After a quick breakfast, Claire and Michael P were quick to load Hadleigh, Michelle, and I into the car for a trip to Achill Island.
Claire (Michael’s wife, Michelle’s mother) was thoughtful to discuss the timing of today in detail last night, as we have a long journey from County Mayo to County Kerry this afternoon.
About 1.5 hours west of the Moran’s home in Castlebar is beautiful Achill Island. Achill is Ireland’s largest offshore island— known for its dramatic sea cliffs and beaches.
Considerate of our tight timeline, Michael P asked if we’d prefer the scenic route that would add about 10 minutes to our day trip. We didn’t hesitate to opt for the scenic route— boy am I glad we did.
Michael P was our personal tour guide for the day. He made half a dozen stops over the course of the day, each time pointing upcoming stops, areas of interest, and little known facts along the way.
Our first stop was Minaun Heights— a high mountain viewpoint on the Island. Michael P pointed out Keem and Keel beach where we ventured off to next.
Keel Beach, about 4km long is just down the hill. Keem Beach is further off in the distance.
Lynott’s Pub is the smallest and oldest pub on the island. It’s tucked away next to old barns and is hard to spot unless you know what to look for. Capacity is about 30 people!
Onward Michael drove us up a mountain side towards little Keem Beach. What a hidden gem!
Quick crepe and coffee break before heading back to the Moran’s to pack up the van and head to County Kerry.
Keel Beach. Somewhere we’d like to spend more time at in the future!
Hadleigh’s cousin Eimear and her 8 month old son Oscar came by the Moran’s before we left. First time meeting sweet Oscar!
“Aunt” Claire was so kind to send us off with our laundry washed and campervan fridge packed full of good eats. She insisted we leave on time and text her as soon as we arrive in Kerry.
Google Maps took us a slightly different route out of the Moran’s road. Some stray sheep required guidance by Miss Hadleigh!
We’ve nearly made it to Inch Beach, County Kerry. We can’t believe the scenery! It’s like the Patagonia logo!
We arrived at Inch Beach Campground, just across the street from the beach and settled in. We discovered that many folks opt to drive onto the beach and camp for the night (though this isn’t technically legal). We were happy with our choice to secure safe digs for the night. Especially once we began walking down the beach to the music festival that Hadleigh’s friend Keeva invited us to.
About 10 minutes into our walk down the beach, Jake spotted a Mercedes with is hazards on.
“Look!” Jake pointed, “that car is stuck!”
Eager to help, we all hurried over to find two young ladies in a bit of a panic. Thankfully, after digging out behind all four wheels and teaming up to push the car, we were able to send the two ladies on their way— before the tide came back in!
A fun evening full of music, laughs, and dancing followed. Many shooting stars were spotted overhead— a meteor shower tonight!
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