The long west coast of Ireland – stretching from Donegal’s Inishowen peninsula south through rugged Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare to the windswept Kerry coast and swinging east again to the gentle, fertile landscapes of east Cork – encapsulates some of the best and most dramatic aspects of the Irish landscape. Oscar Wilde described the region in the west of County Galway as “a savage beauty” and “in every way magnificent”.
The fine, white-sand beaches of the region are among the best in the world, and increasingly the west of Ireland offers a gastronomic feast into the bargain. Come here for peace, remoteness and fresh air, for superb walking and trekking opportunities, for a distinctive culture of traditional music and art, and sometimes to hear the Irish tongue spoken as a first language.
