County Mayo - The Heather County

County Mayo is located in the remote west of Ireland, where stark, beautiful mountains drop down to a breathtakingly intricate coastline, dotted with off shore islands.

Mountains rise dramatically from the Atlantic ocean, with roadways winding inland from the coast through spectacular woodlands, quaint villages, rugged hills, to reach vast tracts of sheep filled blanket bogs.

Table of Contents

Finding County Mayo On An Irish Map

County Mayo is located in the west of Ireland and is home to Achill Island, Ireland's largest offshore island.

Mayo boasts a long and rugged coastline, indented with many harbors and bays.

County Mayo is Ireland’s third largest county after Counties Cork and Galway.

Mayo is one of the five counties of the ancient Province of Connacht. It is bordered to the west by counties Sligo and Roscommon, and by County Galway to the south.

Known as the Heather County, this nickname refers to the vast blanket bogs which cover much of the county and on which purple blossomed heather blooms.

Other nicknames include the Yew County, and the Maritime County.

Video Tour Of County Mayo

Here's a short video tour of some of County Mayo's most spectacular places to visit. I hope you enjoy this armchair tour of the Heather County.

County Crest and Flags

The County Mayo Crest or Coat of Arms features nine yew trees situated around the edges. These are representative of Mayo's nickname "the plain of the yews."

Four crosses, a ship and waves feature in the center of the crest, and this links to Mayo being the Maritime County.

One cross is known as a Patriarchal Cross since it has two bars and it is linked to the Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam.

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The three smaller crosses represent the other three Catholic dioceses in Mayo.

At the bottom of the crest a motto is sometimes displayed. It states "Dia is Muire Linn" which in English means, "God and Mary be with us". (Phonetic pronunciation is dee-ah iss mir-ah ling).

Towns And Villages

The towns and villages of County Mayo are busy market hubs that serve their surrounding rural communities. Friendly and welcoming, many have broad streets lined with cheerfully painted facades, festooned with beautiful flower baskets in the summer months.

Let's take a look at some of Mayo's bustling towns, and not-so-sleepy villages.

Ballina

The main streets of Ballina slope down to the banks of the River Moy, a favorite spot for anglers. It is the largest town in County Mayo.

A large Victorian era gray stone Cathedral of Saint Muirdeach stands on the river banks.

A dolmen with a large capstone overlooks the railway station.

This Dolmen of the Four Maols is so named because of a murderous incident in the early Irish Christian years around the 5th or 6th century.

Four brothers who were fostered by a bishop killed him. They were caught by the bishop’s brother and hanged and buried by this ancient Bronze age dolmen.

Belmullet

Belmullet is a seaside town that dates back to the 1820’s.

It is located on an isthmus between Broad Haven Bay and Blacksod Bay. At low tide both sides of the town are surrounded by expanses of seaweed covered sands.

The area around Belmullet in the northwestern corner of County Mayo is known as Erris. It's a very sparsely populated area, with vast stretches of blanket bog to be seen as far as the eye can see.

Belmullet is the entrance point to The Mullet peninsula. It’s name literally means the mouth of the Mullet.

There you’ll find some of the most windswept, majestic coastal scenery in Ireland. The Iniskea islands are situated three miles off the Mullet peninsula in North West Mayo. These islands were once hermitages, and places of pilgrimage.

Castlebar

Castlebar is the county town of Mayo.

The Imperial Hotel in the town is where Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell founded the National Land League in 1879. Their mission was to protect small tenant farmers from eviction.

The Irish and French forces who fought together in the 1798 Rebellion were triumphant in Castlebar. The English troops defending the town were so outnumbered that they fled in haste. This event is referred to as ‘The Races of Castlebar.’ Unfortunately, the victorious Irish were not so lucky when they met the English troops at Ballinamuck, in County Longford.

The National Museum of Country Life is found in Castlebar, where the exhibits bring to life Irish rural traditions of long ago.

