Is Achill Island worth visiting?
Home to hundreds of sheep, incredible beaches, and tonnes of adventure, the island of Achill really does have it all! There are countless magnificent beaches, roaring seas, looming sea cliffs, and extraordinary people. So, it is easy to understand why thousands of people are drawn to the island every year.
Can you stay on Achill Island?
Achill Island offers a variety of accommodation, including hotel, bed and breakfast and rental accommodation. A friendly and relaxed environment pervades and the visitor to Achill Island is made feel at home very quickly.
Can you bring your car to Achill Island?
Yes! You can drive straight over to Achill Island thanks to a nice big bridge connecting the island to the mainland.
Is there WIFI in Achill Island?
There are 10 broadband providers available in Achill Sound. These include Cellnet, Digiweb, Eir, IFA Telecom, Imagine, Pure Telecom, Rural Wifi, Sky Ireland, Virgin Media, and Vodafone.
What is Achill Island known for?
Irelands largest offshore island is Achill with its golden beaches, unspoiled beauty and great island skies full of ever changing cloudscapes, continually caressing its peaks and valleys. Achill is joined to the mainland by a bridge at Achill Sound and about half of the island is a Gaeltacht region.
Why is Achill Island famous?
One of Achill’s most famous historical sites is that of the Achill Mission or ‘the Colony’ at Dugort. In 1831, the Church of Ireland Reverend Edward Nangle founded a proselytising mission at Dugort. The Mission included schools, cottages, an orphanage, an infirmary and a guesthouse.
How do you get around Achill Island?
Achill Island is connected to the mainland by a ‘swing’ bridge and so is accessible by road all year round. Getting to Achill by train – train to Westport or Castlebar and then Bus Eireann bus to Achill.
How long does it take to drive around Achill Island?
Approximately 2-1/2 hrs
Approximately 2-1/2 hrs.
How long is the bridge to Achill Island?
740ft
The Michael Davitt bridge is 21ft 6in in width, 740ft in length and weighs 390 tonnes. The swinging bridge is operated manually. The cost of this project was approximately £20,000.
Is Irish spoken on Achill?
Achill. The eastern half of Achill island, the small island of Inishbiggle and the Currane peninsula is home to a significant number of Irish speakers. Like Erris, the Irish spoken here is heavily influenced by Ulster Irish, due to historical influxes of people from Tyrone.
How many sheep are on Achill Island?
150
He stressed that farming on the island was very much a collaborative effort. The family run a flock of 150 black-faced mountain sheep on their shareholding of the 20,000ac of commonage on Achill Island.
When was Achill Island bridge built?
1886
In 1886 the construction of the Achill Sound Bridge began, and one year later it was completed. They named the bridge ‘The Michael Davitt’. The structure of the bridge had deteriorated badly by the 1930s, and by 1939 the Mayo County Council had decided to replace the middle section of the bridge.
