unspoiled beauty and great island skies full of ever changing
cloudscapes, continually caressing its peaks and valleys. Achill is joined
to the mainland by a bridge at Achill Sound and about half of the island
is a Gaeltacht region. The island has some of the highest and most
spectacular sheer cliff faces in Europe, which seem to stand guard before
Achill's heather clad hills as they hurry towards the Atlantic Ocean.
beaches. The western end of the island is dominated by the majestic
668m Croaghaun Mountain and two other mountains on the island
are Slievemore, the highest at 671m and Minaun at 466m. Sea
Angling, diving, golf, archaeology and other outdoor activities are
common on the island but the peace and quiet is all pervasive.
on the slopes of Slievemore Mountain. With over 70 abandoned
homesteads, it is a haunting reminder of hard times. On the southern
tip of Achill Sound and looking out on Achillbeg Island is Kildawnit
Castle, a stately fifteenth century tower house and once a stronghold
of the Pirate Queen, Grace O'Malley. On Achill's south coast, too, are
the strangely architectural Cathedral Rocks, while Croaghaun
tumbles spectacularly down a 2,000 foot precipice to the sea.