Connemara
Once owned by the poet Oliver St John Gogarty, luxurious Renvyle House opened as a hotel in 1883 and was rebuilt in the 1920s. A heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub open come summer; it also has beach access, tennis courts, croquet, lawn bowls, clay-pigeon shooting and trout fishing on its own lake.
A Steinway piano provides background music in its restaurant.
4.65 MILES
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
5.68 MILES
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
26 MILES
Tucked away at the far west of the island, Keem Bay is Achill's most remote Blue Flag beach. The crescent of golden sands sits at the foot of steep cliffs…
25.39 MILES
Running 3km southeast from Keel, beautiful, Blue Flag, golden-sand Trawmore is among Achill's most photographed beaches. Be aware that there are dangerous…
12.74 MILES
The chancel roof of 13th-century Clare Island Abbey is dotted with faded fragments of murals, dating from around 1500. Look out too for the tomb reputed…
22 MILES
Pádraig Pearse (Patrick Pearse; 1879–1916) wrote some of his short stories and plays on the shore of a remote lake in this small thatched cottage, which…
26.95 MILES
The bleak remains of more than 80 houses in this deserted village at the foot of Mt Slievemore are slowly being reduced to rock piles, a poignant reminder…
25.52 MILES
At the O’Malley's factory, tours reveal just how the family magics Achill's mineral-rich waters into flavoursome flakes of crunchy salt. After seeing…
3.69 MILES
On these hour-long tours you'll get a real sense of the skill and sheer hard work that goes into producing Connemara's famous oysters. Then try your hand…
4.65 MILES
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
5.68 MILES
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
8.37 MILES
Located in a former train shed, this small, absorbing museum has displays on the local ponies and pivotal aspects of Clifden's history, including the…
8.43 MILES
Inishbofin's small but evocative museum gives a comprehensive overview of the island's history. Displays include fishing, farming and tradespeople's tools…
8.51 MILES
The interior of this small, charming church 300m east of the pier is illuminated by the soft light of its stained glass.
7. Connemara Heritage & History Centre
9.72 MILES
Farmer Dan O'Hara lived here in the 1840s until his eviction from the farm and subsequent emigration to New York, where he ended up selling matches on the…
8. Derrigimlagh Discovery Point
10.27 MILES
A wealth of interactive exhibits dot this 5km scenic loop walk around windswept bogland: crystal radio sets let you listen to recordings from the 1907…