Things to Do in Mayo
Croagh Patrick
Keel Beach
Croagh Patrick is a well-known mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo. You can find it 8km from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. If you visit, you may be joined by pilgrims who make the journey which Saint Patrick himself once did.
Keel Beach is a beautiful beach, one of Mayo’s finest. It is quite popular with tourists and locals as a surfing location. If you are not into surfing, you can still enjoy the beautiful sand and excellent views.
Clew Bay Achill island Achill Island is the largest island off the coast of Ireland and situated off the west coast. It has a small population of 2,700 and is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge. Achill Island occupies an area of some 57sq miles but its actual coastline, including all the inlets and spars, measures over 80 miles. Two particular stretches of road have been designated as Achill’s Atlantic Drive; a spectacular journey with breathtaking views, which can be completed in a vehicle, by bicycle or on foot.
Moyne Abbey
Want to see an amazing island formation without having to travel to the Caribbean? Then go to Clew Bay, a natural ocean bay, which contains Ireland’s best example of sunken drumlins.
Downpatrick Head Just a few miles north of Ballycastle village, is the windswept outcrop of Downpatrick Head. This is the perfect place to park up and stretch your legs with an invigorating coastal walk. The name Downpatrick is derived from a time when Saint Patrick himself founded a church here. You can still see the ruins of the church building, a stone cross and holy well today.
Moyne Abbey has to be one of most impressive ecclesiastical ruins in Mayo and is recognised as a national monument. It was built by the Burke family, consecrated in 1462 and is located north of Ballina on the west side of Killala Bay. The friary was built in the late Irish Gothic style and has extensive ruins, consisting of a church and domestic buildings situated around a central cloister.
The Coffin Ship This piece of art by John Behan is an impressive monument showing a ship full of skeletons, a symbol to remember all the people who died on the ships to America when they wanted to escape Ireland’s potato famine in the 19th Century. The monument was unveiled in 1997 to mark the 150th anniversary of the famine.
Go Wild Magazine - Staycation Edition 2020
Keem Bay Keem Bay is a heavenly secluded valley at the very western tip of Achill Island. It is extremely popular during warmer months when the strand is a magnet for beach-goers and those interested in scenic walks. This bay was formerly the site of a basking shark fishery and a British Army lookout post.
- 12 -
www.gowildmagazine.com
