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LITTLE WONDER THE WEST OF IRELAND is top of most must-see lists – apart from the weather, it has it all. Mayo offers wild, romantic beauty, but without the crowds. Timeless , with its bogs, lonely valleys, white beaches and intriguing villages, is one of Europe’s most stunning corners.

For fun and frolic, Westport and Galway deliver, though you may never leave the cosy bars of or the mesmerising landscapes of and .

Counties Kerry and Cork feature Ireland’s iconic scenery: crenulated coastlines, green fields criss-crossed by stone walls, ancient sites and mist-shrouded peaks. A plethora of fine eateries, pubs and entertainment add to the rewards.

Galway The banks of the River Corrib (Trips 1, 4, 21, 22, 23, 24) JOHN ELK/GETTY IMAGES © Bundoran Mullaghmore #\ #]

Grange#\ Galway & Rosses 4¼ LEITRIM Belderrig N15 #\ Ballycastle Easkey Point #\ #\ #\ #] the West of 4¼ Killala #\ Ballinaboy #\ FG25 R314 Bay #\ 4¼ Killala #\ N59 #\ Bangor Ireland #\ Erris Ballina#\ Ballinacarrow #\ Ballycroy #\ FG26 National #\ Lough Crossmolina Arrow Achill Dugort Park #\ #\ Lough Conn Island #\ SLIGO Kesh #\ Ballycroy 4¼N17 #\ #\ Foxford #\ Keel 4¼R319 #\ Charlestown Mulranny Swinford Curraun #\ 4¼ 4¼N5 N59 #\ Newport Frenchpark Peninsula #\ Clew #\ Kilkelly #\ Bay Clare 4¼N5 #\ 4¼ ROSCOMMON Island Louisburgh N60 #\ #\ Westport Knock Tulsk #\ 4¼N59 MAYO 4¼R335 4¼ Tourmakeady 4¼ #\ N61 #\ N17 Inishbofin Delphi #\ Roscommon #\ Leenane #\ #\ #\ Lough Ballinrobe Mask #\ #\ #\ Athleague Island 4¼R344 Cong 24 #\ #\ FG #\ #\ #\ 4¼N17 Mount Recess 4¼N59 4¼R341 #\ Lough GALWAY Bellew #\ Corrib Roundstone #\ 23 #\ 4¼N84 FG #\ #\ #\ #\ Galway #] 4¼M6 4¼R336 #\ Aughrim 4¼N18 Galway #\ Bay #\ #\ Inishmór Ballyvaughan #\ New Quay #\ ATLANTIC 4¼R477 #\ Carron #\ OCEAN Aran Kilfenora #\ Islands 4¼M18 Whitegate #\ #\ Liscannor #\ Corofin Lough Inagh 4¼R476 #\ CLARE Derg Nenagh #\ FG22 #\ Ennis 4¼M7 4¼N67 Ballina #\ 4¼M18 Doonbeg #\ 4¼N68 Shannon Kilkee #\ #\ #\ FG27 Bunratty 4¼R487 #\ #] Carrigaholt #\ 4¼R473 #\ 4¼N69 Kilbaha #\ #\ Foynes Tarbert #\ Adare 4¼N24 Mouth of Rathkeale #\ 4¼N21 the Shannon #\ Ballybunion Listowel #\ LIMERICK Newtown FG21 #\ #\ Banna KERRY #\ 4¼N20 Kilmallock Maharees #\ 4¼ Abbeyfeale #\ Islands Tralee N69 4¼ Charleville Bay Tralee N21 Cloghane #\ #\ #\ Newmarket Dingle Castleisland #\ Buttevant Castlemaine #\ Peninsula #\ #\ #\ 4¼N73 Fermoy #\ #\ 4¼N86 Farranfore Dunquin 4¼ Kanturk #\ 4¼N72 #\ Dingle #\ N72 Mallow Great 4¼N70 Killorglin Blasket #] Killarney #\ Millstreet Rathcormack #\ Kells #\ 4¼ 4¼M8 Moll's R582 4¼N20 Caherciveen #\ Killarney Iveragh Gap #\ National 4¼N22 Valentia Peninsula Macroom Midleton Park #\ Cork #\ Island #\ #] 4¼N70 Sneem 4¼N70 Kenmare 4¼N22 Waterville #\ #\ 4¼ #\ N71 Cobh #\ Lauragh CORK #\ Glengarriff #\ Caherdaniel Dunmanway #\ Bandon Beara 4¼R572 #\ #\ 4¼N71 #\ Peninsula #\Bantry Kinsale #\ Adrigole #\ Allihies Drimoleague #\ Durrus #\ #\ Timoleague Sheep's Head Ballydehob Clonakilty #\ #\ Peninsula #\ Rosscarbery #\ Skibbereen e# 0 50 km Goleen #\ 0 25 miles Baltimore Peninsula 232 Clear Island RICHARD CUMMINS/GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES CUMMINS/GETTY RICHARD DON'T MISS

Céide Fields One of the world’s major prehistoric sites still feels as undiscovered as it really was 50 years ago. Unearth it on Trip l

Inisheer A trip to the smallest of the Aran Islands will take you far from 21st- century living. Sail there on Trips mr

Connor Pass View of Mt Brandon Ennistymon This authentic market Best of the West 6 Days town in County Clare l The ultimate tour of Ireland’s best westerly gives a genuine taste of sights. (p235) country living. Savour its fine bars on Trips Musical Landscapes 5 Days mr m A ride round County Clare’s hottest trad music spots. (p247) Dingle Town Mountains & Moors 6 Days A colourful fishing n Connemara’s wilderness and cultivated village at the end of villages. (p257) the earth (well, the Connor Pass) provides Loughs of the West 3–4 Days delightful eateries, o The best of and Mayo’s lake and dolphin- and people- riverside routes. (p267) watching. Dive in on North Mayo & Sligo 4 Days Trip l p A windswept trip along the region’s rugged coastline. (p275) Galway Sligo Surrounds 5 Days You may find it hard to q A historic tour of WB Yeats’ backyard. (p283) leave the City of Tribes. County Clare 7 Days Go for its culture, r The beautiful Burren and the heritage town of conviviality and craic Clare. (p291) on Trips lmno

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