Destination Westport
Ireland’s prettiest town has besotted legions of famous figures, from John Lennon to Julia Roberts. Norah Casey explores the many reasons why Westport is the perfect place for a weekend break.
Westport. Well before I fell in love with far flung exotic destinations, I found myself heading to this picture perfect gem time and again. Westport is easy on the eye. It is unusual in that it is a planned town, and there aren’t many of them in Ireland, and it has heritage status. The pristine streets (it has won the Tidy Towns competition oodles of times), beautiful flowers, lovely old Georgian buildings flanking the Carrowbeg river and picturesque stone bridges greet you on arrival. The flowers by the way are specifically chosen to attract butterflies and bees. If the pleasing prettiness of Westport isn’t enough to lure you, then the dramatic backdrop courtesy of mother nature makes this the best weekend retreat in Ireland (in my opinion!)
So many famous and infamous people have fallen for Westport’s charms but acclaimed 19th-century author William Thackeray’s love affair with Westport and Clew Bay is renowned; “…the bay and the Reek, which sweeps down to the sea, and the hundred isles in it, were dressed up in gold and purple and crimson, with the whole cloudy west in a flame. Wonderful, wonderful!”
I filmed an episode of RTÉ’s The Takeover in Westport and fell into a deeper infatuation with the people, the history and the magic ingredients that makes it one of the most visited spots in Ireland. If you could capture that and mirror it in other small towns we might re-energise rural communities and give our young people a reason to stay. Along with the beauty of the town there is a noticeable warmth about Westport people - always happy to chat in the lovely quaint Irish-owned shops. If a town had a heart it would be manifest in the passion and love so evident in the mouth-watering apple tarts at
Christy’s Harvest where hours could slip by while chatting to complete strangers and listening to the good humoured banter from the man himself.
*****
A Place to Stay
THE CLEW BAY HOTEL I was back for, by now, my annual return visit to The Clew Bay Hotel to catch up with owners Maria Ruddy and Darren Madden who were brave enough to stand aside for two weeks to let me takeover with the staff for that RTÉ show all those years ago. They had also refurbished the hotel and won a prestigious national award a few years ago from the Irish Hotels Federation, placing them alongside the likes of The Merrion and the Intercontinental as great employers.
That’s some achievement for a family run hotel in a town of just over 5,000 people. It’s a testament to these two great ambassadors for Westport and they have created a hotel that welcomes guests like long lost friends, while also minding their staff . And that is the real secret to a hotel’s success, and it is rarely to do with bricks and mortar regardless of how lovely the décor is. The Clew Bay is one of those family owned quintessentially Irish hotels where nothing is too much. The rooms are spacious, the food is great and the warmth of the service is exceptional. Visit clewbayhotel.com.
*****
For Eating
AN PORT MÓR This is one of my favourite restaurants with the great talents of Frankie Mallon in the kitchen. It was our first stop and we were there to celebrate my mum, Mags Casey’s 91st birthday. Frankie keeps the menu interesting at his Michelin Plate restaurant but expect the freshest of seafood. We feasted on delicate black sole, turbot on the bone with lobster sauce and seasonal stuffed courgette flowers.
Another classic staple are delicate scallops with beurre noisette with black pudding from Kelly’s butchers, Dublin bay prawns and fresh crab. Even if Westport wasn’t as beautiful as it is, I would head there just to have a perfect evening at An Port Mór – yes, it is that good. Visit anportmor.com.
CRONIN’S SHEEBEEN Lunch at Cronin’s Sheebeen is a must. This gorgeous old seafood restaurant and bar commands a wonderful view of the sea. With head chef Anthony Printer in the kitchen and the freshest of seafood on the plate, you can’t go wrong. Try the whole langoustines with garlic or pan roasted hake. Lovely atmosphere, great little nooks and crannies and warm and friendly service. Visit croninssheebeen.com.
THE PANTRY AND CORKSCREW ¬ is quirky little restaurant with walls packed with old pictures and artefacts is run by husband and wife team Dermott Flynn and Janice O’Rourke. This is a perfect place to enjoy local food cooked to perfection by Dermott, with Janice overseeing the warm front of house service. On the menu is a zingy Chorizo with Aran Islands Feta and rocket, local Andarl Farm free range pork and fresh and smoked Atlantic haddock. As local as you can get. Visit thepantryandcorkscrew.com.
SAGE RESTAURANT This is a wonderful restaurant at the top of the town led by chef Shteryo Yurukov in the kitchen and front of house partner Eva Ivanova. Expect contemporary Irish cooking with the best of local ingredients from sustainable suppliers.