Cong

Cong is the old world village where the iconic film, The Quiet Man, was filmed in 1952.

An ancient stone cross stands in the middle of the village.

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This is a quaint and picturesque village that once showcased Ireland on the big screen.

It's home to the 12th century Cong Abbey, a five star hotel, Ashford Castle, and beautiful Cong Wood.

Visitors can retrace the steps of Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne and visit the many set locations associated with the film.

The people of Cong remain proud of the wonderful backdrop their village provided in the Quiet Man, and still remember the making of the film as a momentous event.

Knock

Knock is a small village in County Mayo whose name in Irish is Cnoc Mhuire (pronounced Kin-uck Wir-ah) or the Hill of Mary in English.

Here you’ll find a major international Catholic pilgrimage and prayer site.

In the autumn of 1879, the poor farmers of Knock had spent the day working hard in their fields, when word spread of a very unusual occurrence at the Church in the village.

They rushed to the gable of the Church where they witnessed an amazing vision. Our Lady was seen there illuminated by a heavenly white light, and accompanied by saints and angels.

Ireland's National Marian Shrine in Co Mayo is visited by over 1.5 million people each year. It was here in the year 1979 that Pope John Paul II said Mass and uttered the words, “Young people of Ireland, I love you.”

Louisburgh

Located on the banks of the Bunowen River, Louisburgh was constructed in 1795 by the 3rd Earl of Altamount, John Denis Browne of Westport. It was built on the site of a smaller settlement called Kilgeever.

The purpose of this town was to house Catholics who were fleeing sectarian conflicts in the more northern counties of Ireland. He named the town after a French fortress on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia in Canada.

The town is full of 18th century charm, making it a very picturesque town. Being surrounded by natural beauty and a stunning landscape, it’s a wonderful base for touring County Mayo.

Croagh Patrick lies to the east, the Atlantic ocean to the west, Clew Bay to the north and to the south of Louisburgh you’ll find the Sheaffrey and Mweelrea Mountains.

Westport

The Marquess of Sligo built Westport House in the late 18th century, and the town of Westport was designed and laid out as an adjunct to this stately home.

Unlike many older Irish towns, the streets are wide and spacious, evidence of careful town planning.

The center of the town is known as the Octagon and a large clock tower stands tall over the shops and pubs. Buildings in Westport feature Georgian features, evidence of a prosperous past based on the linen trade.

Westport House is located east of Westport Quay in the town. It was built between 1730 and 1780 on the original site of an O’Malley castle. Grace O’Malley’s dungeons still remain beneath the house.

The house is open for tours, and is surrounded by magnificent gardens and woodlands.

A bird of prey display is frequently scheduled for visitors to enjoy during the summer months.

The Wild Atlantic Way and Mayo's Coastal Islands

As County Mayo's nickname the Maritime County suggests, it has a long and impressive coastline, which lies along Ireland's western coastal tourist route, known as the Wild Atlantic Way.

And this coastline is wild, for sure. At every turn of Mayo's peninsulas, you'll find a different vista, sometimes highlighted by rocky and jagged cliffs, and sometimes punctuated by stunning sandy beaches.

Islands lie off the coast, speckling the horizon with highlights of delicate color, making Mayo's western seaboard a jewel in Ireland's crown. The most famous of these islands, Achill is a place with a unique mist laden landscape, that was once the haunt of a Pirate Queen.

Achill Island

Ireland’s largest offshore island, Achill is also one of the most spectacular places of sheer wild beauty anywhere in Ireland.

With ever-changing cloudscapes and ocean mists enveloping its craggy peaks, the green hills of Achill Island sweep down to the sea.

Here, you’ll find some of the most impressive cliff faces and coastal scenery in all of Europe. Cathedral Rocks are on the southern shore of the island, and Croaghaun is a coastal precipice standing over 2000 feet directly above sea level.

