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Uillean piper at Pollagh Church, Achill Island
A piper who was playing in a pipers' band at the Confirmation ceremony at the church in 1984.
A peat bog showing cut turf.
A peat bog on Achill Island, showing the layers of where the turf has been cut and the turf drying in small piles above the waterlogged area that the turf has been cut from.
The Achill to Clare Island ferry, the Very Likely
The ferry goes from Kildavnet pier to Clare Island. On this particular trip in 2020 it was taking the Achill doctor Noreen Lineen Curtis to her weekly surgery on Clare Island.
Dr. Noreen Lineen-Curtis
Dr. Noreen Lineen-Curtis in 2020, taking the 'Very Likely' ferry from Achill Island to Clare Island for her weekly surgery there. She has since left her position as the doctor for Achill Island but continues her role in providing a service to the people of Clare Island and the island of Inishbiggle.
A currach or curragh at Bullsmouth, Achill Island
This currach at Bullsmouth is used to take people over to Inishbiggle island which is just across from this slipway. The curragh is a wooden frame boat covered with canvas coated with tar. It is a very lightweight craft etc.
A moored Currach or curragh
A currach moored off the village of Dooega, Achill Island. The currach is a type of lightweight Irish boat with a wooden frame, over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, though now canvas is more usual. The construction and design of the curragh are unique to the west coast of Ireland. Traditionally they would be rowed but many now such as this one are used with an engine.
Animal skull on Achill beach
A porpoise skull on the long sandy beach at Dugort, Achill Island.
Keem beach, Achill Island
The beach at Keem, a very beautiful and remote beach which was once the centre of the shark fishing industry in Achill.
Abandoned cottage on Achillbeg
A cottage on Achillbeg which is a small island just off the coast of Achill Island which from a population of 200 in the mid to late 1800's became uninhabited in 196. Much of the land is still owned by families of those who left and many surviving Achillbeg islanders live within sight of their old homes.
Passenger on the Very Likely ferry to Clare Island
Passenger on the ferry, The Very Likely, going from Kildavnet on Achill Island over to Clare Island.
A currach or curragh on Keem beach, Achill Island.
A traditional lightweight fishing boat with a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, though now canvas is more usual. The construction and design of the currach are unique to the west coast of Ireland.
Achillbeg Lighthouse
Achillbeg Lighthouse was established in 1965, to coincide with the closure of the lighthouse on Clare Island. It is a square concrete building with a 9 metre high tower or murette on which the lantern is mounted.
A currach or curragh on Keem Beach, Achill Island
A traditional lightweight fishing boat with a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched. Now tarred canvas is more usually used.
Currachs or curraghs at Dooega, Achill Island
Traditional lightweight fishing boats constructed of a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, but now tarred canvas is more usually used.
Currachs or curraghs at Dooega, Achill Island
Traditional lightweight fishing boats constructed of a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched but now they are usually covered with tarred canvas. at Dooega, Achill Island
Currachs or curraghs at Dooega, Achill Island
Traditional lightweight fishing boats constructed of a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, but now tarred canvasis more usual.
Currachs or curraghs at Keem, Achill Island
Traditional lightweight fishing boats constructed of a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides were once stretched but now tarred canvas is more often used. These currachs are at Keem Beach, a very beautiful remote sandy beach at the north west of the island.
Currachs or curraghsat Dooega, Achill Island
Several currachs turned upside down at the harbour at Dooega.
Currachs or curraghs at Dooega, Achill Island
Upturned currachs in the harbour at Dooega.
Currach or curragh at Dooega, Achill Island
This is a very newly tarred currach drying in Dooega harbour.
Currach or curragh on Keem beach, Achill Island
currach landed on Keem beach, which is famous for being visited each year by large numbers of basking sharks which were once hunted off Keem beach by fishermen in currachs.
Currach or curragh at Kildavnet, Achill Island
An upturned currach at the small harbour of Kildavnet on Achill Island.
Currach or curragh at Kildavnet, Achill Island
There is a small harbour at Kildavnet on Achill Island this is a currach moored alongside the pier there. Nearby is one of the castles that were built by Granuaile (Grace O'Malley) the Pirate Queen.
Currach or curragh landing at Achillbeg
A currach coming ashore on to the small island of Achillbeg located to the south of Achill Island. Achillbeg was inhabited until 1965 when the inhabitants were settled on Achill Island. This photo shows people who had lived there returning to visit making the short journey from Cloughmore Pier across the water to the island.There are a small number of holiday homes there but it is most often deserted.
Currach or curragh landing at Achillbeg
Fisherman coming ashore at Achillbeg. The Curraune peninsula can be seen in the background.
Currach or curragh outside house, Achill Island
A newly tarred currach outside a cottage on Achill.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Ben Dempsey 13 - 2019 Connaught champion - at the Achill Boxing Club for young people run by Pete Digweed in a disused school at Shraheen, Achill Island.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Hope Gallagher at the Achill Boxing club for young people run by Pete Digweed in a disused school at Shraheens, Achill Island in May 2019.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Aine Curtis at the Achill Boxing Club, run by Pete Digweed in a disused school on Achill Island in May 2019.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Erin Corrigan at the Achill Boxing Club, run by Pete Digweed in a disused school on Achill Island in May 2019.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Aine Curtis at the Achill Boxing Club, run by Pete Digweed in a disused school on Achill Island in May 2019.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Ben Dempsey, Ãine Curtis, Erin Corrigan and Hope Gallagher at the gym at the Achill Boxing Club in May 2019.
