Westport Things to Do

Knockranny Spa within the Knockranny hotel is a beautiful spa on the outskirts of Westport town. It has a freshwater pool surrounded by sandstone paving and muted lighting. There are a number of rooms off the pool including a sauna, steamroom, monsoon shower, brine inhalation room, and aromatherapy room. The best thing about it is that the few times I've been there, there has either been no-one else using the facility or one/two other people.
You can pay to use the pool, or it is included within the price of one of the treatments.

Was at The Legend Of Grainne Mhaol last night (Wed) and it blew me away. This is a musical type show telling the story of Grainne Mhaol, bit like Riverdance but on a smaller scale and I would say from the 2 standing ovations that its a lot more energetic and intimid. Having an interest in the great sea pirate Grace O' Malley this show tells it all. It is suitable for young, teenegers and old. Worth seeing if you're in Westport, Co. Mayo. Saw The Pirate Queen in New York and was disappointed however this amateur local version was unreal

Plenty of time to have a meal beforehand, would recommend for fish specials An Port Mór (award winning) or Mango's, or for pasta the one and only La Bella Vita or Torrino's. Quick bites from O Malleys or Cosy Joes. Posh dining Quay Cottage, The Wyatt, The Plaza or the exc Knockranny Hotel restaurant.

Whilst Westport House may bill itself as such a destination, do not be alarmed, the place is not an Irish version of Alton Towers an Irish Disneyland.

It has a couple of 'thrill' rides but these are very low key and understated. The giant slide, log flume, giant swans on the lake and indoor play with a mountain of brightly coloured balls are may keep an eight-year-old quite for a couple of hours by any teenager will inform you in no uncertain terms that this is the most boring place on the face of the planet.

I also fail to understand quite what the attraction of "One of Ireland's largest collections of farm buildings" has to offer - Ireland is such a rural country most local visitors could see this sort of stuff day in and day out.

Westport house itself, however, is well worth the 11euro 50 entry money as it is one of the finest Georgian houses you will ever see - all white walls, black and gold furniture. The setting and gardens are also quite spectacular.

My wife always mentions that she went here on a schopol trip as a little girl. After she trooped round the house which included the dining room all laid out for a meal, she presumed that they would later all sit down for a meal. Such delusiuons of granduer - I bet there were few tears on the bus home that day.

Westport house operates a 'passport' system, whereby each of it's attractions can be visted once (or sometimes two or three times) during a visit.

The House and grounds are, of course, the main attraction. You will also find a minature railway with dancing monkeys, a smallish water slide, a mini-zoo, pitch and putt, adventure playground and slippery slide.

It makes for a fair afternoon's entertainment for children aged 3-8, but I would think anyone over that age would want something witha bit more 'meat' to it. You won't find anything white-knuckle hidden in the woods here.

The swans are in fact pedalos (cycle powered plastic rafts) which you can paddle around the lake. Although no mention of the folklaw is given on the website, I am reliably informed that the swans are supposed to bring to mind the Legend of the children of Lir from Celtic mythology. The best account I can find of the tale is from Class 3 of Scoil Mhuire Primary School, so thanks to them for the story....

Once there lived a man called Lir. He had four children their names were Fionnula, Aodh, Fiachra and Conn. They were very happy till their mother died. Then Lir got married again to Eva. She was now the childrens' stepmother. Eva thought Lir loved Fionnula, Aodh, Fiachra and Conn more than he loved her. So one day Eva called for her chariot.
Eva brought the children for a swim. The children went for a swim and Eva got her wand out. She put a spell on the children and changed them into swans. She said that they would be 300 years in Lough Derravaragh, 300 years on the Sea of Moyle and 300 years in the Western Sea. Eva went home and Lir asked her where were the children. Eva told him what had happened to the children. Eva told Lir that she put a spell on the children so Lir got the wand and changed Eva into a demon of the air and he never saw Eva again. He went out to find the four children. He could not find them. He went home.
When 300 years were up Fionnula said "it¹s time to go to the Sea of Moyle". It was very cold in the Sea of Moyle. One night a bad storm came. There was thunder and lightning. They were all very sad so Fionnula put them under her wings. They were happy under her wings. 300 years were over so they went to the Western Sea. One day a bell went and the four swans became people again. They were blessed by a holy man. They were really old and died straight away.

Just 10kms from Westport (and you can clearly see it from the town) lies the mass of Croagh Patrick. the mountain where St Patrick reputedly spent all of one Lent on praying before driving out the snakes and converting all of Ireland into a 'Catholic Home win'.

Climbing his mountain takes a couple of hours, and is quite arduous towards the top as you have to scamble over a giant cone of rocks before arriving at the small church on the summit.

The climb is always worth it for the spectaular views - but you could join thousands of others (some barefoot) on 'reek sunday', the Last in July and on St Patricks holy day (17th march).

When you begin the climb, look out for the small well from where St Patrick baptised his first converts.

NB Things have moved on in Ireland : These days you get baptised with several pints of the Black stuff, whilst listening to U2 on your i-pod and watching a re-run of 'Father Ted' (allegedly)

PS please see my account of climbing it on Reek sunday in the travelogue

Learning to Surf? Check out Surf Mayo. Mayo's number 1 surfing school. They run classes and courses from mid march to mid november, or you can also hire boards and wetsuits if you don't need a lesson.

Take the coast road, west out of Westport, continue on to the west road for approx. 10 miles until you come to Louisburgh town. Go straight through Louisburgh and continue on west for another 3 miles until you see a sign pointing to the right for Carrownisky Strand . Surf mayo are about 4 minutes down that road.

Glenanns sailing club is on an island called Collanmore off the coast of westport, and the pier where you get the boat out to it is about 5 miles from Westport town.
If you want to learn sailing for the week/weekend, I would definitely recommend this place. From about april until october they run sailing courses for all levels. All tuition, accomodation and food is included in the price and they have fantastic 'sessions' in the island pub in the evenings (until 3/4 in the mornings!) just to make it that little bit more challenging to go out in a boat the next morning. What better way to cure a hangover though than to immerse yourself in the 'refreshing' atlantic waters!
Glennans sailing club on collanmore island is one of three the glennans sailing group do. There's one in France, and one also in Baltimore, Co. Cork (larger boats/Cruisers). The Collanmore location teaches Windsurfing and sailing on lasers, picos, and catamarans etc.