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What to do in Westport, Mayo

Local Amenities include Fishing, Golf, Pitch and Putt, Driving Range, Horse Riding, Tennis, Hillwalking, Watersports, Blue Flag Beaches, Westport Cineplex and Children's playground.

Guests can avail of discounted rates at the Beach Club Leisure Centre in the Westport Woods Hotel across the road from us.
Local amenities within in 1 KM

Fishing Holidays
Westport is one of the few places in Ireland that offer a luxury base for world class deep sea fishing, game and course angling.

Game and coarse fishing are widely available to the enthusiast in the lakes and rivers around the town. Boats, ghillies and equipment can be booked locally. There are eleven coarse fishing lakes within a leisurely drive of Westport town, all holding bream, roach, rudd, perch, eel, pike and roach/bream hybrids. Licenses are essential for trout and salmon fishing but are well worth the effort.

The Great Western Lakes of Galway and Mayo are recognised as the greatest wild brown trout fisheries in the world. Loughs Corrib, Mask, Carra and Conn are within easy drive of Westport town. The quality of game angling in the region is quite exceptional. Visitors fishing for salmon and trout in a natural, undisturbed habitat will enjoy a unique experience.

For the amateur, the Carrowbeg River, which runs through the centre of Westport, is stocked every year thereby assisting the luck of those who just want to try their hand. Westport harbour hosts the Westport International Sea Angling Festival, one of the oldest competitions on the Irish Sea Angling calendar.

Several purpose-built boats are available for hire by groups or individuals and leave the harbour daily, bound for the rich fishing waters of Clew Bay. The relatively calm inshore waters among the islands can be fished for ray, bull huss, monkfish, dogfish and occasional tope. Excellent boat fishing over reefs and sand banks is available and the species you can expect to see include cod, coalfish, pollack, ling, whiting and turbot.

Blue shark can also be taken during July and August from the deep water fifty metres to the west of Clare Island. Virtually all blue shark are tagged and returned alive with the largest fish in recent years weighing in at 56.7 kgs!

Croagh Patrick
The tradition of pilgrimage to this holy mountain stretches back over 5,000 years from the Stone Age to the present day without interruption.

Croagh Patrick is renowned for its Patrician Pilgrimage in honour of Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. It was on the summit of the mountain that Saint Patrick fasted for forty days in 441 AD and the custom has been faithfully handed down from generation to generation. The Black Bell of Saint Patrick was a highly venerated relic on Croagh Patrick for many years.

On 'Reek Sunday', the last Sunday in July, over 25,000 pilgrims visit the Reek.
Individuals and groups come from all over the world and include pilgrims, hill climbers, historians, archaeologists and nature lovers.

The first stop on the pilgrimage is Saint Patrick's statue erected in 1928 by Reverend Father Patterson with money he collected in America towards the rebuilding of Saint Mary's Church in Westport.

Although it is not one of the three traditional stations of the Reek, it has become a place of prayer for those embarking on the pilgrimage and serves as an ideal substitution for those who are unable to make the complete climb.
For more information contact www.croagh-patrick.com

Westport Golf Club
Set in 260 acres of rolling parkland on the shores of Clew Bay, Westport Golf Club is situated in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's Holy mountain amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable.

Westport Golf Club has a well-earned reputation for its hospitality, warmth and friendliness to visitors. One thing you can be sure of at Westport is being made feel welcome. Whatever your requirements, they will be taken care of.

Westport Golf Club is rated as one of the top golf courses in Ireland. It is recognised as a prestigious venue and has hosted both the Ladies Home Internationals in 1989 and the Irish Amateur Close Championship on three occasions, most recently in 1997.

The staging of the 2002 Smurfit Irish P.G.A. Championship in Westport clearly establishes Mayo as the premier golf county in Ireland. No other county has the combination of a regional airport, a wide range of affordable accommodation, a National Tidy Town Award Winner and most importantly easy accessibility to every type of golf course imaginable.


The Course was designed by the internationally renowned Golf architect, Fred Hawtree, of the renowned British firm of Hawtree and Sons. He said of the course, "the nature of the terrain, part inland and part seaside, the panorama which it commands and its considerable golfing virtues, make it uniquely attractive and memorable."

Length: 6724 yds Par: 73
Estimated duration of a round :- 41/4 hours

For additional information contact www.westportgolfclub.com

Westport House
Designed by the famous architects Richard Cassels and James Wyatt in the 18th century, Westport House is located west of the Shannon and is one of Irelands’ most historic homes open to the public.

Westport House enjoys a superb parkland setting with lake, terraces, wonderful gardens and magnificent views overlooking Clew Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, Achill, Clare Island and Ireland’s holy mountain Croagh Patrick. It was built and is still privately owned by the Browne family who are direct descendants of the 16th century Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley.

During the 16th century Grace O’Malley or Granuaile was a famous Pirate and “Queen of Connaught”. After her death a report stated that for forty years she was the stay of all rebellions in the West. She was chief of the O’Malley Clan and ruled the seas around Mayo. Grace O’Malley had several castles in the West of Ireland and it was on the foundations of one of these that Westport House was actually built. There is still an area of her original Castle in the basement of the House (now known as the Dungeons) which is on view to the visitors.

A bronze statue of Grace O’Malley by artist Michael Cooper is situated on the Westport House grounds.

The original house was built by Colonel John Browne, a Jacobite, who was at the siege of Limerick, and his wife Maud Bourke. Maud Bourke was Grace O’Malley’s great-granddaughter. The House then had no lake or damn and the tide rose and fell against the wall

As well as the magnificent Historical and Cultural aspects Westport House and Country Park has to offer, there is also a wide range of other fun attractions and facilities (suitable for a variety of age groups) available to the day visitor.

These include:
Children’s Animal and Bird Park, Swan Pedaloes, Log Flume, Train Ride
Jungle World, Pitch and Putt Lake Fishing

For extra information please contact www.westporthouse.ie

Clare Island
Clare Island, located 3.5 miles off the Mayo coast, is well worth a visit. With its rugged cliffs and breathtaking views, it is the largest of the 365 islands in Clew Bay.
The island's complex history can be read through its landscape: from archaeological remains of the Neolithic and Bronze age, to rare medieval wall-paintings in the 14th century abbey, to the 'pirate queen' Grace O'Malley's (Grainneuaile) castle and burial place.
The island lies roughly four miles off the nearest mainland point and the ferry crossing takes approximately 20 minutes. The current permanent population of 130 increases substantially during the summer when there is a steady tourist seas

Clew Bay Heritage Centre is located on the Quay, Westport. It is a fascinating museum of local heritage, traditions, people and places. It has a full genealogical service.