Ben Dempsey, Ãine Curtis, Erin Corrigan and Hope Gallagher at the gym at the Achill Boxing Club
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island in May 2019
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Hope Gallagher at the Achill Boxing Club gym in May 2019.
Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island
Achill Boxing Club, mural and punching dummy bag, May 2019.
Members of Achill Boxing Club, Achill Island, May 2019
Members of the Achill Boxing Club sitting on a wall outside the club with the sea and the Curraune peninsula behind them in May 2019.
Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit
A quote on the wall of the Achill Boxing Club, based on a quote attributed to Vince Lombardi an American coach.
Michael Patten in field in Dooega in 1984
On the west coast of Ireland, potatoes were usually grown in 'lazy beds'. This method of growing produces a good crop of potatoes in a smaller space.
Achillbeg
Empty houses on the now uninhabited Achillbeg Island, a small island just off the coast of Achill.
Curraun Point, Dugort, Achill Island, 2002
Shell middens and houses eroding out of the sand dunes at Carraun Point. Every time I revisit this area, more stonework has been exposed but it soon just collapses into the sand.
Curraun Point, Dugort, Achill Island 2002
Shell middens and houses revealed by the eroding sand dunes at Carraun Point. Every time I revisit this area more of the stonework and middens have been revealed.
Curraun Point, Dugort, Achill Island 2002
Shell middens and the walls of houses revealed by the eroding sand dunes at Carraun Point.
Curraun Point, Dugort, Achill Island 2002
Shell middens and the walls of houses revealed by the eroding sand dunes at Carraun Point, Achill Island 2002
Curraun Point, Dugort, Achill Island
Shell middens and the walls of houses revealed by the eroding sand dunes at Carraun Point, 2002
Slipway
Slipway used for boats going over to Inishbiggle Island.
Currach or curragh landing at Achillbeg.
Currach or curragh coming ashore at the beach at Achillbeg to collect visitors who had spent the day there.
Currach or curragh landing
A currach or curragh taking visitors who have been exploring Achillbeg, back to Achill Island.
Currach or curragh
A fisherman in his currach travelling across from Currane to Achillbeg.
Currach or curragh
Currach with Currane in the background.
Currach or curragh
Fisherman coming towards the shore in his currach with an engine fitted.
Pile of turf outside cottage, Achill Island
Traditional cottage with a 'clamp' of turf outside ready to use.
Lumping turf 1
Achill islander on her area of peat bog, turning over the turf to dry it out.
Bridget Aeneas Quinn, Dooega.
Bridget Quinn, cousin of my mother Doreen Gallagher, in her sitting room in her house in Dooega, Achill Island in 1984.
Grave tributes
Tributes left on graves in a cemetery on Achill Island.
Grave tributes
Tribute left on a grave in a cemetery on Achill Island.
Grave tributes
Tribute left on a grave in a cemetery on Achill Island.
Grave tributes
Objects which indicate something about the deceased's life or interests used to be left frequently on graves in Achill. This one perhaps indicated that the deceased had worked on the roads, perhaps in England.
Grave tributes
People on Achill often leave tributes around the grave which indicate something about the deceased's life or interests. This digger might relate to where the deceased person had worked.
Grave inscription
Many of the older graves in Achill are very simple and home made. This one is like that, where the text has been scraped out of the concrete. These graves are very simple but powerful.
Roadside tribute
Tribute to a Polish man who had died on Achill. The stone is located on the side of the Atlantic Drive, the spectacular road that goes round the southern and Western edge of the island.
Objects left on a grave - Achill Island
Objects left on a grave
Achill Island
Grave tributes
Tributes left on a grave on Achill Island.
Floral tributes on a grave on Achill Island
Memorial in graveyard on Achill Island.
Memorial in graveyard on Achill Island.
Statue on grave in graveyard on Achill Island.
Cafferkey grave, Achill Island.
Objects left on an Achill grave
Offerings left on an Achill grave
Teddy Lavelle's grave, Achill Island
Tribute to 'Mum', Achill Island graveyard
Diggers and Christ tributes left on an Achill grave
Model curragh left on an Achill grave.
Tributes on an Achill grave
Hand written tribute on Achill grave
Three crucified Christs on an Achill grave.
Flowers, graveyard in Achill.
Jesus and the Virgin Mary on a grave. Achill Island.
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
A memorial in Kildavnet graveyard looking across to the Curraun Peninsula.
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
A hand made memorial in Kildavnet graveyard looking across to the Curraun Peninsula.
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
A hand made memorial in Kildavnet graveyard.
Kildavent graveyard, Achill Island
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
Kildavnet graveyard, Achill Island
'Liverpool Fan's Keyring' left on a grave.
Kildavnet graveyard
Handmade grave.
Kildavnet graveyard
Handmade grave with the text scratched into the wet plaster.
Kildavnet graveyard
Handmade grave, decorated with pieces of broken, coloured glass.
Kildavnet graveyard
Handmade grave, decorated with pieces of broken pottery.
Kildavnet graveyard
Handmade grave.
Kildavnet graveyard
Very simple grave with a wooden cross.
Kildavnet graveyard
Homemade gravestone with stones embedded in the cement.
Kildavnet graveyard
Homemade gravestone
Kildavnet graveyard
Homemade gravestone decorated with pieces of broken glass and ceramics.
Kildavnet graveyard
Homemade gravestone decorated with pieces of broken glass.

