My Mayo Holiday – Conor O’Kane, lecturer, Bournemouth, UK

Family fun and friendship in Westport


Conor O’Kane
University lecturer, Bournemouth, UK

We have just arrived home to Bournemouth after another great trip to Ireland. My wife, Caz, and I, and our three boys – Louis (6), Sylvester (4) and James (3), always try and get back to Westport to visit every year. We have some great friends who live in the area, and the Godmother to our youngest son lives and works in Westport.
Overall we were in Ireland for almost three weeks.
We spent five nights in Dublin staying with family, six nights in north Donegal with extended family, then Westport for three nights with friends before returning to Dublin for another six.
The sun was not very co-operative while we were in Mayo, but that did not spoil the fun – on rainy days we went to the Pirate Den at Westport House and to the pool at the Castlecourt Hotel. The boys were delighted.
The sun did make an appearance though, and we spent a glorious day on the beach at Old Head, Louisburgh – including a ‘refreshing’ but lovely sea swim.
We also had an evening in the pub, if that counts as an activity?
For us, the Mayo leg of our holiday was all about visiting and catching up with friends and taking in the truly breathtaking scenery in and around Clew Bay. (On our way back to Westport from Old Head we pulled over several times just to gape at the views).
We’ve visited Westport around six times in the last four years, and irrespective of the weather we have always had a wonderful time. We’re looking forward to coming back already – I’m planning to take part in Gael Force 2012 as part of a range of mid-life-crisis-related activities…