Westport & Achill Island
A Georgian town in County Mayo set beneath the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick, with the Great Western Greenway leading by bike all the way to Achill Island's cliffs and white-sand bays.
Westport lies on the eastern shore of Clew Bay in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, and is the most popular base on the Mayo stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way. Laid out as a planned Georgian town in the 18th century, it has a tree-lined riverside mall, the Octagon square and pubs full of traditional music, and has been voted Ireland's best place to live more than once. The area breaks down into three parts: the town and its surroundings (Westport House, the Octagon, and, 15 minutes' drive southwest, Croagh Patrick and the National Famine Memorial); the northern route along the Great Western Greenway via Newport and Mulranny to Achill Island (Keem Bay, Keel Beach, the Slievemore Deserted Village, the Atlantic Drive and the Croaghaun sea cliffs), plus the rugged Wild Nephin National Park; and the southern route via Louisburgh to the Doolough Valley, with boats from Roonagh Pier to Clare Island. To the east, the National Museum of Country Life and Ballintubber Abbey are good rainy-day options. Killary Harbour, Kylemore Abbey and Cong further south are covered under the Galway & Connemara itinerary. May–Sep brings long days ideal for cycling and hiking, and the last Sunday in July is Reek Sunday, the annual pilgrimage up the holy mountain; winters are windy and wet, but the pub music plays all year. Direct trains from Dublin take about 3.5 hours, or fly into Ireland West Airport Knock (about 1 hour's drive). Plan on 2–3 days; for the Greenway you can rent a bike on the day and book a shuttle back. West-coast weather changes fast, so always keep a waterproof jacket handy.
Top sights
- Croagh Patrick – Ireland's most sacred mountain. Legend says St. Patrick fasted for 40 days at its summit, and from the top you can see hundreds of islands…
- Great Western Greenway – Ireland's most popular greenway, following a disused railway from Westport through Newport and Mulranny to Achill Island. It covers about 4…
- Keem Bay, Achill Island – A horseshoe-shaped bay on Achill Island's western tip, ringed by mountains, with white sand and turquoise water that feel almost tropical…
- Westport Town – A Georgian-style town planned in the 18th century, with an octagonal square, a riverside tree-lined promenade, and traditional music pubs t…
- Westport House – An 18th-century Georgian mansion built on the site of pirate queen Grace O'Malley's castle, with a pirate adventure park for children on th…
- Slievemore Deserted Village – Nearly a hundred roofless stone houses stand in a row along the southern slope of Slievemore, a silent witness to the population loss after…
- Clare Island – An island guarding the mouth of Clew Bay, home to pirate queen Grace O'Malley's castle and an abbey with medieval wall paintings.
- Doolough Valley – A bleak glacial valley between Mweelrea and Sheeffry mountains, where black lakes and a Famine memorial cross move visitors deeply.
- National Museum of Ireland – Country Life – The rural branch of the National Museum of Ireland, presenting village households, farming and crafts from 1850 to 1950. Admission is free.
- Keel Beach – The longest beach on Achill Island, with about 3 km of golden sand ending at Minaun Cliffs. It is a hub for surfing and water sports.
- Croaghaun Cliffs – The mountain at the northwestern tip of Achill Island, about 688 m high, drops straight into the sea. It forms one of Europe's highest sea…
- Kildavnet Castle – A 15th-century tower on the sea at the southern tip of Achill Island, linked to pirate queen Grace O'Malley, keeping watch over the Achill…
- Wild Nephin National Park – One of Ireland's largest peat bog wildernesses, with a bog boardwalk at its visitor centre. It is also a prime stargazing spot in the Inter…
- National Famine Memorial & Murrisk Abbey – At the foot of the holy mountain, a bronze 'coffin ship' sculpture commemorates the Great Famine, beside the ruins of a 15th-century August…
- Ballintubber Abbey – Founded in 1216, this abbey has seen Mass celebrated for more than 800 years without interruption and is known as the 'Abbey That Would Not…
- Atlantic Drive, Achill – A coastal driving loop along the southern shore of Achill Island, linking cliffs, bays, stone cottages and ancient towers. The viewpoint ab…
- Knock Shrine – A small village where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in 1879. It is now Ireland's most important Catholic pilgrimage site, welcom…
- Downpatrick Head – A headland on the north coast of County Mayo, with a 45 m sea stack called Dún Briste below. It is one of the signature stops on the Wild A…
Where to eat
- An Port Mór – A Michelin Guide-listed seafood favourite in Westport, known for Clew Bay shellfish and sea trout.
- The Tavern Murrisk – A seafood pub at the foot of Croagh Patrick, popular with walkers for its seafood chowder and local crab.
- Cronin's Sheebeen – A thatched-roof old sheebeen just outside Westport harbour, serving seafood platters and fish and chips with sea views.
- Ted's Bar – A traditional bar and café in Keel village on Achill Island, known for its seafood chowder and all-day food.
Itineraries
- Ultimate Wild Atlantic Way – Drive the entire west coast from north to south, from Donegal to Kinsale, taking in sea cliffs, islands, and peninsulas.
- Northern Ireland & Northwest Loop – Head north from Dublin to Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, then loop back to Galway via Donegal and Mayo.
- Connemara & Mayo Coast – A short road trip from Galway looping through the Connemara wilderness, Killary Harbour, and Achill Island.