Leenane Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Leenane or Leenaun is a village on the south shore of Killary fjord in County Galway, with a population of about 200. That fjord is the county boundary: the north shore and the little settlements of Aaleagh and Clog lie in County Mayo, but it's convenient to describe them here. Leenane in Irish is An Líonán, "where the tide fills"; it's set amidst sparse mountainous terrain and was the film location for Sheridan's "The Field" of 1990. At the head of the valley is the mountain Magairlí an Deamhain or Mogarlyandoon - "the devil's goolies" or testicles. English mapmakers pursed their lips and decided it would be nicer to call it "Devilsmother".

Leenane is on N59 between Clifden and Westport in County Mayo.

Bus Éireann 423 runs every two hours from Westport, where it meets the trains from Dublin, and takes an hour to Leenane. It continues to Letterfrack and Clifden, another 40 min. Change there for buses to Galway, there's none direct.

The bus stop in Leenane is at the junction of N59 and R336 towards Maam Cross.

You need a vehicle.

• 53.5965-9.69391 Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre, Leenane H91 P28K, ☏ +353 95 42323. Mid-Mar to Oct daily 9:30AM-5PM. Mostly a shop, but with a small museum demonstrating the history and traditional techniques of wool gathering and weaving. This 45 min "woolcraft experience" must be pre-booked. Adult €10, conc €7, child €4. (updated May 2025)
• 53.62-9.672 Aasleagh Falls are reached by a short walk up the Erriff River valley.
• 53.629-9.7523 Delphi valley is the scenic valley north of the fjord followed by R335. You pass the small Fin Lough to reach Doo Lough ("black lake"), hemmed in by 700- to 800-m mountains. A Celtic cross at its north end mourns events of 1849 in the Great Famine. Officials arrived in Louisburgh, Mayo to check on those claiming poor relief. For some reason this didn't happen, and the officials went on to Delphi, 12 miles south, to spend the night. They left word that those still wishing to claim relief must present themselves at Delphi at 7AM sharp next morning, or else! So many dozens, perhaps a few hundred, destitute malnourished people had to drag themselves through a cold wet night to Delphi. Seven bodies were found by the wayside, another nine never returned home, and the full death toll is not known.
• 53.515-9.564 Maam Valley is a glaciated U-shaped valley starting a little way south of Leenane, with the Joyce River coursing southeast to Lough Corrib. Road R336 follows the valley ("Maam" means a pass), so it's a natural driving route, part of the Connemara Loop. At its head are the Maamturk Mountains, which have several prehistoric and early historic sites, and ancient woodlands. A fossil found here in 2017 was a new species of brittle-star, now named Crepidosoma doylei. At Maam there's a junction: stay on R336 south to rejoin N59 at Maam Cross and reach Oughterard and Galway, or take R345 east for Clonbur, Cong and Tuam.

• Wild Atlantic Way is a motoring itinerary from Donegal right round the coast to Kinsale near Cork. Shorter stretches are suitable for hiking or cycling: northbound from Letterfrack take the lane to Tully Cross and along the shore east to Killary fjord and into Leenane. Continuing north, wind round the head of the fjord to follow R335 up the Delphi valley into Mayo.
• 53.5927-9.76871 Killary Adventure Company, Leenane H91 PY61, ☏ +353 95 43411, [email protected]. Daily 9AM-6PM. Activities include archery, kayaking, rock climbing, abseiling and gorge walking. (updated May 2025)
• 53.6001-9.73022 Killary Fjord Boat Tours make 90 min cruises. They sail April-Oct two or three times a day.
• Western Way is a long-distance trail starting in Oughterard and following the valley up to Maam. There it cuts west to cross the Maamturk Mountains into the Inagh valley, then north along that valley to wind into Leenane. It reaches the county boundary at Aasleagh, heads up the Erriff valley then over to Sheefry, and on north to Westport, Mayo. The trail goes all the way to County Sligo.
• 53.639-9.8323 Mweelrea is the 814 m (2671 ft) mountain brooding over the north side of the fjord. While the mountains southside in Galway are quartzite and other hard rocks, those to the north in Mayo are Ordivician sandstone. Mweelrea is from Irish Cnoc Maol Réidh, meaning "bald hill with a smooth top", as indeed it is. The quickest route is from the west, near the end of the lane at Cloonamanagh, which is a long way round from Leenane. It's a slog-in-a-bog however you approach.

• Hamiltons is the village shop, post office and filling station (so see "Drink", naturally), open M-F 9AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-1PM.

• Purple Door Cafe (formerly Blackberry), Leenane H91 K6P9, ☏ +353 879 419212. Apr-Oct daily 9AM-4PM. Pleasant cafe in village centre, dog friendly. (updated May 2025)

• Hamiltons Bar (village centre). Daily. Great pint and views. It's also the village store and filling station. (updated May 2025)
• Gaynor's Bar ("The Field"), Leenane H91 FF24 (next to Hamilton's), ☏ +353 954 2261. W-Su 11AM-11PM. Cozy bar with food. (updated May 2025)

• 53.5946-9.70471 Leenane Hotel, Clifden Rd, Leenane H91 NH93, ☏ +353 95 42249. Long-established welcoming mid-range hotel open Apr-Oct. B&B double €200. (updated May 2025)
• Portfinn Lodge, Clifden Rd, Leenane H91 W1W4 (500 m east of Leemane Hotel), ☏ +353 95 42265. Friendly trad B&B. Double (room only) €110. (updated May 2025)
• 53.5946-9.78222 Otter Hostel (formerly Connemara Hostel), Derrynasliggaun H91 TP63 (3.5 miles west of Leenane off N59), ☏ +353 95 43411. Hostel open Mar-Oct in converted 19th-century building looking onto Killary fjord. (updated May 2025)
• 53.622-9.75513 Delphi Resort, Tonatleva H91 DP08, ☏ +353 95 42208. Splendid getaway for outdoor activities in the wilds of south Mayo. B&B double €150. (updated May 2025)
• Wild Atlantic Hostel is next to Delphi Resort and managed by them.

As of May 2025, Leenane and the N59 from Clifden have 4G from all Irish carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

• Kylemore Abbey and Gardens are a few km west on the road to Letterfrack, which leads on to Clifden, or to Cleggan for ferries to Inishbofin Island.
• Go south through the scenic Maam valley to Oughterard and Galway.
• North is County Mayo: imagine Connemara only without the tourists, big towns and lush pastures.