North Mayo Tour

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North Mayo Tour

MAX 6 PEOPLE

HALF DAY

LIMO SERVICE

€300

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This tour includes formidable cliffs, spectacular sea stacks and some cultural stops to boot. The Wild Atlantic Way is a 2,400km route along the west coast of Ireland. Created by Failte Ireland, our tourism board, the route has 180 discovery points. You will encounter 12 of the discovery points on this tour including the spectacular sea stack at Downpatrick Head. You will visit the Ceide Fields, where you will discover a field system built by stone age farmers 5,500 years ago. You will explore the ruins of one of the Monasteries of the Moy built in the fifteenth century. If you like art there are lots of public art installations to see and a visit to the Ballinglen Art Gallery can also be facilitated.

Spend a day on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Featured on this tour

Wild Atlantic Way

Ireland lies to the north west of Europe overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The west coast of Ireland is shaped by the Atlantic which has helped to create the coastal landscape, influenced its history and impacted its residents. The Wild Atlantic Way is a 2,400km coastal route that skirts the coast with discovery points telling the history, heritage and heroes of each point. We will cover some of this route and visit some of the discovery points on the way.

Ceide Fields

Five thousand five hundred years ago, stone age farmers built a system of stone walls to secure their cattle in this area. As the climate became colder and wetter the ground was not able to absorb the moisture resulting in the development of bogs and the departure of the farmers. The bog continued to grow over thousands of years covering the walls built by the farmers. These walls were excavated in the 1980’s by archaeologists who demonstrated the sophistication of these stone age peoples.

Killala Round Tower

The town of Killala has the smallest cathedral in Ireland but perhaps most interesting is the round tour built in the 11th century. Round towers are almost exclusive to Ireland and are a symbol of our heritage. They are typically 25m in height with six floors topped off with a conical roof. What is most curious is the fact that the entrance door is at a height of 3m. This mystery will be solved during your visit to the Killala.

Downpatrick Head

The name comes from Gaelic: Dún Pauric which means ‘Patrick’s Fort’. It is thought that St Patrick came here in the 5th century to preach and convert locals to Christianity. There is also a legend to be told here about a competition of magic between Patrick and a local Druid. This headland overlooks the Atlantic Ocean with 38m high cliffs and a superb sea stack 230m off the coast. There is also a hair-raising blowhole associated with the drowning of a number of rebels after the 1798 rebellion.

Moyne Abbey

This abbey was built by the Franciscans in 1455. It is said that the abbot released a dove and where the dove landed was the site for the abbey. It is in a perfectly tranquil location with its own well for water, the River Moy for salmon and good pasture for cattle and crops. Although the abbey is in ruins, its magnificence can still be experienced today. You will enjoy exploring the various buildings and passages and marvel at the extent of the structure.

Blacksod Lighthouse

If you are not blown away by the wind you will be blown away by the view from this location at the end of the Belmullet Peninsula. The view south is dominated by Slievemore (Big Mountain) on Achill Island. The lighthouse, built from local granite, is the only square lighthouse in Ireland. The weather forecast from here on the 3rd June 1944 caused the postponement of the D-Day landings in Normandy by one day. Hear more about this story on your tour.