“In our abbey, you’ll find some of the most important medieval frescoes in the world. People travel from all over to see them.”
Pádraic O’Malley, owner and manager of the food store and post office on Clare Island, isn’t exaggerating. He steps away to retrieve the key to the 12th or 13th-century Cistercian abbey, which many experts agree features the country’s finest example of medieval wall paintings.
“Unfortunately, funding is lacking,” Pádraic laments, while simultaneously greeting an elderly woman – another of the island’s 110 inhabitants. She announces her plans to send a birthday card to a relative abroad and, “while I’m here,” she’ll also buy some flour and milk. I learn that these items, along with the other stock in the store, are imported from the mainland in Mayo.
“I’ve intended to visit the frescoes for years,” I tell Pádraic, returning the subject to the abbey. “I’m excited.”
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“When you see them, you’ll understand why they must be preserved and protected for future generations,” he says.
I briefly chat with the customer, who asks me, “Where is your accent from?” After revealing that I’m originally from Navan but now live in Dublin, she notes that island life is markedly different from towns and cities.
The woman then proudly states that, despite the scarcity of inhabitants on Clare Island, they are self-sufficient, especially during winter. Earlier that morning, these sentiments were echoed by former teacher and guesthouse owner Mary McCabe. Over breakfast, she told me that locals keep themselves entertained with set dancing, pottery classes and a drama club, demonstrating that the island remains a cultural centre centuries after the frescoes were painted.
At the shop door, I now study the rainy sky. Anyone living along the Atlantic will tell you that if you’re patient, the ocean will eventually clear away the offending clouds. Today, I need to be very patient because it seems there’s no end in sight to the downpour. It’s the price Ireland must pay for its rich, vibrant landscape, I suppose. Inspired by the hardy sheep in the surrounding fields, impervious to the wet conditions, I prepare to run the short distance to the abbey.
“Have a word with Gráinne!” Pádraic shouts after me. He’s referencing the widely held belief that the abbey doubles as the burial place of Ireland’s pirate queen, who refused to bow to Elizabeth I during their meeting in 1593, declaring she was a queen herself and not a subject of the English monarch.
Gráinne Ní Mháille’s influence is everywhere in Clew Bay. For example, three kilometres away, one of her many castles welcomes the ferries and boats arriving on the island.
Fittingly, entering the abbey is like accessing the private chambers of Buckingham Palace because, no matter how much I twist and turn the key, the lock refuses to yield. After returning to the store, where Pádraic reveals the knack, I finally manage to succeed. Inside, I become breathless standing beneath the painted treasures, which offer a remarkable insight into medieval Ireland, usually only found in literature.
Above and around me is a mixture of religious images, scenes of daily life and mythological creatures, including dragons, stags, a double-headed eagle, serpents and a cattle raid scene.
The abbey, named after St Brigid, is a national monument under state care. During a major and much-needed conservation project in the 1990s, which addressed issues such as fungi and damp, the delicate artwork was restored. As a bonus, the process also revealed new images, including a unique depiction of a medieval organ.
An information panel states that the frescoes originate from two distinct painting phases, suggesting they were probably commissioned by separate Ó Máille chiefs eager to leave their mark on the abbey.
And they succeeded in doing precisely that.
Inishturk
Seven miles further out into the Atlantic lies Inishturk, where I hear a story that makes me both smile and shudder, and one that showcases Ireland’s enduring dedication to brewing. These days, Portdoon Harbour is notably peaceful, with traditional currach boats resting quietly on the surface of a natural lagoon. This tranquillity sharply contrasts with the ninth century, when Danish pirates sheltered their ships in the creeks below.
When the Irish retook Portdoon, they slaughtered the Danes except for an elderly man and his son. However, the men’s freedom came with one condition: revealing their brewing recipe for a special heather beer called Bier Lochlannach. Wanting to keep his secrets safe, the elderly pirate urged the Irish to kill his son before leaping into the ocean and denying our ancestors the prized method.
Ireland’s rich history is on full display on Inishturk, which translates as ‘the Island of the Wild Boar’ in English. A short stroll from Portdoon, visitors will pass Napoleonic signal towers, beehive huts, ancient burial sites, and the remnants of fulacht fiadh, the Bronze Age open-air cooking sites.
But the island doesn’t just belong to the past. The modern football pitch, carved into the landscape, is rightly considered one of the most beautiful sports grounds in the world. Near the pier and overlooked by St Columba’s church and charming tea rooms, there’s a new playground with a zip-line.
