Between Galway and Donegal lie two counties that many visitors drive straight through. They should not. Sligo is the landscape of W. B. Yeats — he is buried at Drumcliffe “under bare Ben Bulben’s head” — and one of the richest prehistoric regions in Europe, with passage tombs older than Newgrange on its hilltops. Its coast, at Strandhill, Easkey and Mullaghmore, is among the best surfing in the country.
Mayo, to the south-west, is bigger and emptier. Westport, a planned Georgian town with a tree-lined river mall, sits on Clew Bay beneath the cone of Croagh Patrick, climbed by pilgrims for some 1,500 years. From here the Great Western Greenway runs 42 km along an old railway to Achill Island, joined to the mainland by a bridge, where Keem Bay is regularly named among Ireland’s finest beaches. The far north of Mayo has the sea stack of Downpatrick Head and the Stone Age field systems of the Céide Fields.
Highlights
- Benbulben and Yeats country — Drumcliffe churchyard, Glencar waterfall and Lissadell.
- Carrowmore and Knocknarea — a megalithic cemetery and the hilltop cairn of Queen Maeve.
- Westport — music in Matt Molloy’s, Westport House and the quay.
- Croagh Patrick — a tough, stony climb with a view over Clew Bay’s islands.
- Achill Island — Keem Bay, the Atlantic Drive and the deserted village at Slievemore.
- The Great Western Greenway — Ireland’s original long-distance cycle trail.
Quick facts
| Where | North-west coast, between Galway and Donegal |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Republic of Ireland — euro (€), km/h |
| Gateway | Trains from Dublin to Sligo (about 3 h) and Westport (about 3 h 15 min); Ireland West Airport Knock |
| Ideal stay | 2–3 nights |
| Best for | Cycling, hillwalking, surfing, archaeology, poetry, family holidays |
| Getting around | Towns by train; a car or bike for the coast |
How long to stay & where to base yourself
Give the area two or three nights. Westport is the best single base: lively, attractive and within reach of Croagh Patrick (10 minutes), Achill (about an hour) and Connemara to the south. Add a night in Sligo town or seaside Strandhill for Yeats country and Carrowmore, especially if you are continuing to Donegal. Families often stay a week around Westport or on Achill.