On the menu are Killary Fjord mussels and clams with a pineapple coconut green curry sauce, Clew Bay scallops, Jerry Hassey’s Crab (served as a crème brulée with crab doughnut), Mayo lamb and roasted Westcoast monkfish. We also enjoyed beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the Sage garden where fresh vegetables, literally from soil to plate, are bursting with flavour. Visit sagewestport.ie
KNOCKRANNY HOUSE Westport is a great foodie destination. Owned and run by Adrian and Geraldine Noonan, Knockranny House Hotel & Spa also boasts a fantastic chef, Séamus Commons. Although I didn’t make it to the fine dining room at La Fougère on this visit I have in the past and you will love the stunning views of clew bay and Croagh Patrick as well as the fi ne vista on the plate. Visit knockrannyhousehotel.ie.
*****
For Drinking
Westport has many great pubs where traditional Irish music is usually (prior to restrictions) played nightly as much for the locals as the tourists. The most famous is Matt Molloy’s (which was still closed when I visited) on Bridge Street, owned by legendary flute-player Matt Molloy of The Chieftains. Matt often oversees proceedings, even recording a live session album there and the pub is always busy and buzzy. A great spot for a late drink and traditional music is played every night of the week. It’s a Mecca for musicians, many of whom just turn up to join in, the atmosphere is always magic. Watch this space in the hope that it reopens soon. We enjoyed a lovely shopping interlude at the atmospheric John Morans on Bridge Street.
MESCAN BREWERY I took a spin out to Mescan Brewery in Kilsallagh nestled at the base of Croagh Patrick where two former vets, Bart Adons and Cillian Ó Móráin, took an astonishing career swerve when they swapped the demands of veterinary work for the rollercoaster journey towards commercial brewing. It was my second visit and although visits are currently curtailed there is plenty of creativity and plans for expansion post-lockdown. It is named after Mescan the monk who brewed for his friend St Patrick. I had already sampled various Mescan beers which are brewed to be reverentially sipped and matched with great food. Quite a challenge to change the beer swilling practices honed by generations of pint lovers. But the duo are making significant inroads in educating their growing number of followers that beer can be enjoyed like wine. Cillian and his wife Naomi are phenomenal hosts and great fun. Mescan is made in Ireland and inspired by the beers of Belgium where Bart is from. The water comes from a nearby spring with malts, hops and yeast coming from Belgium. This small artisanal brewhouse is well worth visiting, I really enjoyed Cillian’s passion and was amazed (as a non-beer drinker) how much I loved the various tastes and flavours of their range of Westport brews and special blends. Their website gives some great ideas for food matches. Visit mescanbrewery.com.
*****
Touring
CLEW BAY CRUISE ‑ The best way to see all of those wonderful islands up close along with some amazing wildlife is to book a cruise of the bay. We headed out one lovely August evening with Captain Tom King of Clewbay Cruises, a very funny man with an incredible knowledge of the islands and the wildlife. We have done this trip quite a few times with Tom and we always see and learn something new.
The highlight was definitely sailing within metres of the harbour seal colony and the stunning panoramic views of the bay. Visit clewbaycruises.com.
THE ISLANDS One of Ireland’s greatest geological spectacles are the beautiful islands (or drumlins) created when the ice began to melt some 12,000 years ago leaving hundreds of land mounds spread out across Clew bay. There are over 140 named islands and locals say there is one for every day of the year. The largest, Clare Island, was home to the 16th-century “Pirate Queen” Grace O’Malley also known as Granuaile.
Other islands have secured their place in history through other means. Inishraher, is a “Maharishi Capital of the Global Headquarters of World Peace” and a magnet for those seeking meditation and respite. Visit islandofworldpeace.ie.
Millionaire Nadim Sadek fell in love with the island of Inish Turk Beg describing it as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. He bought it in 2003 and over ten years he launched a whole host of Inish Turk Beg branded businesses including the single malt whiskey of the same name which is still winning awards today. He sold it in 2013. You can visit and stay on this beautiful island. Visit inishturkisland.com.
Then there are the tales of the hidden Danish gold on Inishdaugh, the valley and lake of fresh water on Inishgowla and the lobster so big it has been trapped for 30 years in the cabin of a sunken ship off Inishgort.
JOHN LENNON ISLAND By far the most famous is Dorinish Island, better known locally as ‘Beatle Island’. John Lennon bought the island in 1967 having seen a newspaper ad for the sale of Dorinish from the Westport Harbour Board. Back in the 1880s it was used by marine pilots who guided ships into the harbour. He was; “besotted with the place”. He organised for a psychedelic coloured wooden caravan to be shipped from London as a temporary home but he never did fulfil his dream of living there. While he was busy with his music career he gave it in the interim to Sid Rawle, better known as ‘King of the Hippies’. He and his fellow hippies lived there until 1972. John Lennon came back to Dorinish with Yoko Ono before his death in 1980, locals say he wanted to renew planning permission for a home. Yoko later told irishcentral.com that the Island “was a place where we thought we could escape the pressures and spend some undisturbed time together. But because of what happened our hopes never came to be.
“We often discussed the idea of building a cottage there. It was so beautiful, so tranquil, yet so isolated.”