The launch of a ferry route from the mainland in Mayo in 1997 boosted tourism, heralding the arrival of swimmers, anglers, walkers and those simply wishing to surrender to the island’s otherworldly scenery. Although the population hovers around 50, and the primary school is one of the smallest in the country, Inishturk is a vibrant community.
Locals tell me they have made significant progress in recent years, with new houses being built and old ones renovated. I also learn that since the pandemic, more people are working remotely from Inishturk. There is even a German family living here, highlighting the islanders’ welcoming nature.
“The first word that springs to mind when I think of Inishturk is ‘connections’,” says Michael Colton from Tyrone, the husband of local woman Trish. The couple, along with their children, regularly stay on the island, especially during the holidays.
“Whether you are family or not, islanders shake your hands and get to know you,” he adds. “My father-in-law, Paddy O’Toole, tends to his garden regularly as it allows him to chat to other locals or tourists exploring the island.”
This welcoming spirit is reflected in an installation on the north side of the island, overlooking the dramatic cliffs and sea stacks. Resembling a temple, Tale of the Tongs serves as a spiritual and cultural focal point honouring the islanders who were forced to abandon the remote destination for survival, as well as those who were able to stay.
Unlike Clare Island, where the frescoes are centuries old, this striking artwork was created more recently, in 2013. The title Tale of the Tongs initially confuses me, but I learn that it refers to a beautiful local custom.
According to project manager and islander Danny O’Toole, emigrants would use tongs to carry a piece of coal to the home of their relatives or loved ones before departing. When they, or a family member generations later, returned to Inishturk, they would retrieve the tongs and coal to rekindle their fire once again.
Danny says, “The monument represents the home fires — the welcome home, the leavers’ forever place in the heart of the island, and of course the dream that they would return.”
The project was created as part of The Gathering, the tourism-focused initiative designed to encourage our diaspora to visit and was a collaboration between Mayo County Council and the Catholic University of America’s School of Architecture and Planning. The team utilised local stone, glass and stainless steel, combining both modern and traditional building techniques.
Danny adds: “The various walls and glass structures are inscribed with the islanders’ surnames and represent the family names that have scattered to the four corners of the world.”
Although islanders and tourists regularly visit it, Tale of the Tongs has admirers no matter the time, no matter the season – the rams and sheep grazing on the surrounding grass, or the gulls, puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes and peregrine falcons soaring overhead. Quick-witted islanders have since christened it the Acropolis of Ireland.
Valentia Island
Even the ancient Greeks would have been astounded by the age of several footprints in Valentia, off the coast of Kerry. Beneath the island’s well-known weather station lies a remarkable milestone in evolution: faint tetrapod imprints, believed to be around 385 million years old.
My family has been flocking to this Munster paradise for decades, and in the late 1990s, just a few years after the tetrapods were discovered, a wave of excitement swept through the island because National Geographic had just featured the find. Even Mick O’Connell, the local GAA legend known for his composure both on and off the pitch, insisted that my family view them.
International media and geologists alike hailed the imprints as the earliest fossilised examples of a prehistoric creature in Europe, and possibly worldwide, marking the transition of life from water to land.
On a more recent trip to Valentia, I encounter more unusual footprints on the beaches, roads and fields. Except on this occasion, they belong to Chewbacca, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt and stormtroopers.
Valentia Island, as part of the wider Skellig Coast region, has become associated with Star Wars, thanks to the blockbuster franchise filming at nearby Skellig Michael. Building on the growing interest from film fans in the area, the island, along with the fishing village of Portmagee on the mainland, launched the May the 4th Festival in 2018. The three-day event celebrated Star Wars and the significance of the Skellig Islands as the centre of the Jedi Universe.
Five years on, it has evolved into the May the 4th Sci-Fi Film Festival, the first of its kind in Ireland, drawing entries from professionals and amateurs worldwide, including the United States, India and the UK.
“The quality of production is, in many cases, exceptional, especially when considering that many of the filmmakers and production teams involved are enthusiastic amateurs and sci-fi film fans,” says Portmagee native John Murphy, who, along with his brother James, is one of the festival’s founders.
He describes the event as a respectful way to honour the region’s filmmaking heritage, free from the “tackiness” which has sadly affected other international film locations.
He and his brother, both owners of Portamagee Whiskey, have numerous plans for the festival, including recognising the growing popularity of AI-generated filmmaking. John also mentions that they’re receiving support from Fáilte Ireland to enhance the digital profile and capabilities of the festival.
