Local information

Welcome to Amazing Achill Island - on the Wild Atlantic Way

Achill Island and the Curraun Peninsula, in County Mayo, are the jewels in the crown of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Soaring sea cliffs, Blue Flag beaches, mountains, lakes and big Atlantic skies await you. Achill s situated at the most western point of Co. Mayo-next stop America! The Island has a short bridge that spans a narrow channel. Arriving onto the island you are transported to a timeless setting that boasts bogs, moorlands, mountains, megaliths and 5 Blue Flag beaches. You can throw yourself into any of the numerous activities that are available or just sit and take in the scenery as the weather and skies change by the minute. An artists paradise. The area is agricultural and sheep and roam freely often settling for a cosy snooze in the middle of the road.

Just 4 kilometres from Achill Shore View, along the Atlantic Drive is a castle of Granuaile, the notorious Pirate Queen. Just beyond this are two delightful small harbours where boats can be organised for trips to Achill Beg, (a smaller island that is definitely worth a visit) and Clare Island. This whole seascape is part of the spectacular Atlantic Drive. Towards the end of this loop, which offers one extraordinary vista after another, is the Minaun Drive. This steep climb by bicycle, car or on foot is not to be missed as it is the only place on the Island where you have a birds eye view of the entire landscape from Clew Bay to the mountains of North Mayo.

Blue Flag Beaches in Achill

Achill Island boasts some of the finest beaches in Ireland, including no fewer than five Blue Flag beaches. There is a sixth Blue Flag beach nearby in Mulranny. The Blue Flag scheme is an international standard for beaches and marinas and is assessed on an annual basis. The criteria for qualification include water quality, environmental education, environmental management, and safety and services.

Keel Beach

Keem Beach

Begin your tour of Achill’s blue flag beaches in Keem Bay, at the western tip of Achill Island. This beautiful Blue Flag beach is nestled in the valley between the slopes of Croaghaun mountain and Moyteoge Head. Accessible via a cliff-top road (not for the faint-hearted!), Keem Bay is a perfect horseshoe bay and its Atlantic waters are perfect for bathing on a hot summer’s day. Try snorkelling on the Blueway Trail here!

Trawmore Strand

Achill’s best known and most-photographed beach. It stretches for over 3km, linking Keel in the west to Dookinella and the foot of the Minaun Cliffs. Hugely popular with bathers, this south-facing beach is also widely used for watersports including surfing, windsurfing and sea kayaking. The waters on the eastern half of this beach are dangerous for swimming due to treacherous local currents. Trawmore Strand, along with all Achill’s Blue Flag beaches, has prominent safety notices and flags and is patrolled by lifeguards during the summer season.

Silver Strand beach, Dugort

On the north side of Achill Island, the shoreline around the village of Dugort boasts two Blue Flag beaches – the Silver Strand and the Golden Strand. Both of these beaches face Blacksod Bay and the Belmullet Peninsula. The most westerly of the beaches in Dugort, Pollawaddy, is sheltered in the shadow the the magnificent Slievemore mountain, while further east the beach known as Barnyagappul Strend derives its name from the Irish Trá Bhearna na gCapall. This translates as ‘the strand of the gap of the horses’ and refers to the practice in former times of using horses to carry seaweed from the shore to be used as fertiliser in the fields. The Blueway kayak trail is located here. Paddle from Silver Strand to Golden Strand, past the seal caves and the bird colonies.Arts & Culture.

Golden Strand beach, Dugort

On the south side of Achill Island, along the spectacular Atlantic Drive, is the island’s fifth Blue Flag beach at Dooega. Located on the other side of Minaun (466m) to Trawmore Strand, Dooega is a picturesque fishing village with south-facing views across the Atlantic waters to Clare Island and beyond. The beach here is also known as Camport Bay and the area surrounding it is rich in history, with the remains of two promontory forts located further west of the bay and field systems to the north that are thought to be prehistoric in origin.

Kayak Trail, Dugort

This trail extends 2.4 km between Golden Strand and Silver Strand in Dugort village, and is only suitable for proficient kayakers with sea kayaking experience. Less experienced kayakers may wish to complete the trail under the guidance of a suitably qualified kayaking instructor. The trail is closed during periods of offshore winds.

Start at either strand, depending on the tide. The coastline here is rocky with small cliffs and there are tidal flows at the eastern headland near Silver Strand. It is possible to land at a small beach past the western headland from Golden Strand – this should only be used as an access or exit point in emergencies. Sightings of bottlenose dolphins and seals are possible along this trail.

Achill Island Blueway

Achill Island has long been a popular water-sports destination. The Blueway trails on the island are located on the north and western coastline at Dugort and Keem.

The Blueway is a network of water trails at which you can to experience a variety of water based activities, including kayaking and snorkelling, in a safe controlled environment.

Festivals & Events

Throughout the year the Island hosts many festivals and other events click on this link to see whats happening events calendar

Banshees of Inisherin Locations Trail

The Martin McDonagh movie ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ was filmed on location on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, and also on Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands in Co. Galway. Both destinations are on the west coast of Ireland.The annual Scoil Acla summer school is hugely popular, offering tuition in traditional music to students of all levels as well as writer’s workshops, a painters school, readings, exhibitions, concerts and more.

Snorkel Trail – Keem

Keem Beach snorkel trail is accessed via the main car park. The trail takes you along the right (southern) side of the bay and can be accessed at all stages of the tide. Tidal flows here are weak making this snorkel trail suitable for beginners.

Keem was once home to large numbers of basking shark which can grow to 11 metres in length but have no teeth. The sharks move slowly through the water feeding on microscopic plankton and in 1940s and 50s were hunted extensively for their oil which was extracted for export as a fine grade lubricant for the aerospace industry. Occasionally basking sharks visit the area, as do porpoises. You may also spot trigger fish and spider crabs, usually from mid-July and just out from the beach, a few meters under the surface.

There are a number of watersports activities providers operating on the island and these providers can introduce you to snorkelling and kayaking in addition to a range of other water sports. To avoid disappointment you are advised to contact and book in advance, although you might be lucky and be able to book them on the day.

Do you have your own equipment and some experience? Use the Blueway Be Safe guide and map to plan your route. Phone a local water sports provider if you want additional information – see the back of the on-site information board for local water-sports provider contact details.

Great Western Greenway

Escape the bustle of urban life on the ~~42km~~ now 49km Great Western Greenway, the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland. The World Class Great Western Greenway is a traffic free cycling and walking trail which follows the route of the renowned Westport to Achill railway which closed in 1937. The Achill end of the Greenway now starts at Cashel following the addition of a 5km extension in 2023. In 2011 the Great Western Greenway was awarded the EDEN European Destination of Excellence Award for Sustainable Tourism.

Visit official Great Western Greenway website at greenway.ie

View bicycle hire providers in Achill.