I live local to here so may be biased but I always bring visiting friends here on the start of any…read moretour of the area. Some unconfirmed local facts that may be true plus others that are. One of only 2 square lighthouses in the world with the other located in France. Because of the weather report from this light house back around the time of the D Day attack on France the main day was postponed by 1 day due to poor weather reported from here. Helipad used by Irish Coast Guard for refueling etc. Current lighthouse keeper is Vincent Sweeney and very friendly if about.

Belmullet is such a friendly and beautiful place . I was offered a lift by a local - I didn't know…read morehim , and he said he had to show me all the best parts of the area . Its one of the best days I've ever spent . Visit if you get the chance .

Another favourite on my tour of the area and a Must See…read more The blowhole has always been an attraction and a feature, but has now been made safe by the presence of this wall: allowing the general public to view this wondrous power of nature from the best possible angle - above! The wall and surrounding sculpture happen back in 2002 when world famous Travis Price III, a Washington architect who has come to this rural area to create the latest instalment in what is now a ten year ongoing project for him: the Spirit of Place/ Design which he carries out worldwide. He calls it 'an expedition' that he takes with 15/20 architecture students. They engage in immersing themselves in, what are for them, distant and foreign landscapes. They then attempt to create, for the people of this location, a piece of architecture that marries the cultural metaphors of the landscape with a tribute to contemporary design. His pieces of architecture are modern, with a convenient function, and are an intended to be a tribute to the landscape in which they sit. This piece is titled 'Thin Places' - and is two shrines dedicated to those Lost at Sea. Part of the Tír Sáile - The North Mayo Sculpture Trail is the largest public arts project ever undertaken in Ireland. It entailed the putting in place of fourteen site specific Sculptures along the North Mayo Coast.

We saw a sign on the road - a big impressive sign... "This looks big and impressive" I said "Woo…read moreHoo" Junior said We followed the signs and soon arrived at the castle.. it was a little disappointing on first inspection. "Boo" I said, "That's not a Castle" Junior said. None the less we got out and explored what we could - the castle was locked up for repairs but apparently you can normally go inside and explore a bit. It is apparently the last residence of the famed Irish she-pirate Grace O'Malley/Granuaile - she used to tie the mooring rope of her ship to her toe when she went to bed. The full story is on the pic attached (pic of the plaque)

I loved my time visiting the Clifden Castle. We walked a long winding dirt path to get to it and it…read morewas a beautiful and peaceful journey. The castle is in complete ruins. It was built around 1818 and after the original owner died the estate changed hands many times. Although the life of this castle turned into a sad and greedy story there is no argument about its beauty. Even in a great state of decay it is magnificent. How anyone could have pillaged or stripped this property of its essentials is beyond my understanding. The doors, windows, flooring and roof are gone. The stables appear to have received the same treatment and stands in equal ruins. The land is rolling and tranquil. I could have stayed on the property for hours watching the sheep, horses and cows roam all around me. It's a shame that this castle is beyond restoring. If you want to visit I would say the sooner the better.

I read about this derelict castle on the tourist brochures, and thought it looked like an ideal…read moreplace to take the kids. It was a bit of a pain to find. The tourist guides tell you to take the Sky Road out of Clifden until you see an Arch on the left, and to walk from there. What causes the confusion is the sign someone has erected next to the arch to say it's a private entrance. If you ignore the sign and walk through the arch, it's a fair walk down a very rough, very narrow road to the castle. We had a buggy, and it was difficult in places to manage with the rough stone road surface. What was more difficult was trying to make room for a rather ignorant jeep driver that passed us twice forcing us up towards the barbed wire fence with a buggy and two young kids. He seemed to be a resident on that road that wasn't too happy to have tourists around. Perhaps the sign was erected by him! I don't recommend visiting the castle if have a buggy. Also, boots would be a good idea. The last stretch of road to the caste was a mixture of mud and cow pats! Not ideal for the tourist with the white shoes and trousers we met while there :-) The castle itself is quite impressive. It looks like what most kids expect a castle to look like. All entrance doors and lower floor (basement?) entrances have been blocked. However there are some windows at ground level on the outside, and a drop of about 8ft on the inside. So be careful if you have young kids. Well worth the walk to see a fairly well preserved castle, and nice views down towards the bay and beaches.

I fell in love with Cong the moment we arrived. Yes I am one of those who loves the quiet man but…read moreit was more than that. I could have and did spend hours just walking in the forest there, it was beautiful and peaceful.

Probably my favourite place in Ireland. The Abbey itself is interesting enough, with some really…read moreold graves and a rich history. There's no information boards so read up before you go. The best part though is the little fishing hut over the river (walk through the abbey, across the grassy square and follow the path to the river). The monks used to sit here and fish through a hole in the floor. With the water bubbling past and drowning out the other noises it's a lovely, peaceful spot. Often you can have it to yourself as you're slightly off the tourist route and any tourists who do make it to Cong get caught up in the 'Quiet Man' hype. See if you can arrange to go on a good day - with the sun streaming down through the trees this is the best place in Ireland.

If you're sick of visiting crowded, tacky castles, sick of watching audio visual presentations and…read moresick of gift shops with shamrock snow domes, come to Aughnanure. Set in picture perfect grassland with lovely Yew trees and a bubbling brook, this 14th century tower house is in great condition. Admission is about €4, guided tours are informal events and there are good information boards in the castle proper. The banqueting hall, dry dock and ammunition store are all unique and still well preserved. Well signposted off the N59 from Galway and on most maps but be careful driving in - the last mile or so is one of those Irish country roads with room for one car only and lots of blind corners.

A MUST SEE! The Jackie Clarke Collection is an absolute hidden gem in Ballina. A perfect way to…read morespend your afternoon. I could not recommend it higher! They put a lot of thought into this collection and it is amazing to see the historical significance in each letter, picture, map, etc. they hold in this exclusive collection. It is interesting for tourists to see the history of Ireland unfold in each room of the collection. It is also of interest to the locals with the collection of maps which show how the county boarders have changed overtime. It is well worth the trip to beautiful town of Ballina to check it out. And if this collection isn't already enough to grab your attention, the collection is actually hosted in an old bank! The bank's old vault is now home to one of the rare original copies of the Proclimation of the Irish Republic printed before the 1916 rising. The good news is you don't need to know much Irish history to enjoy The Jackie Clarke Collection.

Brilliant! I found myself wanting to go back every day to take more photos. breathtaking.read more