“In the future, we expect to continue to grow in national and international awareness and esteem and engage additional locations on the Skellig Coast to run more fringe events.”
He proudly mentions that the festival has been “a massive hit” with local families, claiming it’s a fun and free event, perfectly suited to entertain not just film fans but children as well.
On the subject of families, similar to Clare Island and Inishturk, young people who grew up in the area are increasingly returning to raise their young families here. Even though there are fewer than 700 residents on Valentia, for instance, the island offers numerous opportunities, both professionally and personally.
In previous centuries, islanders earned their livelihoods from fishing, farming, construction and communications. Today, employment prospects have expanded due to the evolving world of technology and the increasing ability of people to work remotely, particularly following the pandemic.
While John agrees that more people are making rural Kerry their home, he contends that for these communities to survive, ongoing investment in enterprises and a culture of entrepreneurship are essential.
Of course, like many islands along the Irish coast, Valentia depends heavily on its tourism industry. Thanks to Kerry’s designation as a Dark Skies Reserve, the season now extends beyond the summer months. And suppose it succeeds in securing UNESCO recognition for the first transatlantic telegraph cable between Valentia and Newfoundland, Canada, which enabled communication between the Old and New Worlds. In that case, the region will become busier than ever.
Achill Island
“I just don’t like ye no more.”
This line marked a crucial moment between Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell’s characters in The Banshees of Inisherin, a film that portrays the sudden end of a male friendship. Luckily, this sentiment is seldom echoed by the thousands of visitors who flock to Co Mayo’s Achill Island, which, along with Inis Mór in neighbouring Galway, served as the main filming locations.
Chris McCarthy from Achill’s tourist office praises the film’s impact on the island since it wowed audiences at the Venice Film Festival in 2022.
“Even before the release, the film had invested €1.7 million into the local economy, from food and accommodation to security and transport,” he reveals.
“Then the film was a huge success, with nine Oscar nominations and multiple wins at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes. International audiences wanted to know where the locations were because the director, Martin McDonagh, captured their beauty so well.”
Chris, an Achill local, proudly admits to watching the dark comedy over 10 times. His love for the film is shared by hundreds worldwide. In the year following the premiere, the island welcomed a “constant troupe of movie buffs visiting the locations.”
While the pub, JJ Devine’s, was built specifically for the production, many of the other structures captured on screen were real or partly real, including the 19th-century St Thomas’ Church near Dugort, and Purteen Harbour, which was transformed into a busy port.
Martin McDonagh also included Keem, one of the island’s five Blue Flag beaches, often recognised as Ireland’s most beautiful. It lies between Moyteoge Head and Croaghaun Mountain, Europe’s highest sea cliffs [although less accessible than the better known, but not as high, Sliabh Liag in Co Donegal]. Basking sharks swim in the waters; thankfully, they’re incredibly friendly (“like the islanders – unless provoked, of course,” one local tells me with a wink).
Building on the film’s success, Mayo County Council has installed signage for a Banshees of Inisherin trail connecting these various locations. After launching in 2024, the new attraction has proven popular among the many outdoor enthusiasts who use the Great Western Greenway – a 44-kilometre walking and cycling route across the region.
Referring to the recent summer season, Chris tells me that “the weather hasn’t been bad, which has contributed greatly to people visiting, and the foreign holidays have now started to have weather issues, which is all the better for the west of Ireland.”
Unsurprisingly, McDonagh was not the first artist to draw inspiration from Achill, Ireland’s largest island, home to around 2,500 residents. Writers like Graham Greene and Nobel laureate Heinrich Böll were once familiar figures here, as was Paul Henry, arguably the most influential Irish landscape artist of the 20th century, who was accompanied by his talented wife, Grace. Other renowned artists captivated by the island include Camille Souter and Letitia Marion Hamilton.
Alongside pipe band parades and annual film and harp festivals, the spot hosts the Scoil Acla summer school — an academy for music, arts and the Irish language. (Achill is officially a Gaeltacht.)
While the island has already experienced a rise in recognition following the success of The Banshees of Inisherin, Chris says that locals are determined to maintain momentum and ensure that island life appeals to future generations, who may be contemplating a return or relocation here. There are those two words again, “future generations”.
“The global travel site Big 7 Travel recently released its annual list of the world’s best islands,” he proudly reveals. “Achill Island was ranked number eight on the list.”
Chris continues: “We’re committed to offering inhabitants a range of social activities and facilities, including surfing schools and GAA clubs. What’s interesting about Achill is that when we’re outside the busy summer season, we become more connected. We know everyone and are always there for each other.”
