Woke up to overcast skies and some fog on Achill Island in Ireland. Woot! I couldn’t ask for better weather for exploring an eerie deserted village.
Achill Island is quite stark and sparsely populated. There are dramatic mountains, beautiful beaches and soggy, boggy fields.
Look at that peat, for pete’s sake.
I hope I’m holding a piece of peat in this picture. I have a dreadful feeling that some Irish person is going to comment and tell me that’s actually a piece of desiccated cow dung.
From the West Coast House B&B (excellent views), I took a 2 hour loop walk down this barren road. The deserted village is just coming into view here. Don’t get a headache trying to see it.
This is Slievemore Deserted Village. Because it’s in ruins, the photos don’t quite do it justice – but I thought it was an extremely haunting place and it made me reflect about the passage of time. Excavations have shown that people lived here for over 5000 years. Not a typo: FIVE THOUSAND YEARS! There were about 140 houses there in total, and over 80 remain. The most recent period of habitation was from the 17th-19th centuries.
The thinking is that the famine of 1847-50 basically sent people down to the coast near the town of Dooagh instead. Either that or ZOMBIE SHEEP terrorized them and sent them fleeing!
Nature takes it back!
The Deserted Village also has a graveyard with stones poking out every which way. I walked in about three metres, then had visions of my foot sinking into a rotted coffin (directly into a skull’s mouth, naturally) and so I high-tailed it outta there.
Don't do it buddy!!!!!!!!!! Things will get better!
The sun came out for my afternoon drive down the stunning Atlantic Drive.
Absolutely breathtaking scenery here, people.
Eventually the path came to yet another graveyard – this one with a ruined church. I know, I know, you’re thinking “either Ireland is overloaded with sheep and graveyards or this girl is obsessed with those two things.”
The answer is: it’s a little of both. But if you ever see a graveyard FOR sheep, let me know immediately.
p.s. thanks to all the readers who have been “liking” my posts on Ireland! Who are you, and what brought you to my page? Leave me a comment, yo. 
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What is the temperature thee Reb ?
It’s maybe 8 degrees, I’d say.
Stunning photographs!
Lovin`the daily posts! I`m hooked!
Fantastic photos, great writing … looks like you really enjoyed your visit to Achill. And don’t worry, that looks like genuine turf (peat) you were holding.
Phew. Thanks John!
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