A Trip to Clare Island
Floating just about 5km (3 miles) off the Mayo coast, just beyond Clew Bay, Clare Island is a place of unspoiled splendor. Inhabited for 5,000 years and once quite populous -- 1,700 people lived there in the early 19th century -- Clare is now home to 150 year-round islanders, plus perhaps as many sheep. But the island is best known as the haunt of Grace O'Malley, the "Pirate Queen," who controlled the coastal waters 400 years ago. O'Malley's modest castle and the partially restored Cistercian Abbey where she is buried are among the island's few attractions. The rest of the draw is its remote natural beauty. Two ferry services operate out of Roonagh Harbour, 29km (18 miles) south of Westport; charges run about €15 ($20) each way for the 15-minute journey: O'Malley's Ferry Service, aboard the Island Princess (tel. 098/25045), and Clare Island Ferries, aboard the Pirate Queen (tel. 098/26307).
If you want a proper tour of the island, look for Ludwig Timmerman's 1974 Land Rover. Ludwig offers cordial, informative tours from June to August. Otherwise, your transport options are rented mountain bikes or your own feet.
