SHEAN LODGE FISHERY
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
Shean Lodge Fishery is set in the beautiful, yet untamed Ballycroy National Park. Although the primary reason for visitors come to Shean is to fish, they can also enjoy other activities such as hill walking on some of the excellent Mayo Walking Trails, the natural wild life and attractions such as the Ceide Fields, Westport House, or you might like to try your hand at deep-sea angling, world famous, nearby, and easily arranged.
Here are some of the delights to be discovered in this unique part of Ireland:
Céide Fields
The remarkable neolithic site at Céide Fields in County Mayo, Ireland, contains the oldest known stone-walled fields in the world – dating back nearly 6,000 years. Céide Fields overlooks the mighty Atlantic Ocean which gently laps (or vigorously pounds …. depending on the weather!) up against the cliffs below.
The landscape itself has been forged from the dramatic upheaval and movement of the earth’s crust over millions of years. The soil at Céide Fields has been constantly subjected to the conflicts of the weather. The warm Gulf Stream comes up past the American continent between Ireland and Iceland. In the opposite direction, cold deep waters flow south from the icy Arctic Ocean. The combination of all these factors has resulted in the wild beauty and uniqueness of this region in County Mayo, Ireland.
For more information see: https://ceidefields.com
National Museum of Ireland Turlough Park
Discover the rich traditions of Ireland in our Folklife Collection, set within 35 acres of lush parkland in Co. Mayo.
Explore Ireland's National Folklife Collection across four floors of modern, award-winning exhibition galleries. Objects, interactive audio and visual displays, rare photography and archive film footage depict the lifestyles, customs and traditions of our rural ancestors.
For more information see: https://www.museum.ie/en-ie/museums/country-life
Westport House
One of County Mayo’s best loved attractions. Considered a national treasure, discover over 300-years of history at Westport House in ‘Ireland’s Most Beautiful Home.’ Its legendary beginnings date back to Pirate Queen of Connacht Grace O’Malley, whose castle forms the foundations of Westport House.
Nestled alongside the bustling heart of Westport Town, Westport House provides the perfect escape to the wild beauty and adventure of the West of Ireland. Whether you’re staying in our premier campsite, spending the day in our new adventure park, grabbing a coffee at one of our delicious on-site eateries or taking in the history of our historic house; Westport House is a treasure trove of exceptional experiences for all ages. With Croagh Patrick on the horizon, Clew Bay in the distance and our 400-acre Estate at your fingertips, there’s no end to the adventures that await you.
For more information see: https://www.westporthouse.ie
Mayo Dark Sky Park
International Dark Sky Place of the Year 2024 - Where the darkest skies reveal the brightest stars
Mayo is now home to Ireland’s first International Dark Sky Park, showcasing some of the darkest, most pristine skies in the world. Nestled between the remote Nephin Mountain Range and the unspoiled Atlantic coastline, the Dark Sky Park extends across an area of 150km2. Its borders encompass the lands of Wild Nephin National Park.
Half the Park is After Dark
Wild Nephin National Park becomes Mayo Dark Sky Park at night. The site is completely free to access anytime, day or night and we have 3 signature viewing sites for you to choose from. Our darkest accessible site is the Brogan Carroll Bothy, which is located on the eastern side of the park and is approximately 20km north of Newport town (turning towards Furnace). This remote and beautiful location is stunning and offers visitors a range of walking loops from the Letterkeen trail head car park.
Further west and on the Wild Atlantic Way, the Ballycroy Visitor Centre is open daily (February – November), with interpretation and educational information on Wild Nephin National Park and Mayo Dark Sky Park. The grounds are accessible at night and visitors can enjoy a short looped walk on easy terrain at any time. Ballycroy Visitor Centre would not be the darkest of our sites as it is closer to the village but has easy road access from the N59.
On a clear night here in Mayo, you can see thousands of twinkling stars along with other planets in our solar system, The Milky Way and even meteor showers all with the naked eye. There’s so much you can discover by looking up at the night skies. We have committed to keeping the skies above us dark, for present and future generations to enjoy the wonder of a naturally dark night sky.
For more information see: https://www.mayodarkskypark.ie
Wild Nephin National Park
Wild Nephin National Park is situated on the entire East side of the Shean stretch of the Owenduff River, which thus forms one boundary with the National Park. The Park comprises 11,000 hectares and is uninhabited. It is made up entirely of Atlantic bog and mountain terrain; this is important because it is one of the last intact bogs in Ireland, indeed in Western Europe.
Please follow the link to The National Park web site which contains a wealth of information on the park and its environment. Of particular note is the uniqueness of the blanket bog; this depends on a rainfall of more than 2000mm per annum which allows the prolific growth of the sphagnum mosses, black bog rush, moor grass and bell heather which are some of the main ingredients of blanket bog.
