The bundles of bugles along the trail in Belleek Wood herald the arrival of Mid-summer in this Moyside paradise where the unassuming flower blooms in a shaded fernery of unfurling green beneath a … Continue Reading
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Wildness on our doorstep
Nature is taking advantage of the absence of human activity during lockdown; left unchecked by the hand of man there is an explosion of wildness even in urban areas like Ballina. Drab roadside … Continue Reading
Lockdown in Ballina
Foraging along the deserted banks of the River Moy, beneath the silent Cathedral belfry, life as normal continues for the piping waders, deaf to the struggles of the human world. The beeping of car … Continue Reading
The joy of nature
The following lines from Shakespeare seem appropriate at this worrying and unprecedented time when self-isolation and entire continents in lockdown seem our only defence against Coronavirus … Continue Reading
Stormy days and nights
It's late-February and a succession of storms have just swept across the Atlantic from Arctic Canada churning the vast ocean into a raging sea swell and sending gigantic waves thundering into the … Continue Reading
A foggy sunrise
An early morning walk took me into a foggy, mysterious world of curious shapes, faint silhouettes and a monochrome, wintry landscape not yet warmed by the rising sun. In this almost fairytale time … Continue Reading
Holly berries in Brackloon
The walk in Brackloon Wood on an overcast winter morning with the ever-present threat of more rain indicated a brisk dash around the looped trail rather than our usual ramble and dally savouring the … Continue Reading
Rambling in Rossport
Hearing the happy hum of locals enjoying a celebration in front of Denny's Ferry Bar in Rossport was an aural delight to complement the visual wonders that awaited as we began our ramble around this … Continue Reading
Blackberry picking in Ballycastle
My purple fingers gave the game away. The tell-tale signs of my blackberry picking on a sunny afternoon as I slowly feasted my way along the briers fringing a hilly boreen near Ballycastle. September … Continue Reading
Bridge over troubled water
Only the lyrical words of a poet could give meaning to the sad origins of Bunlahinch Clapper Bridge by the coast near Killeen, south of Louisburgh, a unique relic among Irish bridges and a reminder of … Continue Reading
Kites over Keel
A brisk south-westerly lifted the menagerie of cartoon character kites over the crescent of Trawmore strand in Keel. Giant-sized, inflatable kites rising, trailing, bobbing and dancing in a colourful … Continue Reading
A visit to Inishkea North
We had a magical start to our journey to the Inishkea Islands from Blacksod. Shortly after leaving the harbour, we were joined by a school of playful dolphins swimming alongside and in front of the … Continue Reading
Foxgloves in bloom
It's early July and the tall and elegant foxgloves are in bloom along hedgerows and wild places all over Mayo. Its bright purple, bell-like flowers make the foxglove one of the most imposing and … Continue Reading
A hauntingly beautiful valley
The words hauntingly beautiful perfectly describe the Doolough Valley, evoking the natural wonder of this remote glacial scene of towering mountains and brooding lake that is forever scarred by the … Continue Reading
Mayo’s most beautiful wall
If there was a competition for the most beautiful wall in Mayo surely it would be hard to beat the dry stone wall at the entrance to Enniscoe House and Gardens nature trail when the fairy foxglove … Continue Reading
Belleek’s blue haze returns
That lovely blue haze returned to Belleek Wood at Easter. The bluebells in bloom along the Fairy Trail burst into life at the first hint of spring warmth. A flood of native bluebells hazed the … Continue Reading
The joys of spring
We miss so much that past generations loved - the walk along a quiet country road or boreen. Following the green line as I like to call it - that mossy band of worn grass flecked with cheerful daisies … Continue Reading
Timeless link to Killala Railway Station
When James Henry Casserly who was the first Station Master in Killala Railway Station was leaving in 1894, the people of Killala and Ballycastle came together to present him with a pocket watch as a … Continue Reading
Storm, snow, surf
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
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
Surf masters in Easkey
I'm not sure when Easkey became one of the hottest surfing locations in Europe. Certainly not as far back as the 15th century when the O'Dowd clan of Tireragh ruled the roost from Rosslee Castle, … Continue Reading
The night sky over Lacken
The strange upside-down V-shaped object in the night sky over North Mayo on Wednesday night had all the appearance of a UFO - but the truth is far less exciting if nonetheless interesting. … Continue Reading
Mayo’s deserted villages
The ferns, nettles, bushes, and briars now hide much of what was once a 19th-century village on the slopes of the Ox Mountains. … Continue Reading
Walking the Ballina to Killala Greenway
I took advantage of the lovely early June weather to travel the Monasteries of the Moy Greenway, the walking and cycling route that will link Ballina and Killala when it's completed. … Continue Reading
Walking from Killeen to Killadoon
The long drive from Ballina to the south-west corner of Mayo where the Mweelrea Mountains slope down to Killary Harbour is always a pleasure as we look forward to the magnificent Atlantic … Continue Reading
Discovering the charms of Derryhick Lake
Over the years, whenever I passed the road sign to Derryhick Lake near Pontoon, I made a mental note to check out this secluded lough at some stage. … Continue Reading
Shining a light on Broadhaven Lighthouse
When the sun shines I head to the Mayo coastline. My most recent excursion was to photograph Broadhaven Lighthouse, often called Ballyglass Lighthouse, located on the north-eastern tip of the Mullet … Continue Reading
Walking the Castlebar to Turlough Greenway
I finally got around to walking the Castlebar to Turlough Greenway in mid-April and I wasn't disappointed by the 7km trail that opens a door to the countryside for walkers and cyclists in Castlebar. … Continue Reading
Ballina’s Salmon Weir Bridge under god of light and sky
Ballina's Salmon Weir Bridge looks splendid at night and especially in the days around St. Patrick's Day when the footbridge over the River Moy is illuminated in green. … Continue Reading
Diving into Scotchport’s past
Scotchport, a small and beautiful sheltered cove near Corclough on the Mullet, has an interesting history and today is a popular location for scuba diving in Mayo. … Continue Reading
Morning magic in Belleek Wood
'Fog’s rollin’ off the East River Bank' - the opening line of Bleecker Street, the lovely Paul Simon song - came to mind as I witnessed a rolling bank of fog smother the River Moy and suddenly change … Continue Reading
A visit to Michael Davitt Museum
On arrival at the Michael Davitt Museum, you are greeted by the imposing bronze statue of the Land League founder in front of the restored 17th century Straide Church which houses the magnificent … Continue Reading