Kildavnet graveyard
This shows the grave of the young people who drowned in a tragic accident in 1894. About 400 people, many of them only teenagers, set off from Darby's Point, Cloughmore on the south east of Achill Island to travel to Scotland to work 'tattie hoking' or picking potatoes. That year an unusually large number of young people were travelling, due to a poor potato harvest on the island which had forced families to purchase seed potatoes in the spring. The boat the young people had boarded to take them to Westport, overturned when they all rushed to one side of it in their excitement to view the steamer they were about to board. 32 of the young people drowned including my grandmother's two brothers Martin and Joseph Cooney and her sister Nancy who was only 15.
Kildavnet graveyard
View from Kildavnet over towards Achill Sound.
Kildavnet graveyard
Home made gravestone.
Kildavnet graveyard
Hand written tribute on a grave.
Kildavnet graveyard
Kildavnet graveyard
Graveyard
Fahy graveyard near Ballycroy in the North West of County Mayo.
Kildavnet graveyared
Grave of a Liverpool fan with a stone keeping the scarf from blowing away.
Kildavnet graveyard
Virgin Mary among blue artificial flowers.
Kildavnet graveyard
Hearth 1, Achill Island
There are many abandoned cottages on Achill and most of them share exactly the same layout with two rooms on each side of one central room with a fireplace. In all of the houses the fireplace seems to have been the focal point of the room and they are sometimes very elaborately decorated.
Abandoned cottage 1, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 2, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 3, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 4, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 5, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 6, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 7, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 8, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 9, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 10, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 11, Achill Island
Abandoned Monastery 1, Achill Island
Abandoned Monastery 2, Achill Island
Abandoned Monastery 3, Achill Island
Abandoned Monastery 4, Achill Island
Abandoned Monastery 5, Achill Island
Hearth 2, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 12, Achill Island
Hearth 3, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 14, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 16, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 17, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 18, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 19, Achill Island
Hearth 5, Achill Island
Hearth 6, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 20, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 21, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 22, Achill Island
Hearth 7, Achill Island
Hearth 8, Achill Island
Hearth 9, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 23, Achill Island
Hearth 10, Achill Island
Hearth 11, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 24, Achill Island
Hearth 12, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 26, Achill Island
A bedroom in one of the abandoned cottages. There is a holy picture on the wall and the bed has a straw mattress. There are numerous layers of peeling paint on the walls. It looks as though someone just walked out of their house and never came back.
Abandoned cottage 27, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 28, Achill Island
Hearth 13, Achill Island
Hearth 14, Achill Island
Hearth 15, Achill Island
Hearth 16, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 29, Achill Island
Peeling paint
Hearth 17, Achill Island
Hearth 18, Achill Island
Hearth 19, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 30, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 31, Achill Island
Fireplace in deserted cottage
Abandoned cottage 32, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 33, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 34, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 35, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 36, Achill Island
Abandoned cottage 37, Achill Island
Hearth 20, Achill Island
Hearth 21, Achill Island
Foxglove growing on the bog
A stream running through the bog.
Abandoned cottage
Fishing boats moored at the pier at Bunacurry
Currach or curragh
Currach or curragh setting off from the shore.
Currach or curragh with engine at sea
Land for sale, Achill Island
Achillbeg
Deserted houses on Achillbeg Island
A dance at the Derradda Community Centre
A solo dancer at the Derradda Community Centre.
Kildavnet cemetery
Kildavnet cemetery
Kildavnet cemetery
Fireplace in deserted cottage
Keel beach



