Achill, Ireland's largest island, is situated off the west coast of Co. Mayo. It measures 20km from east to west and 18km from north to south, and has a coastline of about 120km.

Achill is separated from mainland Mayo by a narrow strip of sea known as the Sound of Achill. This narrow channel was first bridged in 1887.

The varied geography of Achill makes it distinct in many ways. The western end of the island is dominated by the majestic 668 metre high Croaghaun Mountain, part of which have the highest sea cliffs in Europe. View of Slievemore from Carrickmore

The highest moutain on the island is Slievemore at 672 metres while Minaun Mountain measures 466 metres.

Croaghaun Mountain

With five Blue Flag beaches Achill offers some of the best quality beaches in Ireland. These include the strand at Keem Bay, a beautiful, secluded valley located at the western tip of Achill Island. Even more remote is Annagh, a beauty spot featuring a beach and the lowest corrie lake in Ireland which is accessible only to hillwalkers or sailors.

Keel Strand

The Atlantic Drive comprises of over 40km of breathtaking coastal scenery that is ideal for touring in a car, and even better by bicycle! En route along the Atlantic Drive is the Tower at Kildavnet, the remains of a 16th century Irish tower house that was used by the legendary pirate queen Granuaile (Grace O'Malley). Tower at Kildavnet The Deserted Village at Slievemore is a haunting reminder of times past. Comprising some 80 stone cottages located at the foot of the majestic Slievemore mountain, the Deserted Village offers a fascinating insight into life on Achill in former centuries. Section of The Deserted Village

Watersports available on Achill Island include surfing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and scuba diving. The Atlantic waters around Achill Island and the Curraun Peninsula are home to a wide range of sea-life and varieties of fish, making the area one of the best sea angling destinations in Ireland. Achill offers a nine-hole golf course in a spectacular location at Keel that is open to visitors at a reasonable rate. A nine-hole pitch and putt course is also available locally.

Golfer at Keel Golf Course

Festivals & Events

The Achill Half Marathon takes place in Keel on Saturday 4th July. For further details, logon to www.achillmarathon.com.

Previous Marathon Competitors

Scoil Acla is one of Ireland's oldest summer schools offering workshops in traditional music, creative writing, set dancing and Ceili Workshops. In 2009, Scoil Acla runs from 27th July to 2nd August. Full details of the schedule of courses and online registration form is available at www.scoilacla.com

The Achill Yawl Festival is an annual series of races involving traditional Achill yawl sailing boats. The races take place at various locations along Achill Sound, the body of Atlantic water that connects Clew Bay with Blacksod Bay on the west coast of County Mayo.

The Achill Yawl is a traditional wooden sailing boat with a solid hull and a single mast. In recent years, partly due to the success of Cruinniu Badoiri Acla, there has been a revival in this traditional vessel. A dedicated workshop has even been established at Mulranny to build yawls, and the first craft from this enterprise was sold in 2003 to a customer in Boston, USA.

The Achill Yawl Festival runs from July to September each year, with races taking placeat weekends and in the evenings (when tides allow). An exciting spector sport, the races are keenly contested by local teams from the Achill and Mulranny areas. For a full schedule of races visit www.achill-mayo-ireland.ie/badoiri.htm

If you would like to find out more about Achill Island,
please vist the Achill Tourism website.