Achill Island boasts some of the finest beaches in Ireland. Trawmore stretches over 3 km, and the strand at Keem Bay is unspoiled and natural.

At every turn Achill’s jagged coastline reveals bays and headlands that give us a little slice of heaven on earth, especially when the sun shines. This western island is at the mercy of the moisture-laden Atlantic atmosphere, and fog, mist, and drizzle can envelop a view in a matter of minutes.

Slievemore mountain on the island stands at 2204 feet. On the southern slopes of the mountain, beside a mile-long stretch of road, stands the ruined remains of 80 to 100 old stone cottages, known as the Deserted Village. It is a haunting reminder of Ireland’s difficult history.

Many of these homes were abandoned because of the Great Irish Famine. Some were left to decay when local farmers abandoned an old system of moving to live on the mountain, for summer pasturing of cattle and sheep.

The fields surrounding the village still retain furrows and lazy bed ridges from the time potatoes were widely cultivated in this part of Ireland. This place is a memorial to our ancestors and a perfect place for reflection and remembering those who have gone before us.

Achillbegg

Lesser known and dwarfed by its magnificent neighbor, lies Achillbeg.

It was once connected to the bigger island but today a narrow sound with powerful Atlantic currents separates the two islands.

John Patrick Kilbane whose parents were born on the island in the mid-19th century, was the World Featherweight champion from 1912 to 1923, which is the longest unbroken run ever at that weight. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1889, but a plaque commemorating his achievements can be found above the pier on Achillbegg.

The island has no year round inhabitants today, but in 1841 it was home to 178 Mayo men, women and children. Some descendants of the original islanders still retain holiday homes on Achillbegg, so this small island springs to life each summer.

Caher Island

Caher Island is another of County Mayo’s uninhabited offshore isles. It was once a holy place and is closely associated with Saint Patrick.

It's reputed that Saint Patrick spent some time on the island after his penance and fasting on top of Croagh Patrick.

A circular stone fort and an ancient church found on the island, are named after Ireland’s patron saint. An early Christian monastery lies in ruins on the island and dates back to the 6th or 7th century.

Because it's revered as a holy island, sailors in the past would lower their sails to pray as they passed its shoreline.

The ancient Reek Sunday pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, which occurs on the last Sunday in July, would begin on Caher Island. Pilgrims would start the long day of penance by performing the Stations of the Cross on the island.

An annual pilgrimage to the island continues to this very day and usually occurs on August 15th.

Clare Island

Clare Island is located 3.5 miles off the west coast of County Mayo, Ireland.

A ferry crossing from Roonagh Pier takes approximately 25 minutes. Many ferry travelers are blessed to be accompanied by marine life on their journey to the island. Schools of dolphins are often spotted off this amazing Irish coastline.

There are 365 islands dotted around Clew Bay and Clare Island is the largest (5 miles long and 3 miles wide). It guards the entrance to the bay and this is probably why it was the ancestral home of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley (Granuaile).

Today, the island is still inhabited and has a population of about 160 people.

Clew Bay Islands

With an island for every day of the year, Clew Bay's 365 islands make it one of the most breathtaking bays on the whole island of Ireland and even in the world.

The scenic views of this bay are spectacular from all around Westport and especially for those brave hearts who climb Croagh Patrick on a sunny day.

The multiple islands in Clew Bay are partly submerged drumlins. They were created by glaciers which scraped and formed the Irish landscape in the last ice age.

Clew Bay is home to some of the most amazing beaches in Ireland, with magnificent sandy shores awaiting outdoor and water sport enthusiasts.

Down Patrick Head and Dún Briste

A great promontory juts out into the Atlantic ocean at Downpatrick Head. Spectacular cliffs drop about 130 feet to the pounding waves.

Caverns and blowholes have been etched out of the rock face by the power of the ocean. Plumes of spray can be seen shooting out of these blowholes when the weather is stormy.

