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Amazing Achill Island

UP TO 5 PEOPLE
 FULL DAY
PRIVATE LIMO TOUR

€595

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Achill Island was one of the main locations for the filming of The Banshees of Inisherin, winner of 3 Golden Globe awards and nominated for 9 Oscars! We will visit some of the film locations during the tour. The Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge, so no need to travel by boat. However, you will encounter spectacular sea cliffs, beautiful beaches and vacant villages with their ruined houses. You will experience the mystery and majesty of nature. The scenery on this tour is stunning and you will be amazed at how the locals survived on an island on the edge of Europe. If you have a specific itinerary in mind let me know and I can customise the tour for you.

Private Day Tour to Achill Island

Featured on this tour

Keem Beach

Located at the north end of a cliff-side drive this magnificent beach was the location of Colm Doherty’s (Brendan Gleeson) house in the film The Banshees of Inisheerin  Surrounded by hills on three sides the beach is very popular with locals and visitors alike. It is a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way. It features regularly in publicity for the island and is a ‘must see’ on any visit to the west of Ireland.

Deserted Village

This consists of the remains of almost 100 houses set on either side of a pathway on the south facing slope of Slievemore (Gaelic for big mountain). The houses are almost all oriented in a north south direction extending for a distance of one mile. There is evidence that the settlement dates from the 12th century but with the presence nearby of a megalithic tomb maybe much earlier.  Recently the houses were used for ‘booleying’, the practice of minding cattle here during the summer before returning to Dooagh for the winter.

Atlantic Drive

Location of some of the scenes from The Banshees of Inisheerin, you will see stunning scenery on this cliff-top drive along the Atlantic Ocean. The route takes us along Achill Sound to Cloughmore before heading north-west exposing the cliff-top scenery over the Atlantic Ocean. The view from Ashleam Bay is always awe-inspiring whether on a calm or a stormy day.  We continue to the isolated community of Dooega before rejoining the main road heading for the beaches of Keel and Keem.

Grace O’Malley’s Castle

Built by the O’Malley’s in 1429 and occupied by pirate queen Grace O’Malley (1530-1603) during her prime. Grace also owned castles on Clare Island and at Carrigahowley. It was a perfect location for her protection with shelter, concealment and safe access through Achill Sound to Blacksod Bay.  It is thought that she commanded many small and mobile ships at the height of her power allowing her to ‘request’ payment from passing ships for safe passage.

Purteen Harbour

Build by the Congested Districts Board in the 1800’s for local fishermen who fished from hookers, yawls and curraghs. Salmon caught using nets as long as 5km were set at dusk and hauled at dawn.  The nets were 3m deep as the salmon swim near the surface to sense the fresh water from their birth river.  In the 1970’s  nets were restricted to 1.5km and could only be used in daytime during the week.  Drift net fishing has since been banned in order to conserve stocks. Fish were canned here and exported throughout the world.

Achill Henge

Known as the ‘The Tomb of the Celtic Tiger’ it was erected by local a contractor without planning permission over a weekend in November 2011 despite a high court order preventing it. The contractor claimed that he did not need planning permission for the structure as it was an ‘ornamental garden’ and felt that it was a place of reflection.  The structure is in the style of an ancient ceremonial site and is aligned with the solstice. It is 4 metres high, has a diameter of 30 metres and cost €20,000.

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What to expect

Professionally guided tour by Neal Doherty in a top spec Land Rover Discovery classified as a Limo. Expect an interesting and entertaining tour with lots of stories, history and anecdotes that you will remember and take home to your family and friends. Our tours are designated tours but if you have some subject or area in which you are particularly interested please let me know and I will tailor the tour to your needs.
  • Rest stops and Tea/Coffee breaks.
  • Lunch stop (not included in price).
  • Plenty of photo opportunities.
PRIVATE LIMO TOURS
  • Achill Island Tour
  • Cliffs of Moher Tour
  • Connemara Tour
  • Mullet Peninsula Tour
  • North Mayo Tour
  • South Mayo Tour
  • Yeats Country Tour
WALKING TOURS
  • Belmullet Walking Tour
  • Erris Head Tour
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  • Phone: +353 86 2596887
  • Email: [email protected]