Staying in Co Mayo and what to see and do during your stay

Co Mayo is the third-largest county in Ireland by area but has a population of just over 130,000. This means there is plenty of space, less traffic, more stunning scenery to be enjoyed, and a slower pace of life. However, there is no shortage of beautiful places to stay and interesting things to visit and do, should you choose a break in the county.

Ireland’s Hotel Planner works with a selection of Hotels in Mayo, giving you the choice of where in the county you would like to base yourself or your Active Retirement Group.

Mayo has a long and dramatic coastline featuring cliffs, blue-flag beaches, and sea caves as well as mountains, bogland, a national park, and numerous offshore islands. It truly is a magnificent county to visit.

Ireland’s Hotel Planner has compiled its own top eight list of places to visit/things to do. Hopefully, they will help you decide whether Mayo is the place for your next group holiday and if it is, help you begin to plan your visit.

1. Achill Island including the Atlantic Drive, Keem Bay, and the Deserted Village. Here you will get to see the most dramatic of Achill’s scenery and learn of its often harsh and tragic past.

2. Downpatrick Head and the Ceide Fields. Located in North Mayo this area features all the majesty of the edge of the world and the roaring Atlantic combined with an ancient archaeological wonder.

3. Croagh Patrick, the National Famine Monument, and Murrisk Abbey. All located at the same site just south of Westport. There is much to do, whether you plan to climb the holy mountain or would prefer to learn more about the history of this stunning area. Extensive views of Clew Bay are yours even after just a short climb!

4. Mayo’s museums. Great examples include the National Museum of Country Life just outside Castlebar, the Michael Davitt museum in the village of Straide, and the Jackie Collins Collection in Ballina.

5. Westport Town and House. Westport town is an award-winning and very picturesque town that retains it’s friendly, market town feel while boasting an array of cosmopolitan shops and restaurants. There is always a buzz of entertainment in this town both summer and winter! Westport House Estate is well worth a visit with its beautiful grounds and grand estate house.

6. Mayo’s villages. There are many interesting villages and small towns to visit while in Mayo. These include Foxford (home of the woollen mills), Louisburgh (on the shores of Clew Bay) and Cong (on Lough Corrib and just outside the walls of Ashford Castle).

7. Ballina’s ruins. There are many impressive ecclesiastical ruins in and around the town of Ballina. These include the friary of Moyne Abbey, Rosserk Friary and Rathfran Abbey, among others. Ballina also boasts the gothic St Muredach’s cathedral located on the banks of the River Moy.

8. Entertainment. Mayo is a fantastic county for entertainment with theatres, many traditional music sessions in the pubs, classical music performances and everywhere you go there is a warm welcome for all visitors.

   (Due to Covid 19, restrictions are presently in place in Ireland, please call ahead to clarify these before you confirm your plans)

   Use Discount Code TARA below for a further little discount with rewardingbreaks.ie

Coach Trip from Dublin to Sligo - Sunday 28th June 2020

Sunday 28th June 2020 – Coach Trip from Dublin to Sligo

This four-night break in the west of Ireland is the perfect getaway from the big city to scenic Co Sligo. Discover a friendly, welcoming atmosphere as well as activities, entertainment and relaxation at our 4 star town centre hotel in Sligo.

Included in this great value package

Luxury coach transfers depart the Skylon Hotel in Dublin at 11.00am on Sunday 28th June to bring you directly to the 4 star Sligo Southern Hotel. Included for you are four nights’ accommodation in a comfortable, tastefully appointed bedroom with a full buffet breakfast on each morning and a four-course dinner each evening in the Garden Room Restaurant.

Nightly entertainment is also provided and includes live entertainment and dancing. We also offer you complimentary access to our leisure facilities including swimming pool, sauna, steam room and modern gym, throughout your stay.

You will return to Dublin once again via luxury coach transfer, after a leisurely breakfast, on Thursday 2nd July. The Package is Priced at only €279.00pps for further details and bookings call Tara 094 9384875

Explore and discover Sligo

Sligo is the home of Yeats and Countess Markiewicz; of country houses and endless coastal views; the Lake Isle of Innisfree and the striking silhouettes of Benbulben and Mullaghmore. You will have the chance to explore a selection of the many visitor attractions of this part of County Sligo with the Surprise Day Tour which is included and fully organised for you.

With our town centre location, you will be able to enjoy all that this vibrant town has to offer in boutique shops, riverside eateries and cultural attractions, within a short walk. Ideal for those travelling alone, for couples, small or large groups and clubs, contact us today to secure your booking on this popular summer break.

NEW - Turkey and Tinsel Break at the 4 Star Sligo Southern hotel

Turkey and Tinsel at the 4 Star Sligo Southern Hotel

FULLY BOOKED

Please call Tara to be added to cancellation list.

The 4 Star Sligo Southern Hotel in Sligo Town is a family owned and operated hotel with a blend of elegance and intimacy of a more gracious age, with the best of modern comforts. Originally constructed by the Southern Railways in 1928, as a resort hotel and then Great Southern Hotel was one of the first resort hotels in Ireland.
Located beside both the train and bus station in the heart of Sligo. The Sligo Southern Hotel is the only 4 star town centre hotel in Sligo with a full Leisure Centre & pool, a children’s pool, sauna, steam room and a fully air conditioned gym.