A jagged sea stack, Dún Briste stands alone in the Atlantic, sheared off from the mainland.

Legend has it that this sea stack was created by Saint Patrick, during a battle with the devil himself. While striking the devil with his crozier, Saint Patrick tripped making a hole through the headland, causing the sea stack to be separated from the mainland.

A tiny ruined chapel stands atop the cliffs and commemorates Saint Patrick’s association with this isolated coastal headland.

Inishbiggle

Inishbiggle is a small island just off Achill Island that stretches toward the Mayo mainland and is located in Blacksod Bay.

This isolated island is not served by any formal ferry service, but an islander ferries tourists there in his small boat. Visitors should bring their own food and drinks - it’s a great place for a bring your own picnic kind of day.

All of the inhabitants today are over 50 years old, and there are no children growing up on the island anymore. In a few decades this little island will probably become another uninhabited island off the Irish coastline.

One little fact of note is that the church on the island, Holy Trinity Church, is the only one in Ireland that has been ecumenically rededicated as a Catholic and Protestant place of worship. Isn’t that wonderful to hear?

Inishturk

Known as a painter’s paradise, Inishturk Island lies off the west coast of Mayo, between Inishbofin and Clare Islands.

Home to spectacular cliffs and steep hills, the ruins of an old Napolionic signal tower stands high above the Atlantic Ocean.

The island has been inhabited since around 4,000 BC. Ancient Celtic and early Christian dwellings have been discovered and many fulachta fiadh, stone age cooking pits, have been located here.

With bird sanctuaries on the sheer cliff faces, endangered plant species, and marine life all around, this island is a perfect destination for nature lovers.

Killala Bay

Killala is a village in northern County Mayo, that lends its name to a beautiful and vast inlet of the Atlantic Ocean along the Wild Atlantic Way.

In August of 1798 General Humbert led a French force that landed in Killala to help the Irish rebel against their English rulers.

The year 1798 is known as "The Year of the French."

Killary Harbour

Killary Harbour is Ireland’s only true fjord. It's about 10 miles long and is extremely deep at its center.

With spectacular scenery, it forms the border between Galway and Mayo. It's a wonderful place to take a boat cruise when the sun shines.

Because it is surrounded by mountains, it's a very safe, and sheltered.

Shellfish farming provides employment to locals. Driving along the edges of the harbour, reveals strings of ropes used to grow mussels.

Ancient Historical Sites

On windswept hills, in green verdant pastures, and on rocky headlands high above the Atlantic swells, Ireland's ancient history is always close at hand.

Sometimes it can be found just around the next bend on the road, and County Mayo is no exception. Here are some of the highlights of the ancient sites to be seen in this westerly Irish county.

Céide Fields

The Céide Fields (pronounced kay-jeh) lie on the northern coastline of County Mayo.

A New Stone Age community lived here about 5,000 years ago, with evidence of early life in Ireland found beneath the ancient soils.

Preserved beneath 6 feet of blanket bog the remains of livestock enclosures and dwellings were discovered. Excavations revealed pottery and flint tools.

This area holds clues to a well-organized, socially cooperative early settlement in Ireland. It's one of Ireland’s great archaeological treasures.

Glebe Stone Circles

Northeast of the village of Cong, a group of four stone circles can be found.

At the Glebe North Stone Circle about twenty of the original thirty stones still remain. There is another stone circle at Glebe East and in two other nearby townlands called, Tonleeaun and Nymphsfield.

These stone circles date back millennia, and each one is different from the other. For visitors to Cong and Ashford Castle, this ancient site is a must see since all four sites are located very close to each other.

Slievemore Dolmen

On the slopes of Slievemore, on Achill Island, stands the Slievemore Dolmen.

Other surviving monuments on the island include three court tombs.

All lie in ruin and unfortunately have become overgrown and buried in the bog. They are not easy to find.

