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“Is maith an scéalaí an aimsear” - Another legend states that it was from here that St.
Time is a good storyteller Patrick sent the snakes of Ireland to their doom. Sunday
of the August Bank holiday weekend The Giro de Baile
Benwee Head - An Bhinn Bhuí cycling event is held set against the stunning backdrop
"the yellow cliff " of the Wild Atlantic Way. The course sweeps through
quiet country roads and takes in some challenging but
The remote and rugged north coast of Mayo is short hills and breath-taking views. With rural Ireland’s
definitely one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. For its typical quiet pace and very few cars, you can enjoy the
majestic cliffs, rugged headlands, rocky coves and jagged spectacular scenery in peace. The event is open to a
stacks are apparent only to those willing to walk away wide range of cyclists and abilities with 3 route options.
from the main thoroughfares to discover them. 130km, 60km and 10km around the scenic coastline of
North Mayo.
This most northerly summit in Mayo, with its cliffs, The Ceide Fields Ballycastle
arches, stacks and islands, offers some of the most
dramatic coastal scenery in Ireland. The cliffs of Benwee - Achaidh Chéide
Head tower over Broadhaven Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. “flat topped hill fields”
To appreciate the cliffs fully, you need to see them from
the sea. The Céide Fields tell a story set in bog and stone of
some of Irelands earliest settlers. The Interpretive
To explore this spectacular landscape why not set out on centre includes an ancient bog oak standing impressively
one of the way-marked cliff walking trails in this area. as a testament to ancient days. The bogland is such that
Maps can be obtained from Comhar Dún Chaocháin much has been preserved since ancient days relatively
Teo in nearby Carrowteige Ceathrú Thaidhg. There is unchanged by the ravages of time. The spectacular views
a special looped walk marked in red, blue and green of the Atlantic ocean from this spot are worth stopping
arrows according to ability. This walk incorporates the for. Take the tour outdoors to view the archaeological
Children of Lir Tir Saile trail, a trail of sculptures to site as it was when first uncovered by Seamus Caulfield.
commemorate over 5,000 years of human habitation in
this part of North Mayo. The Doonfeeny Ogham Stone
Caochán, after whom the peninsula is named, was a The Doonfeeny Ogham Standing Stone can bee
legendary giant of Celtic sagas (poss 1st century AD) seen here. Standing nearly 7m tall and dating to
who had only one eye. His image was represented on the the 5th century this stone guards the entrance
slopes of the hills overlooking Sruwaddacon Bay when to Doonfeeny graveyard along the R134. The
the Tír Sáile was created during the 1990s second largest standing stone in Ireland it is
believed to have been Christianised in the 6th
Ballycastle - Baile an Chaisil or 7th century- the crosses carved onto it’s face.
W “town of the castle” According to local sources, the stone aligns with
Ith it’s northern boundary exposed to the Wild clefts in neighbouring hills and solar positions.
Atlantic Ballycastle has a striking location. To
the west of the town are the Stags of Broadhaven, to Downpatrick Head
the east lies Killala Bay. Far to the south are the towns
of Crossmolina and Ballina. It was at the nearby Céide Downpatrick Head 3 miles north of Ballycastle village
Fields that the first settlers began to farm the slopes is a striking headland standing 126ft above the
of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5000 years ago. sea. From here, there are fantastic views of the Atlantic,
Ballycastle is host to the annual Healyfest festival of the Staggs of Broadhaven to the west, and high cliffs
music every August Bank Holiday weekend. along the shore. The small stone building at the top of
A The Sea Stack known as ‘Dún Briste’ (The Broken Downpatrick Head was used as a lookout post during
Fort) can be seen at Downpatrick Head just 3 miles the Second World War. It is now used to view the many
north of Ballycastle. Records state that it was separated species of birds on ‘Dún Briste’.
from the mainland in 1393 as a result of high seas and The ruins of a church, a holy well, and a stone cross
the people were taken off using ships ropes. According mark the site of an earlier church founded by St. Patrick.
to one legend, a pagan chieftain, named Crom Dubh, Pilgrims visited Downpatrick Head on the last Sunday
lived there. He refused to listen to St. Patrick who
tried to convert him to Christianity. St. Patrick hit the
ground with his crozier and the stack was separated
from the mainland, leaving Crom Dubh to die there.
