March brings both the promise of summer and sharp reminders of winter. Icy cold north westerlies, not unexpected here in mid-March, brought snow to the mountain tops ahead of Storm Gareth. And so an … Continue Reading
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A walk in Turlough Park
It's early March and Nephin is snow-capped once more. But just a few days ago February borrowed from early summer to present us with a delightful week of warm sunshine. Turlough Park looked … Continue Reading
Big wave surfers in Kilcummin
Hunched down, seeking shelter behind a tall boulder from the bitingly cold wind and rain, I watched the surfers, a few hundred metres off Kilcummin pier, bobbing up and down in a wild sea - their … Continue Reading
Rainbow over Enniscrone
The weather forecaster said changeable in the west with scattered showers and sunshine. Along Enniscrone promendade and coastal walk it was blowing a rain-laced gale. In a brief break from the … Continue Reading
Crescent Moon over Ballina
The Crescent moon hung over Ballina to the south sinking between Venus and Jupiter both planets bleached out in the creeping light of a new dawn. In those magical minutes between darkness and … Continue Reading
Where surf meets the sky
There's nothing so exicting and unpredictable as the natural wonders that surround us. Like the energy and randomness of waves crashing onto the shore. Atlantic ocean waves can change very quickly … Continue Reading
Mayo’s Celtic Rainforest
Cong Wood is one of Mayo's temperate rainforests - typical of lush, green and mostly deciduous woodlands found along the wet and mild Atlantic coastal counties of Ireland and the UK. These beautiful … Continue Reading
Ballina soldier still remembered in Norwich
As we approach the centenary Armistice Day commemoration here in Ballina, I am glad to report by the strangest of coincidences that we can shine some light on the fate of one of those young men whose … Continue Reading
Brent Geese return to Mayo
It's mid-October and the Brent Geese (light-bellied) have returned to Mayo for the winter from their summer breeding grounds, over 7,000km away in Arctic Canada. … Continue Reading
Panoramic views on Ballycastle Loop Walk
Ballycastle, the gateway village to the wild wilderness that is North Mayo, has one of the most scenic looped walks in Ireland. … Continue Reading
Sailing by the Stags
For a few short months, every summer, sailing vessels from far-flung shores cruise Mayo's Wild Atlantic waters navigating the many islands, stacks, rocks, and hidden reefs that make our coastal waters … Continue Reading
Climbing Diamond Hill
Diamond Hill, overlooking Connemara National Park Visitor Centre in Letterfrack, is one of the most easily climbed mountains in Ireland, rewarding those who venture to the summit with magnificent … Continue Reading
Mayo wave power
Standing in the safety of Killerduff, watching the awesome power of Mayo's Wild Atlantic waves crashing over Downpatrick Head, got me thinking of the terrifying conditions only seafarers witness as … Continue Reading
Story behind Ballina to Killala railway
The newly-opened Ballina and Killala sections of the Monasteries of the Moy Greenway, the 10km walking and cycling trail, partly follows the route of the old railway line that once linked the two … Continue Reading
Memorable Lough Feeagh walk
It's great fun to create a looped walk from scratch. Spread the Ordnance Survey Map out on the kitchen table and, as the radio jingle used to say, "let your fingers do the walking" while you set about … Continue Reading
Protecting Mayo’s Dark Sky
I'm sad to say that I have taken one of the great natural wonders of Mayo for granted - and until last week I didn't realise that it is under threat. … Continue Reading
Surfing Enniscrone’s big wave
Before setting off for Enniscrone I had to use a spatula to scrape the layers of ice off the car windscreen. It was showing 1 degree Celsius on the car monitor and the road from Ballina was icy and … Continue Reading
Storms reveal Mayo’s ancient forest
The mists of time have once again briefly lifted on beautiful Doohoma beach to reveal the preserved remnants of a prehistoric forest that once covered Mayo. … Continue Reading
Purple Sandpipers at Kilcummin Head
The Purple Sandpipers, perched on the cliff-top at Kilcummin Head, seemed completely unbothered by my presence, even when I edged closer to take a photograph. … Continue Reading
Time out at Drumleen Lake
When the R312, linking Belmullet and the wider Erris region to Castlebar, makes the headlines it's usually to do with justifiable calls to upgrade the road that takes motorists through many dangerous … Continue Reading
Timeless Blanemore Forest
Blanemore Forest Archaeological Walk near Moygownagh is another gem in Mayo's treasure chest of extensive Neolithic sites - the best known of which is the Ceide Fields near Ballycastle. … Continue Reading
A walk in McMahon Park, Claremorris
The lovely aroma of Meadowsweet filled the air as I wandered through McMahon Park in Claremorris on a beautiful July Saturday. … Continue Reading
A good year for Bog Cotton
I was standing in the middle of the bog that covers Benwee Head on the Children of Lir Loop Walk in one of the most scenic places in Mayo talking to a local man as he put in a late evening shift … Continue Reading
Book tells Inishkea Islanders’ story
'Amongst Our Own' is a book about the Inishkea Islands by Tomás Bán O'Raghallaigh, whose parents were among the last inhabitants of the islands, located a few miles off the Mullet Peninsula in North … Continue Reading
A Bluebell blanket in Belleek Wood
Just as the flowering daffodils signal the end of winter, the carpets of Bluebells that decorate Ballina's Belleek Wood in late April and early May are a sure sign that summer is on its way. … Continue Reading
Palmerstown Bridge – spanning the centuries
It's hard to believe that Palmerstown Bridge, the main artery linking Mayo's remote north-west corner to the rest of the county, dates back to the decade before the 1798 Rebellion. … Continue Reading
Saturday in Sligo
Saturday in Sligo saw me happily escape the shopping duties to take a stroll along Rockwood Parade. My wandering took me along the banks of the Garavogue River near the end of its journey to the sea … Continue Reading
Distilling a dream in Ballina
The making of fine whiskey is a craft as ancient as civilization itself. The skill and knowledge needed to distill something as common as barley and water into an elixir to be savoured by many, and … Continue Reading
Moonset over Ballina
There was a most beautiful Moonset over Ballina this frosty, mid-winter morning, as the clear sky and the rising sun creeping above the horizon played their parts in creating a beautiful scene that … Continue Reading
A beautiful sunset in Belmullet
A trip to Erris always belies the old adage that says 'the anticipation is better than the realisation'. The excitement of looking forward to travelling out to explore the barony is always matched by … Continue Reading