Monastic and Religious Sites

Many of County Mayo's monastic sites and treasures are associated with Saint Patrick. It's home to Ireland's top pilgrimage sites, Knock Shrine, which we discussed above, and Croagh Patrick.

In this section we'll take a look at the many sites where pilgrims flock in County Mayo.

Cong Abbey

Cong Abbey was founded around 1120 and is associated with Saint Feichin. It’s located in a beautiful wooded site beside a gurgling river.

The Cross of Cong is found in the National Museum in Dublin and is one of Ireland’s monastic treasures.

It was commissioned by Turlough O’Conor, High King of Ireland. It consists of richly ornamented gilt bronze plates over an oak base.

Croagh Patrick

Ireland’s holiest mountain is Croagh Patrick, which overlooks Clew Bay and its multiple drumlin islands.

Made famous by Saint Patrick, and now named after Ireland’s patron saint, this mountain was also held sacred by our Celtic ancestors. It's believed they gathered here to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season at Lughanasadh.

The Reek Sunday pilgrimage which continues to this day on the last Sunday in July has roots in pre-Christian Ireland.

Stories of Saint Patrick tell of how he fasted on this mountain for forty days and nights in the year 441 AD. He faced the devil himself on the hillside.

A statue of Saint Patrick was erected at the foot of the mountain in 1928 with money collected in America.

Climbing to the top of Saint Patrick is known as doing the Reek, and each year about 1 million people ascend the rocky slopes on their personal pilgrimage journeys, or simply to climb one of Ireland's most scenic mountains. Some brave souls even complete the treacherous climb barefoot.

Ballintubber Abbey

Ballintubber Abbey is associated with Saint Patrick and was founded by King Cathal Crovdearg O’Conor – Cathal Mór of the wine-red hand.

His father Turlogh O’Connor sponsored the creation of The Cross of Cong, one of our national treasures.

Founded in 1216, local folklore tells of how such a large church and abbey was built in a remote location.

Cathal had an old friend who lived in Ballintubber, who requested that their dilapidated old church be repaired by the king. Cathal promised to build a new church instead. Unfortunately the builders went to the wrong Ballintubber, and built the new church in what is now County Roscommon.

When Cathal learned of the mistake he vowed to build an even more impressive church at this site in County Mayo.

Ballintubber means the town of the well, so as you can imagine there are many towns with this name in Ireland, so the error is understandable.

Close to the abbey is a well where Saint Patrick is said to have baptized local converts to Christianity. A stone beside the well is said to bear the imprint of the saint’s knee.

Killalla Round Tower

About 1,000 years old, the Killala Round Tower stands about 84 feet high.

It’s small entrance doorway is located 11 feet above the ground.

A monastery was founded at this site in the time of Saint Patrick, who appointed Saint Muireadach as his disciple in charge in northern Mayo.

It is said that St. Patrick baptized 12,000 converts in a single day, in a well that still flows close to the town.

On the same occasion Saint Patrick is said to have raised to life a dead woman whom he also baptized.

Moyne Abbey

Moyne Abbey was founded by the Franciscan order and was supported by the Burke family of County Mayo.

It boasts Gothic architecture and dates back to 1462.

A tall bell tower dominates the ruined church. The abbey survived King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, but it was not so lucky during the reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I.

Sir Richard Bingham, her Governor of Connaught, destroyed the magnificent Franciscan Abbey in 1590, and it’s ruins now stand testament to a time when Ireland was a land of saints and scholars.

Murrisk Abbey

Murrisk Abbey stands at the foot of Croagh Patrick on the shores of Clew Bay.

This was once an Augustinian Friary, and was the old traditional starting point for a pilgrimage up the mountain in centuries past, for those that didn't start the day by completing the Stations of the Cross on Caher Island.

This monastery was founded in 1456 by the O’Malley family, whose most famous leader was Grace O'Malley (Granuaile), the Irish pirate queen.

