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Photo credits
- Comhar, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- Socleary, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- MickReynolds, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Explorer Tom Site of Castle in Cill Ghallagáin would cope terribly on a reality show because it can’t decide if it’s a ruin or a vibe. It’s very indecisive about its own existence. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt completely.
Glengad BeachBeach / strand · 1.7 miExplorer Tom Glengad Beach in County Mayo has strict rules for visitors, the first being 'don't touch anything' and the second being 'pretend you know what a Blue Flag actually means'. It’s all very official looking, with lists of things it excels at, but mostly it just wants you to stop taking selfies. The water is probably judging your swimming technique even now. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip
.jpg/250px-Na_St%C3%A1ca%C3%AD_(_The_Stacks_of_Broadhaven).jpg "Photo: Comhar, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain")
An Bhinn BhuíMountain / peak · 1.9 miExplorer Tom An Bhinn Bhuí is the Yellow Hill, which is a bit of a lie because it’s mostly just grey rocks. Someone once wrote a bad poem about it that rhymed 'hill' with 'still' and nothing else. It was so terrible that even the gulls pretended not to hear it. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.
Promontory fortPromontory fort, coastal · 2.2 miExplorer Tom Promontory fort in Dún Ceartáin Nó Gleann An Ghad is a triangular headland with a low bank, looking like it was drawn by a sleepy architect. Saint Patrick would have said, 'Nice try, but where are the walls?' Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to read it.
Enclosure in Ros DumhachEnclosure · 2.3 miExplorer Tom Enclosure in Ros Dumhach has a favourite song, which is just the wind whistling through the gaps in its ancient walls all day long. It’s been singing that tune since before your grandad had hair, never missing a beat or changing the key. It’s the most reliable performer on the whole Mayo circuit, no refunds needed. Bring a camera and your most suspicious face.
Barr na CoilleadhMountain / peak · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Barr na Coilleadh is claimed by every local in a three-mile radius as their personal invention. They all say they named it after a specific tree that no one can find anymore. It’s the perfect kind of hill to fuel small-town ego trips and endless arguments. Tell your mates you found it first.
Sruth Fada ConBay · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Sruth Fada Con is definitely picking its least favourite visitor, which is probably anyone who thinks they can beat a wave to the shore without getting their socks wet. The name sounds like a sneeze in three languages, and I bet it’s smug about that too. It just sits there, laughing at our little boats from a safe distance. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.
Catholic Church of Our Lady Star of the SeaChurch/chapel · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Catholic Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea is doing some serious midnight jamming out here. Locals swear it hums a lullaby when the moon hits its peak, which I find totally plausible given the vibe. Grab your mate and argue about who hears the ghostly bassline first.
Broadhaven LighthouseLighthouse · 4.0 miExplorer Tom Broadhaven Lighthouse in County Mayo is basically a very tall, very lonely candle that never gets blown out. If it had a tombstone, it would say 'I tried my best, but the fog always won.' It’s standing there with its chin up, pretending the wind isn’t slowly eroding its patience. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.
Cuan an InbhirBay · 4.2 miExplorer Tom Broadhaven Bay has a mouth about 8.6 kilometres wide, so even I cannot claim to have seen all of it from one rock. Erris Head guards the west side and Kid Island the east. Inside are sandy beaches, blanket bog, mudflats and reef habitats that help wintering birds and breeding terns. The quieter inlets carry a great deal of life while the Atlantic keeps a loud appointment outside. I would announce myself as the bay's official bird counter and be dismissed after missing the first flock. Choose a lawful shore viewpoint, check tides and weather, and keep well back from nesting birds and soft tidal ground. Watch how the landscape narrows into the inner water. Mayo has given the open sea a remarkable place to pause.
Oileán na MuiceIslet · 4.3 miExplorer Tom Oileán na Muice is posting about how it’s too fancy for the current weather conditions and needs a spa day immediately. It’s acting like a diva who thinks it deserves more attention than it actually gets from the locals. I bet its last post was a selfie with the caption 'living my best life'. Go before the tourists find out.
Site of Myles Barretts CastleCastle, unclassified · 5.0 miExplorer Tom Site of Myles Barretts Castle is being picked on by the wind because it has nowhere to hide. The name sounds fancy, but really it’s just a hill with a grudge. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.
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