She sold Dorinish for £30,000 in 1984.
Croagh Patrick
Locals refer to it as The Reek and this iconic 765-metre peak has special significance for pilgrims who want to follow in the (bare) footsteps of St Patrick. He fasted for 40 days and nights on the summit while banishing the snakes to Lugnademon (Hollow of the Serpents). A few years ago Coleen Rooney climbed Croagh Patrick proudly telling her Instagram followers that her father had done it barefoot. She, however, did the three and a half hour climb with sturdy boots. A seam of gold discovered on the mountain in the 1980s brought other kinds of pilgrims keen to capitalise on the potential €300m worth of the prized metal. Prospectors were seen off by strong local opposition who brought British environmentalist David Bellamy to speak against what he described as the “rank vandalism” of mining on a site which in any other country would be a designated world heritage site.
*****
Activities
BEST BEACH There are many blue flag beaches along this coastline but one of the best in Ireland, Bertra Blue Flag beach is close to the foothills of Croagh Patrick on the Louisburgh Road. This is a great stretch of strand for early morning walks and it attracts a fair few bird-watchers, kite flyers and wind surfers. The quieter northern end of the beach is the perfect place for angling.
WESTPORT HOUSE All along this coastline you will fi nd castles and plaques commemorating the Pirate Queen of Connaught, the fearless and notorious Granuaile. So a visit to Westport wouldn’t be complete without dropping in to the site of her former home when it reopens again. Some 5000 years ago her stronghold stood at the head of Clew Bay in Westport, known by its Irish name ‘Cathair na Mart’.
Through various tragedies and alliances in the 17th century, it moved to the ownership of John Browne who built a house on the site. In 1730 his grandson John Denis Browne, who became the first Marquess of Sligo, commissioned German architect Richard Cassels who along with James Wyatt designed the beautiful house that remains at the epicentre of Westport to this day. He also moved the village of 700 people from the front of the house to a new planned town – the modern day Westport.
Westport House, now owned by the Hughes family, is undergoing significant restoration and redevelopment. But you can still enjoy the grounds and the Pirate Adventure Park where the most captivating activity is a trip on the large swan pedalo boats. A few years ago, Julia Roberts was spotted enjoying the pirate’s playground with her kids so there you go – if a Hollywood icon thinks this little piece of Ireland is worth a visit then maybe my work is done.
Cylcing
THE GREAT WESTERN GREENWAY: The old railway line from Westport to Achill which closed in 1937 is now the longest off road cycling and walking trail in Ireland.
THE CLEW BAY BIKE TRAIL: This is a combined bike and ferry route looping Clew Bay including both Clare Island and Achill Island via two short ferry journeys, one from Roonagh Pier, near Louisburgh to Clare Island and the other from Clare Island to Cloughmore near Achill Sound.
RESTORATION WORKS I had a sneak preview of the incredible Westport House restoration project to see first-hand the painstaking exterior works to conserve and protect this magnificent Georgian-era home. The €5 million project is funded by the Hughes family and paves the way for a much more ambitious €75 million development which was announced this summer. The team showed me the extensive ongoing work to repair damage to the roof, huge chimneys, stonework, pointing and lime render, which included replacing windows, restoring terraces and the decorative concrete balustrades.
Outside the work was ongoing to restore the lovely Summer House and gardens. Westport House is transforming to its former splendour. Kathryn Connolly, House Advisor, took me through the internal renovation and conservation works in the main rooms. The highlight was almost certainly viewing the unique and intricate Chinese wall paper which is being carefully stored while works take place. The wallpaper has been hung in the Chinese room for more than 200 years, an extravagant and elegant showcase of Asian artwork and furniture.
The wall paper depicts life in China with each scene hand painted and telling its own story of culture and traditions of early 17 century China. For a restoration tour visit wesporthouse.ie.
A VISIT TO AN OYSTER FARM This newly opened tour features oyster farmer, Padraic Gannon. If you want to really immerse yourself in aquaculture this is for you. Croagh Patrick Seafoods is perched at the edge of Clew Bay at Roslaher, Kilmeena and for a quarter of a century the Gannon family has produced shellfish in mari-culture sites along its shores. Come in wellies and raincoat and be prepared for a bracing walk on the shoreline, along the way you will learn so much about oysters, clams, periwinkles and mussels from Padraic. He harvests oysters daily, year-round and farms the tried and tested Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), which has a long shell with a rough deeply ridged exterior and the native oyster (Ostrea edulis), which has a flatter, rounder shell and is only harvested in months with an ‘r’ in them. Wind lashed and with lungs full of fresh Atlantic sea air we watched Padraic wade into the waters for oysters, “two summers old”. Over the howling wind he talked us through cultivation techniques while he shucked and served the freshest, salty sweet oysters for us to slurp. When we returned we had a Gannon family feast of mussels, oysters and home baking. Visit croaghpatrickseafoods.ie.
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