. Highly recommend a visit here for sure!!

It was so exciting that we were able to book an appointment, and it was an amazing experience. We got to hear all about how the sheep dogs are trained, and then a very exciting demonstration of herding. The views are spectacular, and you’re watching the dogs and the sheep move around, it’s very exciting and so dynamic. We were also lucky that there were three puppies there and it was so cute meeting them and watching them show off. This is a must do if you’re in the area, I cannot recommend it enough.

Simply a wonderful day! Michael was our driver and tour guide for the group of six in a Mercedes Sprinter! What a fantastic experience. Michael was very informative and we enjoyed his wit and music. We had an Aughnanure Castle tour with a local expert. Next we saw the Quiet Man Bridge near "White of Mornin". Then on into the Connemara NP area (stunning views). A bit of lunch and a quick pint in Leenaun was followed by the Sheep Dog Demonstration with local sheep farmer Joe Joyce - the man and his border collies were fantastic. Joe was quite the character. Then on to Cong for a quick visit to the "Town of Inishfree" (Quiet Man). A pint of Guinness and a whiskey neat at Pat Cohan’s Pub was the final toast to a superb day. Wonderful weather and vistas with a fine group of people. It was well worth it.

What an experience! Such a treat to see the sheepdogs at work! Definitely a highlight in our camping trip to Westport! Joe is so knowledgeable re the work of the dogs, sheep & heritage of the Trade & he had great tales to tell! Surrounded by stunning Lough NaFooey, Joyce sheepdogs sits on the side of the mountain. It’s definitely worth a visit. Absolute bonus to cuddle some puppies too! Thank you for your time & hospitality ☕️ Robyn, Richard & Violet

Visiting this farm was literally one of the highlights of our two week trip to Ireland. It was fascinating to watch the farmer communicate with the dogs. We also got to see him shear a sheep and listen to his highly entertaining stories. There were puppies there as well, which is always a plus. :-) And the farm is located in a breathtakingly beautiful area. I would recommend this experience to anyone, and hope to go back one day.

A “walk on” as part of our 10 day itinerary in Ireland. Farmer Joe and his dogs are amazing. The demonstration was fun and informative. Joe’s welcome is genuine. The venue is beautiful in a country full of spectacular vistas.

This was one of the highlights of our visits to Ireland. Joe greeted us with a warm welcome even though we showed up a bit early. The border collies including 9 puppies were amazing. Joe spent a lot of time explaining how the dogs are trained and the ins and outs of sheep farming. His many stories were very entertaining. The setting for the farm couldn't be nicer, on a hill overlooking a beautiful lake. This is experience is well worth it.