Island Loops

Encapsulated in the Saw Doctor’s song ‘The Green and Red of Mayo’, Clare Island is located 3.5 miles off the west coast of County Mayo, Ireland. The ferry crossing from Roonagh Pier takes 25 minutes and there is every chance that you will be accompanied on your journey by a school of dolphins and or a herd of seals. Clare Island is the largest (5 miles long and 3 miles wide) of the 365 islands in Clew Bay. Famous as the ancestral home of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley (Granuaile), she has a population of about 160 people; economic activities include farming, fishing and tourism with numerous other small businesses also supporting a vibrant community. 

Clare Island’s silhouette is dominated by the giant hump of Knockmore at 461 metres on her western edge and the more gently sloping Knocknaveen to her centre. Her western cliffs are among the most dramatic in Europe and are home to large numbers of nesting sea birds.