Places near here
Photo credits
- Eoghan888, Wikimedia Commons · CC0
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Matthew Chadwick, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Colin Park, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Colin Park, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- John Lucas, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kiran Madhusudhanan, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Explorer Tom Cross in Keel West has an imaginary twin across the sea who probably looks much better. This one just stands on an altar pretending to be mysterious and full of secrets. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.
Keem BayVisitor information · 471 ydExplorer Tom Keem Bay has its New Year’s resolution to stop being so windy, but it fails every time. It’s beautiful, yeah, but also a bit of a menace to your hairdo. The water is cold enough to make you question all life choices. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.
bridge503 ydExplorer Tom Bridge in Keel West crosses a stream so small the Vikings got lost looking for it. It’s got a pointed arch that looks like it’s judging your life choices. Go back in winter when the mist rolls in thick.
Keem BeachBeach / strand · 626 ydExplorer Tom Keem Beach in County Mayo has a smuggling story so ridiculous that even the local gulls wouldn’t believe it if you told them directly. Imagine a crate of bananas being hidden in a cave while a man in a trench coat argues with a wave about customs duties. It’s all very mysterious until you realise it was probably just a lost shoe and some seaweed. Take a mate and argue about
Moyteoge HeadMountain / peak · 922 ydExplorer Tom Moyteoge Head was once used to smuggle illegal cheese across the bay in a rowboat. The customs officer never found out because he was too busy eating some of it. The head still smells faintly of cheddar on windy days, if you squint and imagine things. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.
Croaghaun sw TopMountain / peak · 1457 ydExplorer Tom Croaghaun sw Top was saved by a hero nobody remembers, who probably just stopped looking in the wrong direction for exactly one second. Now it’s just standing there, unbothered, while everyone else tries to figure out how it survived the last storm. It’s got that calm after the chaos energy that makes you want to sit down and rest. Perfect spot to practise your best tour-guide voice.
GarraunbaunHeadland · 1.8 miExplorer Tom Garraunbaun would absolutely refuse to dance at a wedding because it thinks it looks too good in its natural state. It’s just standing there, arms crossed, judging everyone’s outfits while pretending it doesn’t care about the buffet situation. It’s the type that steals the last slice of cake and acts innocent. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.
Don AllumMonument · 2.9 miExplorer Tom Don Allum is a monument to a man who rowed across the Atlantic in both directions, which is basically just going on a very long walk. The builder was probably thinking about lunch while carving that plaque into the rock. It’s a tribute to plywood and sheer stubbornness. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort.
Dooagh StrandBeach / strand · 3.0 miExplorer Tom Dooagh Strand in County Mayo has a family tree that is mostly made up of rumours and a few very confused relatives who moved away decades ago. It claims to be related to some famous dunes, but I’m not sure if that’s true or just a good story. The whole thing feels like a game of telephone where the message got completely lost in translation. Bring your worst joke, the place has
Saddle HeadHeadland · 3.1 miExplorer Tom Saddle Head is basically a horse’s back that got tired of running and decided to just lay down on the coast forever. Saint Patrick probably looked at it and said, 'Right, I’ll leave this one alone before it bucks me.' It’s got that look of a place that’s seen more drama than the local gossip column. Tell your mates you found it first.
Black Rock LighthouseLighthouse keeper's house · 3.8 miExplorer Tom Black Rock Lighthouse on Black Rock Island is howling at the moon like it’s got stage fright. George Halpin Junior drew it up, but honestly, who even remembers that name? It looks like it’s trying to impress a passing yacht. Dare you to say hello before it faints.
Achill Island - AcaillIsland · 4.8 miExplorer Tom If I say Achill is a quick detour, hide my car keys. Achill is Ireland's largest island, yet you can arrive without asking a boat to agree with the weather. A bridge has joined it to Mayo since 1887, so the first surprise is how quickly the mainland gives way to a landscape with its own long memory. Beneath the blanket bog lie traces of older fields, forests and stone walls from a time when the island was warmer and drier. If I promise a quick drive around Achill, take my keys; I will keep stopping. Six megalithic tombs are known here, and excavations at Slievemore found two large prehistoric roundhouses. I look at the open ground and wonder how many more old lines are waiting under the peat, without pretending I can see them from the road. The island also has a strong O'Malley history and parts where Irish is still part of daily life. Use the bridge and public roads for a broad visit, and respect the marked access around individual sites. Achill rewards the traveller who keeps driving after the first view.
More historic places in County Mayo · All of County Mayo
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