Mayo Islands

Inishturk

Rising from the Atlantic with steep, wall-like cliffs, Inishturk is a small, beautiful & unspoilt island nine miles off the Mayo coast. The tranquil and archaeologically rich island has been inhabited on and off since 4000 BC, and is home to a friendly, vibrant local community.

Inishturk meaning ‘Island of the Wild Boar’, is a wild, windswept patch of lush greenness with sheer wall-like cliffs and steep hills. 

By choosing to holiday here one helps sustain a culture that has survived for 4,000 years and whose future is somewhat uncertain. 

As a visitor you will be greeted at the pier by the islanders and if you spend the night the locals will head down to the community centre bar to keep you company and to find out about events in the outside world. 

Top 10 things to do on Inishturk

1. Ideal for snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing or kayaking - with its beautiful sandy beaches and crystal clear seas, Inishturk is a mecca for all watersports enthusiasts.
2. The island boasts two spectacular walking loops, with stunning cliff views & panoramic vistas of ocean stacks.
3. Spot puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, gannets and peregrine falcons to name just a few – it’s a birdwatching paradise!
4. Catch your lunch! Try fishing for pollock, mackerel or codling – the deep sea angling around Inishturk is pure joy for anglers.
5. Enjoy a home away from home. There are some excellent family-run B&Bs on the island, with hosts who excel at delicious cooking & mouth-watering baking – and where there is always a warm welcome.
6. The island’s community club, restaurant & bar has one of the most scenic views in Ireland … a fantastic location in which to enjoy food & drink alongside the islanders, and the craic is mighty!
7. Some say it is the greatest GAA pitch in the whole country. Inishturk’s sports amphitheatre has been carved by nature, and it is a beautiful location in which the locals train & test themselves. Simply inspirational, it is the island’s own Theatre of Dreams!
8. Inishturk is rich in archaeology: see the remains of a 9th century fort at Port an Dún, which overlooks Ireland’s only offshore lagoon; visit the Old Church on the hill which dates back to the 16th century; cast your eye over the Signal Tower (1805); or discover the various beehive houses around the lake, which date back to 1500 BC!
9. Check out an architectural installation on the island called The Tale of the Tongs, which was created in 2013, to commemorate all the people who have ever lived on the island, and those who have emigrated, and returned for The Gathering.
10. Take a pilgrimage boat trip to nearby Caher – an mystical island that is home to an Early Christian monastery and 7th century stone carved crosses.