222
Time is a good storyteller Patrick sent the snakes of Ireland to their doom. Sunday
of the August Bank holiday weekend The Giro de Baile
Benwee Head - An Bhinn Bhuí cycling event is held set against the stunning backdrop
"the yellow cliff " of the Wild Atlantic Way. The course sweeps through
quiet country roads and takes in some challenging but
The remote and rugged north coast of Mayo is short hills and breath-taking views. With rural Ireland’s
definitely one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. For its typical quiet pace and very few cars, you can enjoy the
majestic cliffs, rugged headlands, rocky coves and jagged spectacular scenery in peace. The event is open to a
stacks are apparent only to those willing to walk away wide range of cyclists and abilities with 3 route options.
from the main thoroughfares to discover them. 130km, 60km and 10km around the scenic coastline of
North Mayo.
This most northerly summit in Mayo, with its cliffs, The Ceide Fields Ballycastle
arches, stacks and islands, offers some of the most
dramatic coastal scenery in Ireland. The cliffs of Benwee - Achaidh Chéide
Head tower over Broadhaven Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. “flat topped hill fields”
To appreciate the cliffs fully, you need to see them from
the sea. The Céide Fields tell a story set in bog and stone of
some of Irelands earliest settlers. The Interpretive
To explore this spectacular landscape why not set out on centre includes an ancient bog oak standing impressively
one of the way-marked cliff walking trails in this area. as a testament to ancient days. The bogland is such that
Maps can be obtained from Comhar Dún Chaocháin much has been preserved since ancient days relatively
Teo in nearby Carrowteige Ceathrú Thaidhg. There is unchanged by the ravages of time. The spectacular views
a special looped walk marked in red, blue and green of the Atlantic ocean from this spot are worth stopping
arrows according to ability. This walk incorporates the for. Take the tour outdoors to view the archaeological
Children of Lir Tir Saile trail, a trail of sculptures to site as it was when first uncovered by Seamus Caulfield.
commemorate over 5,000 years of human habitation in
this part of North Mayo. The Doonfeeny Ogham Stone
Caochán, after whom the peninsula is named, was a The Doonfeeny Ogham Standing Stone can bee
legendary giant of Celtic sagas (poss 1st century AD) seen here. Standing nearly 7m tall and dating to
who had only one eye. His image was represented on the the 5th century this stone guards the entrance
slopes of the hills overlooking Sruwaddacon Bay when to Doonfeeny graveyard along the R134. The
the Tír Sáile was created during the 1990s second largest standing stone in Ireland it is
believed to have been Christianised in the 6th
Ballycastle - Baile an Chaisil or 7th century- the crosses carved onto it’s face.
W “town of the castle” According to local sources, the stone aligns with
Ith it’s northern boundary exposed to the Wild clefts in neighbouring hills and solar positions.
Atlantic Ballycastle has a striking location. To
the west of the town are the Stags of Broadhaven, to Downpatrick Head
the east lies Killala Bay. Far to the south are the towns
of Crossmolina and Ballina. It was at the nearby Céide Downpatrick Head 3 miles north of Ballycastle village
Fields that the first settlers began to farm the slopes is a striking headland standing 126ft above the
of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5000 years ago. sea. From here, there are fantastic views of the Atlantic,
Ballycastle is host to the annual Healyfest festival of the Staggs of Broadhaven to the west, and high cliffs
music every August Bank Holiday weekend. along the shore. The small stone building at the top of
A The Sea Stack known as ‘Dún Briste’ (The Broken Downpatrick Head was used as a lookout post during
Fort) can be seen at Downpatrick Head just 3 miles the Second World War. It is now used to view the many
north of Ballycastle. Records state that it was separated species of birds on ‘Dún Briste’.
from the mainland in 1393 as a result of high seas and The ruins of a church, a holy well, and a stone cross
the people were taken off using ships ropes. According mark the site of an earlier church founded by St. Patrick.
to one legend, a pagan chieftain, named Crom Dubh, Pilgrims visited Downpatrick Head on the last Sunday
lived there. He refused to listen to St. Patrick who
tried to convert him to Christianity. St. Patrick hit the
ground with his crozier and the stack was separated
from the mainland, leaving Crom Dubh to die there.
222
