Achill's Deserted Village

CONNACHT

CONNACHT

The Deserted Village of Achill

Once you’ve crossed the bridge over Achill Sound and arrived on the island, follow the R319 to Keel (An Caol). Continue straight through Keel to Dooagh (Dumha Acha), some 2.5km further west. The car park is situated on the left at the bottom of the hill as you descend into the village.

The Walk From the car park, walk the few steps south to the sea shore. Although the map marks a stretch of sand enticingly labelled ‘Dooagh Strand’, the cove here is actually backed by a jumble of boulders.

Turn left at the top of the cove and begin to follow the coast southeast, initially using a rough path to cross the coastal heath. The path soon peters out but closecropped grass means progress remains relatively easy. Trace the shoreline around the headland of Gubalennaun More, taking care to skirt several small chasms along the way.

The open ground continues almost as far as Purteen harbour, where you’ll need to pass through a gateway to reach the quay itself. The harbour receives natural shelter from the offshore islet of Inishgallon and has long been a focus for the island’s fishing industry. During the first half of the twentieth century basking sharks caught in Keem Bay were towed here for processing.

The quay is still home to a local fleet of fishing boats and traditional currachs can be seen pulled up along the pier.

Continue along the shore east of the harbour, where you will shortly be forced onto the boulders above the water. This is the section that may be impassable at high tides. Pick a way across the stones towards the sweeping sands of Trawmore. This golden beach stretches for three kilometres to the dramatic cliffs of Menawn and is a popular spot with summer holidaymakers.

Walking above Dooagh Bay, Achill Island, Co Mayo

Helen Fairbairn discovers a low-level circuit on Achill Island that combines wild coastline with the evocative ruins of an abandoned village. Photos by Gareth McCormack

A

chill Island, on the western coast of Mayo, is renowned amongst hillwalkers for its dramatic cliffs and mountains. Yet this Atlantic outpost has as much to explore at lower levels as it does higher up.

Many millennia of human habitation have bestowed the island with a rich archaeological legacy, and striking natural

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formations can be found on even the less celebrated stretches of coastline. This lowlevel route combines history and scenery on an immensely varied loop from the shore to the wild interior. It includes a visit to the deserted village beneath Slievemore, a site that offers one of the most intriguing experiences on the island.

Though the route is not demanding in terms of length or ascent, it crosses a

Walk along the sand for roughly 600m, then head inland towards the lifeguard hut at the top of the beach. Here you join a track and a lane. Follow the lane past the camping ground to the Minaun View pub and a junction with the main R319 road.

Turn left along the main road, then take the first right around 150m later.

The route now heads inland along almost 2.5km of asphalt road. Keel Lough can be seen to the right at the start of the section, then a long, straight stretch leads towards the looming bulk of Slievemore (672m).

Keep straight ahead at all junctions until you reach a car park on the left, where information panels sign the deserted village. Opposite the car park to the right, Slievemore graveyard is also worth a visit.

Amongst the more recent tombs lie the remnants of a small church, several stone crosses and a holy well, all dating from around 700 AD. Turn left and join the stone track heading towards the heart of the deserted village. Altogether there are three distinct settlements and almost 100 ruined houses aligned along the southern base of Slievemore. The mountain above must have provided invaluable shelter from the bitter north winds. The houses are mainly single-roomed structures of unmortared stone, with east-facing doorways. Some also feature a second room that would have been used as an outhouse or stable.

The slope of the land made construction a challenge; even where a terraced foundation was built the platform rarely provided a level site. To keep the tops of the walls horizontal, the southern gable ends had to be built up to a foot higher than their northern counterparts. Though the elements have long since disposed of organic materials, the roofs would have

diversity of terrain and can be rough in places. Part of the coastal section may also be difficult to complete at high tide. It’s advisable therefore to check tide times before you set out and walk in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction as necessary.

There is also a 2.5km section along a paved road. Though the road sees little traffic, caution is still required along this stretch.

Getting to the Start The circuit starts and finishes at the coastal car park in Dooagh village, on Achill Island (GR: F 606,048). Achill is generally accessed via the N59 from Westport.

Fishing boats at Purteen Harbour, Achill

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CONNACHT

The deserted village on Achill was abandoned in the 1800s

been constructed from timber and thatch.

Archaeological studies indicate several phases of human occupation around the village. Interspersed with the ruins are a group of megalithic tombs some five thousand years old, and a variety of other sites dating from the Bronze Age and early medieval times. The 1800s saw the gradual abandonment of the area, with estate mismanagement, evictions, famine and emigration all taking their toll on the inhabitants. Right up until the 1940s the buildings were still being used as a summer booley village, however, making this the last place in Ireland where the seasonal migration of people and livestock was practised.

Follow the track right through the village, climbing gradually and enjoying great views of the surrounding mountains and bogland. Ahead a square tower can be seen marking the top of a rise. This is one of a series of towers built by the British government to guard the coast during the Napoleonic wars of the early nineteenth century. The tower provides views of both Blacksod Bay to the north and Clew Bay to the south, and makes a worthwhile side trip if you have the time.

At the western edge of the village the track becomes rougher and swings south to a junction. To the right lies an old quartz quarry, which was mined commercially between 1910 and 1916. The excavated rock, which included rare deposits of tourmaline, was then transported via a narrow gauge railway to Purteen harbour.

Continue straight ahead at the junction, where the track consolidates v ACHILL File into a stone laneway.

Distance: 12km/7½ miles This is the bog road Total Ascent: 180m/590ft that once provided Time: 3-4 hours access on the annual Maps: OSI 1:50,000 sheet 30 summer booley from

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Dooagh to the deserted village. Climb over a shallow col, where there is a fantastic view over Croaghaun (688m) to the west.

Follow the lane as it descends gradually towards the white houses of Dooagh, with a stream gathering force beside you. As you enter the village the track becomes paved, then brings you to the main road. Head left along the road for 30m, then turn right to arrive back at the coastal car park.