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
- Liz McCabe, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Explorer Tom Lisnagorp means 'Where The Goat Gave Up' in ancient Irish, probably because it was too much bother to move in. This fairy fort is just sitting there judging your life choices from a distance. Use it as a spot to rehearse that excuse you're about to need.
1798 MonumentMonument · 767 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.
Titanic Memorial ParkMemorial · 798 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.
Ballyduffy CastleCastle, unclassified · 1.3 miExplorer Tom Ballyduffy Castle is playing hard to get, hiding behind a lighthouse photo that clearly belongs to its cousin Ballyglass. If a zombie horde attacked, this place would just shrug and let them walk right past it because honestly, who wants to fight a castle with no paperwork? I bet the sheep there are more organised than the local council. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.
Graveyard1.5 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.
Castlehill HouseFarm house · 1.5 miExplorer 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.
CastleCastle, unclassified · 1.5 miExplorer Tom Castle in Castlehill has a prophecy that says it will rise again when the lake finally decides to drink all its water, which seems unlikely but possible. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.
NephinMountain / peak · 2.1 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.
Bush IslandIslet · 2.6 miExplorer Tom Another Bush Island in County Mayo is making its New Year's resolution to finally stand up straighter. It’s been slouching for years and it’s getting tired of the bad posture. You can tell by the way the grass grows sideways on one side. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place.
Castle IslandIslet · 3.3 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 · 4.0 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.
FarbreigaMountain / peak · 4.7 miExplorer Tom Farbreiga is hiding a secret message in its stones that only very tired hikers can decipher after a long walk. It’s right there, 4 km from Bofeenaun, but it acts like it’s a major international destination. Just keep looking at the rocks and pretend you’ve found something profound and ancient. Go at sunset and thank me later.
More archaeology and monuments in County Mayo · All of County Mayo
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