'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
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A bluebell blanket in Belleek Wood
Just as the 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 its journey to the … 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
A little book about a big county
One of my abiding childhood memories of family journeys to Erris was stopping off at the Musical Bridge in Bellacorick to run a stone along the parapet to hear it draw musical notes from the bridge. … 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 in 2016. … Continue Reading