In turn, this creates a perfect environment for the wildlife present, such as Greenland White-Fronted Geese, Golden Plover, Red Grouse and Otters to mention just a few. The prominent mammals are the Irish hare and recently returned Red Deer. The National Park Interpretative Centre in Ballycroy is well worth a visit. Included in it are some photographic images taken over the years by guests and some prize fish caught at Shean and a detailed explanation of exhibits on the fauna and flora.
Bird Watching
As a guest in Shean the wild life that encompasses you is conspicuous, especially the birds. Fishing with a pair of binoculars hung around one's neck can be recompensed by the extra birds discovered and otherwise missed. An exhaustive list is available here as well as details of all local fauna and flora.
It is exciting to be in residence at the Lodge in winter when the migratory birds are present such as Fieldfares, many species of Duck and Whooper Swans. They can be viewed from around the house, also in Keel in Achill and on Mulranny Strand. Stonechats, Barnacle Geese plus wading and sea birds abound.
BirdWatch Ireland has details and photographs of native birds and migrants and local branches that organise events, please visit their web site for news, events and information.
Hill Walking
If you are a Hill-Walker Shean is an ideal venue for all grades of walkers: from pleasant strolls around the trout lakes and along the river to a good workout on the mountain peaks. Here are a few ideas: on the doorstep is Bunmore, a two-hour walk in waist-high heather. Corryloughaphuill or Volcano Walk starts from the Bellagaravaun road. Follow the stream to the top of the hill to the lake, a sluice gate was built here to provide a flood on demand for anglers. It must have cost a fortune to construct; it's a great shame it didn’t work! Scardaun is another eight hour circular walk, and a hard one, of constantly changing landscape.
Shean is situated near to the Bangor Trail. It is a marvellous walk. What makes it so different is that virtually no habitation is encountered on the route. Leave plenty of time to complete the 22 kms, bring a mobile phone, a map of the route and make sure someone knows you are walking it.
Shean has easy access to the many walks of Achill Island. Robert Lloyd Praeger comments in his book, “The Way I Went" that “The best walk in all Ireland is from Keem Bay up to the Croaghaun cliffs that is climbed to Slievemor peak and return to Keem Bay.”
Walking on Mweelrea, the highest mountain in Mayo is achievable, but only in the summer. Don’t walk Nephin Mor, it’s not a pleasant experience, as it is entirely broken mountain, and one is in danger of falling.
The latest walking attraction is the Great Western Greenway together with its many loops, which can also be travelled on a hired cycle and is highly recommended. It is estimated that more than 200,000 people use it in a year.
Idyllic countryside, walking and cycling trails and the wild Atlantic coast. Escape the bustle of urban life on the 42km Greenway, the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland. The World Class Great Western Greenway is a traffic free cycling and walking trail which follows the route of the renowned Westport to Achill railway which closed in 1937. The Greenway traverses Ireland’s Atlantic coast between Westport town and Achill Island and visits the picturesque villages of Newport and Mulranny (Mallaranny). It passes by some of the West of Ireland’s most dramatic mountains and offers magnificent views of Clew Bay and its many islands. More information also on www.irishtrails.ie
Visit the Islands
There are many Islands to be visited. Achill Island is the largest on the coast with a population of 3,000. It has beautiful beaches, some of which specialise in wind surfing, sailing and canoeing, other islands that recommended are Inis Bigil and Clare Island.
Golf
Mayo has a number of courses and clubs to interest the serious golfer, such as:
Mulranny Golf Club
One of the finest 9 hole golf courses in the West of Ireland. Mulranny Golf Links is a wonderful nine-hole course set on the shores of Clew Bay in Mulranny Co Mayo. On a fine day it boasts fantastic views of Croagh Patrick and Clare Island as you look across Clew Bay. Each of the nine holes has unique features which pose different challenges to all categories of golfer. Mulranny also has the advantage of being close to Shean Lodge!
Carne Links Belmullet Golf Club
Carne in North Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland lies in magnificent unspoiled sand dunes overlooking Blacksod Bay and the wild Atlantic Ocean near the town of Belmullet. Erris in North Mayo is an area famed the world over for its golf course and white sandy Atlantic beaches that stretch for miles, its bountiful wildlife and warm welcome. Carne Golf Links was the last links course to be designed by the late Eddie Hackett and it is now believed by many who have played it to be his greatest challenge.
For details of all golf courses in Mayo, please click here
For more tourist information on County Mayo, please visit www.mayo.ie
For information from Fáilte Ireland, the Irish Tourist Board, please visit www.discoverireland.ie