 Our rooms are tastefully decorated to the highest standards. Accommodation comprises of 93 well-appointed bedrooms and suites, with a direct dial telephone, multi-channel television, hair dryer, tea and coffee making facilities and complimentary Wifi.

Sunday 24th November 2019

Sunday 1st December 2019

The package includes 5 nights, dinner, bed & breakfast with welcome mulled wine on arrival, traditional Christmas Dinner, lots of fun, festive nightly entertainment & free use of Leisure facilities. 

Price: €239.00 per person sharing.

To book call 071 9162101 or Call Tara on 087 0505773

tara@irelandshotelplanner.ie

Who said winter in the west of Ireland is a quiet time?

It has been a busy and a very interesting time. Hospitality and tourism in Mayo are vibrant sectors, where there is always something happening, and this is what helps makes my job so enjoyable.

Bridal Fashion Show and Wedding Fair

I was asked to be the MC at the Bridal Fashion Show as part of the recent Westport Woods Hotel Wedding Fair. It was great fun and made me remember the excitement of planning a wedding! The fabulous wedding clothes on show were from Eddie Murphy’s Menswear and Whitethorn Bridal, two local suppliers. There were also many wedding exhibitors from the Mayo area including Concord Wedding Band, Enchanted Wedding Company, Ribbons & Bows, Mayo Wedding Bells, Precious Days and Kayla McDonagh Wedding Music.

I took the opportunity to chat to some of the exhibitors present and came away with so many tips and hints that I now feel I could take up wedding planning!  There was a contagious air of excitement and anticipation at the wedding fair as soon-to-be married couples made plans for their big day. I could not help but share in their excitement.

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Destination Mayo

As you know, part of my business is selling Mayo and its many attractions to groups and societies from all over Ireland. I usually feel that I know my county and what it has to offer pretty well but then I find there is always more to discover. I am delighted to accompany visitors to our many tourist attractions – cultural, historic and scenic, and in the process learn more about this wonderful part of the country. This month I had the pleasure of doing just that with two groups of over 30 group leaders each, hailing from all over Ireland. One of the things we do really well in Mayo is our visitor centres. With such a rich and long history there is plenty for the visitor to discover not to mention a native like myself!

Michael Davitt Museum

Naturally I was very proud to start the day by bringing the groups to my home village of Straide, birthplace of Irish patriot Michael Davitt. The museum in his honour at the centre of the village is housed in a beautiful restored 17th century church and really is a treasure to visit. It has recently received a Travellers’ Choice Award and was also voted Number 5 in the Trip Advisor Top Ten Museums in Ireland. Michael Davitt was a hugely influential figure in both Ireland and Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was one of the founders of the Land League who fought for and succeeded in achieving land ownership for the Irish people. He was also a politician, a founding member of the GAA and a patron of Glasgow Celtic Football Club. He died in 1906 and is buried at Straide. On our visit to the museum we were given an excellent presentation to begin with by members of the staff who are a fountain of knowledge and very passionate about their subject. We even had the opportunity to hold a Gun (de-activated) from World War 1. This unique museum is definitely worth a visit whether you are from Mayo or simply have an interest in Irish history.

 Jackie Clarke Collection

Our next stop was the Jackie Clarke Collection which is located in Ballina. Collected over his lifetime by Ballina business man Jackie Clarke it was donated to the people by his widow Ann in 2005. It is the most important private collection of Irish history material in public hands, comprising over 100,000 items spanning 400 years. It includes artefacts associated with Theobald Wolfe Tone; letters from Michael Collins, Douglas Hyde, Michael Davitt and O’Donovan Rossa. It also contains rare books, proclamations, posters, political cartoons, pamphlets, handbills, works by Sir John Lavery, maps, hunger strike material and personal items from Leaders of the 1916 Rising.

You could easily spend a full day here and again the staff are superb and very informative. An introductory film is watched before you begin your journey through the house. The museum is located in a grand Victorian house, built in 1881 and previously the Provincial Bank. It is a fitting setting for such an important collection.

Foxford Woollen Mills

The final destination on this trip was Foxford Woollen Mills where we enjoyed a mill tour, providing us with the history of the mills and their importance to the local community since their inception in 1892. It is an extraordinary story and one of great courage and hope. The mill has moved with the times and nowadays master craftspeople produce contemporary designs that are exported all over the world. Tradition still exists as techniques have been handed down through generations to the present day. This is another great visitor centre in Mayo which is definitely worth your time. Following this the group had a meal and then there was even time for shopping to finish the day!

Network Ireland Mayo Branch

This month I was thrilled to receive an invitation to join the committee of the Network Ireland Mayo Branch. It is a superb organisation for business people like myself which allows us to network in many different ways as well as offering mentoring and training, I am delighted to be asked to be involved in the organisation of my local branch.

Who said winter in the west of Ireland is a quiet time?