Father Peyton Memorial Centre

In Attymass near Ballina is the Father Patrick Peyton Memorial Center. Known as the “Rosary priest” he was famous all over the United States from the 1940’s to the 1960’s.

Born in County Mayo, he became an improbable media mogul, a friend of many stars and celebrities, and is said to have helped the CIA during the Cold War to prevent the spread of communism to countries like Brazil.

A place of respite, prayer and peace, the Memorial Centre was opened in 1998.

Rosserk Friary

Built on the banks of the River Moy by the Franciscans in 1460, this abbey was surrounded by fertile green fields.

Sir Richard Bingham also destroyed this monastery, in 1590, as Elizabeth I tried to promote the Protestant religion in Ireland.

Turlough Round Tower

The Turlough Round tower dates back to the 9th century and is one of the most complete and best-preserved round towers in Ireland.

These spectacular look out towers served many purposes in Ireland’s early Christian monasteries. They were places of refuge for monks, watch towers for invaders and storage towers for an Abbey’s valuable possessions.

The entrance door of these towers was high up on the wall. The monks would climb up a ladder and then pull it up into the tower after them.

The Turlough round tower now stands as a monument to Ireland’s golden age of faith, when the island was known as the Land of Saints and Scholars.

Saint Patrick is closely associated with Turlough, and the church bearing his name was built in 441. Unfortunately the old church was destroyed by Cromwellian forces in 1654.

Castles and Big Houses

Medieval castles dot the Irish landscape, as reminders of Ireland's history, and way of life in centuries past. Many of the castles in County Mayo are associated with Grace O'Malley.

Ashford Castle

Ashford Castle’s origins date back over 800 years and over the centuries the initial medieval castle was expanded upon, especially in Victorian times.

The castle today is one of Ireland’s most famous castle destinations and is a five star luxury hotel.

It is one of the leading hotels in the world.

The castle and estate were previously owned by the Guinness family, the creators of Ireland’s famous stout beer, and is located near the village of Cong.

Kildavnet Castle

This stone keep is located on the south-eastern coast of Achill Island. It is said to have been built by the O’Malley clan around the year 1429.

The most famous inhabitant of this castle was none other than Grace O’Malley herself, or Granuaile.

She was the legendary pirate queen who sailed her ship up the River Thames to London to personally address Queen Elizabeth I.

Grace was a powerful ruler in the west of Ireland who ran an independent pirate kingdom, and a great leader of men.

Since Grace was unwilling to speak English, the two women conversed in Latin. It's believed Grace could understand English, but chose not to use the language of her enemy when speaking with a Queen, she believed to be her equal, and not her superior.

Queen Elizabeth recognized the courage and charisma of this fearless Irish woman and granted her demands.

She impressed the Queen enough to have her son released from prison and was even granted permission to return to her old lands.

Rockfleet Castle

Another castle associated with this famous Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley is Rockfleet. This magnificent tower house still stands on the shore near Newport, County Mayo.

It reaches over 18 meters or 55 feet high.

It is thought that it was here that Grace O’Malley died. Her epic tale is told with pride all around County Mayo. She may have been a wild Irish woman, but she is celebrated to this day for her bravery, seafaring abilities, determination and feminism. She truly is an Irish legend.

If you visit Rockfleet take a look around. According to local tales there’s treasure buried somewhere around the castle.

But unearthing it is not for the faint of heart. A Headless Horseman will appear and you’re on your own if he shows up to reclaim his treasure.

Shrule Castle

Shrule Castle is a national monument of Ireland, but the castle now stands in ruins and is overgrown by ivy.

The remains of the impressive three storey tower house stand beside the Black River near Mayo’s border with County Galway.

Dating back to 1238, it was built by the DeBurgo family, who were granted the Kingdom of Connacht by Henry II of England.

Built as a defensive structure, it is a wonderful example of medieval architecture.

