Georgian Irish town on Clew Bay, planned around the Carrowbeg River below Croagh Patrick.
Westport is one of the few planned towns in Ireland, laid out in the 18th century by architect James Wyatt. The result is a pleasing Georgian grid of streets centered on The Mall, a tree-lined boulevard running alongside the Carrowbeg River. It sits on the eastern shore of Clew Bay, in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, and it's a genuinely good base for exploring the west of Mayo.
Croagh Patrick dominates the skyline to the southwest. On the last Sunday of July, tens of thousands of pilgrims climb it — some barefoot — to honor St. Patrick, who is said to have fasted on the summit for forty days. The rest of the year you can walk up without ceremony, and on a clear day the view of Clew Bay, with its scatter of islands, is one of the best in Connacht.
Westport House, built partly on the foundations of Grace O'Malley's castle, is the town's most formal attraction and opens to visitors from spring through early autumn. The coastline around Clew Bay offers a string of sandy beaches — Bertra, Old Head, Carramore near Louisburgh — and the bay eventually gives way to Killary Harbour, Ireland's only true fjord, tucked into the hills to the south. The town's Georgian heart centres on The Mall, a lime-tree-lined boulevard alongside the Carrowbeg River.
The town itself has a lively pub scene and a good concentration of restaurants for its size. It works well as a jumping-off point for Connemara to the south or Achill Island to the north.
Guide
Getting Around
The town centre is compact and entirely walkable. Westport House is a fifteen-minute walk from the Octagon. The harbour (The Quay) is a further 1.5 kilometres along a riverside path.
For the wider area — Croagh Patrick, the beaches of Clew Bay, and the coast toward Louisburgh and Achill Island — a car is very useful. Bike hire is available in the town and the Great Western Greenway, a dedicated cycling and walking trail, runs from Westport to Achill Sound (42 kilometres) along a disused railway line. The Greenway is well maintained, passes through genuinely beautiful landscape, and is manageable in a day by a moderately fit cyclist.
Taxis operate in the town for trips to Murrisk (the Croagh Patrick car park) and the coast.
Guide
Getting There
Westport has a train station with regular services to Dublin Heuston, the journey taking just under four hours. The line runs through Athlone and is one of the most scenic train journeys in Ireland. Irish Rail operates several trains a day in each direction.
Bus Éireann runs coaches from Dublin, Galway, and other towns in Connacht. The journey from Galway takes about two hours. From Dublin, buses and trains take roughly the same time.
By car, Westport is about 2.5 hours from Galway and 3.5 hours from Dublin via the N5. There is good parking in the town centre and near Westport House.
