Achill is the largest island off the west coast of Ireland.  You can drive on to the island over the new Michael Davitt Bridge.  Incidentally, the water current flowing between Achill and the mainland is one of the swiftest in Europe!  

The new Michael Davitt Bridge opened in 2009.

Achill's first wooden bridge was built in 1887 and named after Michael Davitt, the Mayo born founder of the Land League.

Dooagh Village was once widely known as the largest village in Europe.  You will find it on the main road (R319) just ten miles from the bridge.  Teach Cruachán is located on the right (north) side of the road, halfway between O'Malley's "The Pub" http://lourdies.webs.com and Gielty's Clew Bay Bar and Restaurant http://www.gieltys.com   

If you're travelling by bus, Teach Cruachán is only 100 meters from the bus terminus in Dooagh.  See http://www.buseireann.ie for bus timetables.  

Visitors travelling by train http://www.irishrail.ie can get a bus link from Westport train station to Dooagh.  Our regional airport at Knock is only 1.5 hours drive from Dooagh.  See http://irelandwestairport.com for flight schedules. 

If you don't want to wait for connections, Michael Anthony can collect you from the airport or the train station in Teach Cruachán's fully-licensed 16 seater minibus.

How would you like to wake up to this view?  Yes you can, in Teach Cruachán!!

Marvel at the Minaun Cliffs, which at 245 meters high are twice the height of the Cliffs of Moher, and the Minaun Cliffs are dwarfed by Croaghaun and Slievemore mountains, both over 600 meters high!

Clare Island, 12 kilometers to the south, Inish Turk and Inish Shark are visible from Teach Cruachán.

Achill is a walker's haven, and Dooagh is the trailhead for two of Achill's newest waymarked walks.  Ciorcal Dhú Acha, the Dooagh National Looped Walk, begins and ends just 100m from Teach Cruachán, opposite Lourdie's Pub.  It is a low-level walk of approximately 4km through local bogland and countryside.

A linear walk from Dooagh to the Deserted Village of Slievemore begins only 60m from Teach Cruachan.  It is another low-level walk, 5km long, and takes in beautiful views of Slievemore and the ocean to the north and south of Achill.  You can return to Dooagh by retracing your route or via the main road.  Better yet, give us a ring and Michael will collect you at the other end and bring you home.

The newest and most exciting 'smarter travel' development is the Great Western Greenway, an off-road walking and cycling trail running along the old railway line between Achill and Westport.  It begins in Achill Sound, just on the mainland side of the bridge, and runs for over 40km through Mulranny, Tiernaur and Newport before finishing in Westport.  Cycle or walk as far as you like, and ring us to collect you when you're ready to come home!

The Achill Yawl is the island's traditional boat.  Not so long ago everything was transported to the island by yawl, and turf was shipped off the island on the return voyage. These days many local people have had new yawls built for racing, which takes place during the months of July and August.

Home