Mountains, Waterfalls and Lakes

County Mayo touches the northern tip of Lough Corrib which primarily lies in County Galway. Further north in the heart of County Mayo is Lough Mask.

Let's take a look at just a few of Mayo's lakes and mountains.

Aasleagh Falls

Located at the inland tip of Killary Harbour, you’ll find the River Erriff cascading over the Aasleagh Falls before entering the Atlantic waters of Ireland's only fjord.

These falls are only about 1 km north of the Galway/Mayo border. It’s only a short distance from the main R335 road, and is worth a stop if you happen to be passing.

These falls are situated in a magnificent mountain setting. They’re wide and beautiful, but not particularly high. It’s the surrounding scenery that makes them so picturesque.

There are trails on both sides of the bridge which lead you closer to the falls, with parking off the road.

The path on the left bank of the river as you face the falls gives you the closest look at the cascading waters. This may not be as dramatic a sight as Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland’s highest falls, but if you’re passing it’s worth taking a look.

And don’t forget to wear waterproof shoes, especially in winter. The paths approaching the falls can be pretty boggy and wet. If you’re lucky you might see some leaping salmon.

Lough Conn

Lough Conn is a large limestone lake, with peace and tranquility to be found on its still waters.

Near Lough Conn is the small village of Lahardaun, known as 'Ireland’s Titanic Village' because of the enormous loss of life suffered by people from the village, on the ill-fated RMS Titanic's catastrophic maiden voyage.

Fourteen villagers traveled to Cobh to board the Titanic. Eleven did not survive.

Lough Mask

Lough Mask is about 10 miles long by about 4 miles wide.

The World Cup Trout Fly Fishing Championship takes place annually on Lough Mask at Cushlough Bay near Ballinrobe.

Anglers flock to Lough Mask for its famous trout fishing.

Mweelrea Mountain

Mweelrea is the hightest mountain in Mayo and Connaught, standing at 2,671 feet high.

It has five distinct peaks and is flanked by Ireland's only fjord, Killary Harbour, on one side, and by Doolough Pass on the other side.

Brave mountain climbers are rewarded on sunny days with magnificent views from the top.

From this peak the Atlantic Ocean can be truly appreciated, plus there are views as far as the Twelve Bens in Connemara, the Maumturk Mountains and the spectacular Sheeffry Hills of Mayo.

Nephin Mountains

The Nephin Mountains dominate the landscape for miles around the central portion of County Mayo.

Nephin More is a favorite among mountain climbers and has been climbed and revered by locals for generations.

A conical shaped quartzite mountain, it overlooks Lough Conn. The Nephin Beg mountain range stands apart from this spectacular peak.

It's the second highest mountain in Connught.

Sheeffry Hills

The Sheeffry Hills are exactly that, hills and not mountains.

For non-experienced hill walkers the inclines and slopes of these hills are not too strenuous.

The summit ridge is a grassy path, that is an easy walk but which comes with the added benefit of spectacular scenery.

Tourmakeady Waterfall

Just about 7 miles from the village of Partry near Lough Mask, you’ll find the Tourmakeady Woodland with lovely nature walks through the woods. There’s a lovely trail along the banks of the Glensaul River, leading to an enchanting waterfall.

The surrounding woodlands are made up of Sitka Spruce, ash, holly and birch trees.

This little waterfall looks spectacular all year round, but especially so in autumn or fall.

Conclusion

And so we have come to the end of our photographic tour of the Wild Atlantic Way in County Mayo and all the sacred sites and places associated with Saint Patrick. I hope you get to visit the ancient sites of County Mayo someday, and enjoy its spectacular scenery.

Happy armchair travels around Ireland

If you would like to check out other stops in our alphabetical tour of Ireland county-by-county, here you’ll find all of the stops along our way so far.

Our previous stop on our journey was in County Louth.

And next up we’ll head west to County Meath.

Thanks for stopping by and for following my recipes and ramblings.

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