Head east from Louisburgh for a couple of kilometres and look out for the turning north to the pleasant and secluded beach at Old Head.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.17 MILES
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
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20.01 MILES
Imposing Ballintubber Abbey is the only church in Ireland founded by an Irish king that remains in use. It's reputed to have been established in 1216 next…
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15.67 MILES
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
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National Museum of Country Life
24.16 MILES
The extensive and engrossing displays of this riverside museum delve into Ireland's fascinating rural traditions and skills. It's set in a modern,…
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21.76 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…
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22.71 MILES
With towering walls engulfed in ivy and empty windows, Moore Hall is an astonishing and atmospheric ruin. Set beside Lough Carra, it was built in the…
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18.51 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…
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9.05 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…
Nearby County Mayo attractions
1. Granuaile Heritage Centre & Famine Exhibition
1.85 MILES
Acquire an illuminating glimpse into the life and times of Grace O’Malley (Gráinne Ní Mháille or Granuaile; 1530–1603), the infamous pirate queen of…
2.11 MILES
The sheltered, broad beach at Carrowmore, just west of Louisburgh village, offers good views of Croagh Patrick and has a lifeguard on duty in summer.
5.34 MILES
Opposite the car park on the far side of the road is the National Famine Memorial, a spine-chilling sculpture of a three-masted ghost ship wreathed in…
5.34 MILES
Murrisk Abbey was founded by the O'Malleys in 1547. Its scant remains sit beside the shore; a path leads here from beside the National Famine Memorial.
7.57 MILES
Associated with the pirate queen Grace O'Malley, this compact castle tower was her stronghold, although it was altered considerably when the coastguard…
8.97 MILES
Set in a 19th-century stone building 2km west of town, this museum traces the history, customs and traditions of Westport and Clew Bay.
9.02 MILES
Rising from a narrow isthmus, the hillside village of Mulranny overlooks a wide Blue Flag beach on the road from Newport to Achill Sound and on the cusp…
9.05 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…