Clare Island: A Room with a View

The ferry to Clare Island was much smaller than we expected. It bobbed in the waters at Roonagh Pier in County Mayo on a June morning under dark, threatening skies.  A couple of Eir workers in high-vis jackets and tool boxes huddled together on deck. A female passenger in a thick jacket carried a cardboard box containing six sliced pans and three large leeks onboard and perched on an inside bench. The skipper was just about to pull away when someone shouted, ‘Hold on. There are a few more coming.’ Four middle-aged women wearing walking boots rushed on board with backpacks and apologies.

The ferry pulled away, splashing water into the boat and zooming across the three and a half miles to reach the pier on Clare Island in little more than ten minutes. We were definitely on the fast ferry. The sun came out, lighting up Granuaile’s Castle from the sixteenth century, which was built near the pier. A rusting car, abandoned on the tideline, looked like it hadn’t moved in a while. We walked by the fishing boats, past the Bikes for Hire shop and the closed pizza place, to the Heritage Centre where we had booked the overhead apartment.

Our landlady, Rafaela, had phoned us the day before to say that she would leave the door open and the heating on as she wasn’t able to meet us. We entered the cosy apartment and were instantly mesmerised by the view. Two armchairs were strategically placed in front of the large window overlooking the beach and the harbour, where we could observe both the ebb and flow of the tides and the rhythm of island life as ferries came and went. It was truly a room with a view. We had booked in for two nights, but we were so captivated that we rang Rafaela immediately to stay an extra night.

Clare Island is a small island- about five miles long and three miles wide – with high sea cliffs on the north and west. It is the largest of the numerous islands in Clew Bay. Apart from admiring the view from our apartment window, a constantly changing canvas of shifting clouds and occasional sunshine, we spent our time hiking around the island. The highest peak is Knockmore (462 metres) with stunning views of Clew Bay, Inishbofin and Inis Turk, and the distinctive silhouette of Crough Patrick looming in the distance. But beware, the wind can be ferocious, and the mists can descend quickly, obscuring everything, including the boggy path. There are several looped walks on firmer ground which are well-signed and suitable for anyone. Sometimes, the only sounds were the bleating of sheep, the hum of waves against rocks, and the call of sky larks soaring high above us, as the clouds cast moving shadows over the bare, treeless hills. The landscape wasn’t always so deforested – there is evidence of ancient Scots Pine and native woodland, but clearing of the land over the centuries for farming, timber and animal grazing has left it bare. There were plenty of wildflowers with yellow irises and foxgloves giving a gorgeous splash of colour. The island was once home to about 1600 people around the time of the Famine, but this has dwindled to around 60 inhabitants.

Clare Island is almost synonymous with Grace O’Malley, the pirate queen and chieftain who defied every convention to become the first female head of the O’Malley clan. She commanded a massive fleet of ships and built an army to control the waters of western Ireland. What a woman! She is reputed to be buried in the Cistercian Abbey, which dates from the 13^th century. Although we couldn’t find any sign of Grace’s resting place, the graveyard was full of O’Malleys, and their family motto was on a plaque inside the abbey: Terra Mariq Potens, Powerful by Land and Sea. The abbey walls were also adorned with impressive medieval wall paintings depicting a fascinating mix of religious images and mythological creatures.

When the sea calls you, the only answer is immersion in the waters of the Blue Flag beach or the small, secluded cove behind Granuaile’s Castle for an invigorating dip. Yes, it was goose-bump freezing, but also magical. Swimming in the cove, we spotted the grey fins of a couple of dolphins a little further out.

The Community Centre, near the beach, had a pub which served excellent food from 11 am. The fish and chips and hake dishes that we ate there were both delicious…so were the pints. There is also a café, Stone Barn Café, on the road to the lighthouse, but this was closed when we were on the island. The shop, O’Malley’s, is well stocked with everything you might need for self-catering or snacks, but it’s quite a walk from the pier (about 40 minutes). There is also a resident weaver on the island who runs weaving classes and has a little craft shop attached to her studio.

Apart from our wonderful little apartment, there are plenty of guesthouses, B&B’s and holiday lets – it’s even possible to stay at the lighthouse on the far side of the island (book accommodation directly on the Clare Island website( https://www.clareisland.ie) as most are not advertised on sites like Booking.com). There is free camping on the grassy, windswept area overlooking the beach. We watched the billowing fabric of a small green tent from our apartment. Most people come on a day trip, usually taking the ferry from Roonagh Point, but it is also possible to get a ferry from Achill on certain days during the summer months. We were so glad to have the opportunity to linger on this gorgeous island.

All too soon, it was time to board the ferry back to the mainland. In contrast to our arrival, this was a slow, tranquil ferry which took about half an hour. The ferries coming to the island were packed with visitors as it was Saturday, and the car park in Roonagh was full, with cars parked a long way up the narrow road leading to the pier. You don’t always have to travel far to get that faraway feeling😄