Saving the hay
Saving the hay

Grainne O'Malley's tower, Kildavnet
Achillbeg

Clouds over Minaun

Slievemore deserted village
The road that passes through the deserted village below the slopes of Slievemore.
Stone sculpture
A figure of lion outside the phone box in front of Ted Lavelle's bar.
Peace lilies

Abandoned car
There used to be many cars abandoned on the bog but it is a rare sight nowadays.
Raking the hay
Raking the hay in a field in Bunacurry.

Clare Island Ferry
The ferry that runs regularly between Achill and Clare Island.
Clare Island Abbey
Clare Island Abbey, officially St. Brigid's Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery and is a National Monument on Clare Island. It was founded in the 12th/13th century and rebuilt in 1460. It contains numerous tombs of the local ruling family the �? Málle (O'Malley) and tradition claims it as the site of the baptism, marriages and burial of Gráinne
Clare Island Abbey
Some of the medieval wall and ceiling paintings depicting mythical, human and animal figures in the Abbey on Clare Island.
Clare Island Abbey
Interior of the medieval Abbey of St. Brigid on Clare Island. It is a former Cistercian monastery and is a National Monument,
Clare Island Abbey
Close up of some of the beautiful medieval wall and ceiling paintings at Clare Island Abbey depicting mythical, human and animal figures.
Old signage on wall of former pub
Peeling paint on old sign for pub and B and B.
Old signage on wall of former pub
Peeling paint on the wall of an old bar and bed and breakfast building.
Dumped car
Michael Masterson working on his peat bog, at Bunacurry, Achill Island.
Michael Masterson turning over his cut turf to dry, on the bog near Bunacurry, Achill Island in 1984. This turf has been machine cut and so is very uniform in its size.
Window in abandoned house
An abandoned house in Dooega.
Abandoned car and house 1
It is rarer now to see a car dumped on the island but I found this one behind an empty house in Dooega.
Abandoned car and house 2
It is rarer now to see a car dumped on the island but I found this one behind an empty house in Dooega
Abandoned car and house 3
It is rarer now to see a car dumped on the island but I found this one behind an empty house in Dooega.





The Corrigan's Cottage in Shraheens
View from Slievemore
Looking across to Minaun Heights with Clare Island in the distance and Dookinella and Keel down below.
View from Slievemore
Taken from the top of Slievemore looking towards the North of Mayo.
View from Slievemore
View from the walk up to Slievemore looking back towards Croaghaun.
Bog cotton
Bog cotton growing in the peat bog on a Sunny day in Spring on Achill Island.
Bog cotton
Bog cotton growing in the peat bog on a sunny Spring day on Achill Island.
Photos and statue of the Virgin Mary in an Achill House
Ornamental Alsation
Ornament on the mantelpiece of an Achill fireplace.
Old cow shed
Two girls before their Confirmation.
Sisters Clare and Mary Masterson in 1984, outside their house at Bunacurry on Achill Island, before going to Pollagh church to be Confirmed.
Bridget Masterson working on the peat bog
Bridget turning over the lumps of hand cut turf to dry in the air on her area of bog in 1984. This is one part of the process of drying the turf and is called 'lumping' when the pieces are turf are placed into a sort of wigwam/tent shape so that the air can pass through to help dry it.This turf has been hand cut and is irregular in shape.
Rainbow over Dooega
Rainbow over the village of Dooega, Achill Island in September 2024.
Ruined house
A ruined house on Achill Island on the North side of the island looking towards Curraun, photographed in Septmber 2024.
Rough seas at Dooega, Achill Island
Abandoned house
A partly built abandoned house outside Dooega, on Achill Island, County Mayo, photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
A partly built abandoned house outside Dooega, on Achill Island, County Mayo photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
A partly built abandoned house outside Dooega, on Achill Island, County Mayo photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
A hearth in an abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.

Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.


Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house

Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.


Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.

Abandoned house
An abandoned house on Achill Island photographed in September 2024.
Straw mattress
Straw mattress in an abandoned house on Achill Island.