|
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
Sightseeing in County Mayo
KnockAlthough Knock is arguably County Mayo's most famous town, it is in fact extremely small in size, but big on history. In Ireland the town is known as "Cnoc Mhuire", which translates as "Hill of the Virgin Mary", which relates to the Apparition of 1879, when in August of that year it was reported that the Virgin Mary, St. Jospeh and St. John the Evangelist appeared in front of local people. Nowadays it is one of Europe's main Roman Catholic Marian shrines, attracting 500,000 people annually, including John Paul II who came to Knock in 1979 to celebrate a century of the Apparition. The Knock Folk Museum, Knock Shrine and a 10,000 capacity Basilica constructed in 1967 are all monument to the Apparition. Achill Island
Search Knock Hire Cars
The north of the island is characterised by the dominant presence of Mount Slievemore. It is possible to drive to the slopes of the mountain, where you will find ‘The Deserted Village", which is literally as the name suggests - an abandoned village, thought to have been evacuated around the time of the Irish Potato Famine between 1845 and 1849. West of "The Deserted Village" stands a Martello tower, which was also built by the British, but this time during the Napoleonic Wars to warn of any possible French invasion. Most notably, this part of the area is also in possession of a fascinating 5000 year old Neolithic tomb. The ‘Atlantic Drive' along the south and west of the island caps off a remarkable trip to Achill, offering some wonderful views. BallinaBallina is one of County Mayo's main towns despite its small population of around 10,000 people. The town is situated on the beautiful banks of the River Moy, where you will find one of the best Salmon fishing rivers in the whole of Europe. Keen fishers are also well served to the north of the town in the atmospheric surroundings of Killala Bay, where you will find excellent brown trout fishing in the wondrous Lough Conn. Many people come to Ballina simply to soak up the relaxed, welcoming rural charm of the town, accentuated most in its number of pubs, where many host traditional Irish bands on Wednesday and Friday. Should you be in Mayo in July, the Ballina Salmon Street Festival from the 10th to the 19th sees performers take to streets amidst a party atmosphere with outdoor marquees, bars set up especially, a triathlon and activities laid on for children (www.ballinasalmonfestival.ie). CastlebarThe bustling market town of Castlebar holds County Mayo's administrative seat and is an important cultural hub in the area, home to numerous festivals and traditions. The International Four Days Walk (July 2-5) is one of these (www.castlebar4dayswalks.com/) is one of these, which sees walkers from all over the world congregate to cover up to 40km of the unspoilt beauty of County Mayo. The Linenhall Arts Centre (www.thelinenhall.com for listings) exhibits the majority of visual art events taking place in the town and regularly features dramatic and musical performances all year round. The Museum of Country Life (www.museumsofmayo.com) is arguably Castlebar's biggest pull and is significant for the fact it is the only branch of the National Museum of Ireland which is located outside the capital city of Dublin. Here you will find clothing, vehicles and other artefacts that piece together Ireland's proud agricultural and rural history. Castlebar is the place to head to in Mayo if shopping is also on the agenda. As well as the famous market, it boasts several modern shops and an impressive shopping precinct found along Hopkins Road in the centre. By night the town truly comes to life thanks to the amount of pubs and bars available. Many play traditional Irish music, however, if you are looking for late-night entertainment that is a little more current, head to one of the two nightclubs open in the city centre which remain open into the early hours. Foxford Woollen Mills Visitor CentreSome of Ireland's finest woollen goods are made here, with guided tours available to take you around the premises to see exactly what goes into making each item. There is also a gift shop on hand where you are able to purchase Foxford rugs, blankets and tweeds at predominatly cheaper prices than you will find in shops. There is also a jewellery workshop on the first floor, with a ‘custom shop' set up where you can create your own pieces to suit your tastes and needs. To cap this off there is also two art galleries - one showing paintings produced by local artists and the other hosting exhibitions featuring sculptures, paintings and photographs produced by international artists. www.museumsofmayo.com, Tel: + 353 94 56756. Foxford, Co. Mayo. Admission: Free. Open: Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm, Sunday 12pm - 6pm. WestportAnother County Mayo coastal town that sits on the Atlantic Ocean, with Westport located in the south-east corner of Clew Bay. Westport is worth the drive for the scenery alone and is the epitome of the natural raw beauty possessed by County Mayo, with rolling countryside and beautiful coastline all looked down upon the dominant Croagh Patrick mountain, which sits majestically in the background. Westport is also the staging point for many annual festivals and has a vibrant and welcoming pub scene at its core. The festivals of note are as follows:
Car Hire Knock related linksCountry Origin
Northern Ireland (Republic of)
Population (rural, town)
2000 approx
County
Mayo
|
||
 |
||
Achill Island is Ireland's largest and is found off the west coast of County Mayo. Achill is attached to the mainland by the Michael Davitt Bridge, making it accessible by car. Although the island has almost 3000 inhabitants and has been subject to a fair amount of development across the years, it is still a predominantly unspoilt example of natural Irish beauty. When on the island, head to Keem Bay, backdropped by the impressive Moytoge Head, which drops dramatically into the ocean and overlooks the excellent Keel Beach, which is a popular surfing location. Notably, an old British observation post still stands from World War I, which was erected in order to monitor and prevent German forces sharing arms with the IRA.
|
| © Traveljigsaw 2010 |