Places near here
Photo credits
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Pamela Norrington, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Neville Goodman, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
- Liz McCabe, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ray Martin, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Colin Park, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Explorer Tom Holy well in Ballyduffy used to be run by a matchmaker who knew exactly which couples were doomed. She probably drank from it after breaking up one of them. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.
Castlehill HouseFarm house · 1556 ydExplorer Tom Castlehill House in Castlehill would bring its own gossip and a very fancy hat to any party. It was rebuilt for a man who clearly thought he was better than everyone else. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true or not.
Titanic Memorial ParkMemorial · 1570 ydExplorer Tom Titanic Memorial Park: Imagine the Titanic ordering chips here; I reckon it would go for the extra thick, salted ones with a side of regret. Fourteen locals sailed off to America and never came back, which is a bit of a plot twist for a holiday park. It’s a quiet corner that reminds you how deep the sea really is. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.
1798 MonumentMonument · 1605 ydExplorer Tom 1798 Monument in Lahardaun has a retirement plan involving becoming a very fancy garden gnome by next summer. It honors a priest who helped the French, which is quite the party invitation. Bring a pen pal, they'll be jealous of your travel stories and this stone.
Graveyard1.8 miExplorer Tom Graveyard in Knockmaria or Addergoole has an ivy-covered church that looks like it ate a hedge and felt guilty about it. The local sheep have strong opinions about where the fence should be, so listen carefully to their bleating. It is marked on maps as ancient but feels very much like a nap spot. Tell the kids it's a castle. Close enough.
NephinMountain / peak · 2.4 miExplorer Tom Nephin hosted a dance that went on for three days straight before everyone fell asleep. The floor is still sticky from all the spilled cider and sweat. If you listen closely, you can hear the fiddle music fading into the fog. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.
Castle IslandIslet · 2.6 miExplorer Tom Another Castle Island! This one probably thinks Dublin tourists are just confused tourists who need more salt on their chips. It’s got half an acre of land, which sounds impressive until you realise it’s mostly mud and brambles. The name 'Castle' is a bit of a stretch when the main feature is a pile of stones. Find the date carved somewhere if you can, but don't hold your breath; it might just be
Grave of the KingsArchaeological place · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Grave of the Kings nearly got sold off for a horse once, which would have been a bit awkward for the royal dead inside. It’s an archaeological site that looks like it’s keeping its own counsel, refusing to spill any secrets about who exactly is buried there. The name alone makes you want to check if you’re royalty in disguise before stepping near it. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.
Roe IslandIslet · 2.8 miExplorer Tom Roe Island in County Mayo is handling its nosy neighbors with the grace of a stone wall. It just sits there, watching you fumble around with your camera and looking unimpressed by your outfit. It’s got a thick skin and an even thicker silence. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.
CastleCastle, tower house · 5.6 miExplorer Tom Castle in Deelcastle hosted a dance that went so far nobody remembers who started it. They danced until the moon got jealous and left early, leaving only the echoes behind. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think, mate.
_(geograph_1954385).jpg/250px-Castles_of_Connacht-_Deel,_Mayo_(1)_(geograph_1954385).jpg "Photo: Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0")
Deel CastleCastle · 5.8 miExplorer Tom Deel Castle claims it smuggled moonshine in barrels back in the day, but I suspect it just hid its own bad breath. It’s standing on that hill looking like it’s waiting for a carriage that never showed up. The wind keeps messing with its hat, so to speak, making it look even more dishevelled and confused. Ideal place to rehearse an excuse for being late.
KnockaffertaghMountain / peak · 6.2 miExplorer Tom Knockaffertagh’s least favourite visitor is definitely anyone who suggests taking a selfie on top because it ruins the vibe. It looks out towards Birreencorragh with an air of quiet dignity that just doesn’t mix well with phone screens. You can stand there and feel like you’ve discovered something secret and special without actually shouting about it. Great spot to propose. Or at least to propose.
More castles and forts in County Mayo · All of County Mayo
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