Kilgalligan – cliffs and coastal loop walks

Overview

Kilgalligan (Cill Ghallagáin) is the start of the Carrowteige loop walks, four routes onto one of Mayo’s least-developed coastlines, and the toughest of them climbs to unguarded cliff edges around 250 metres above the Atlantic. The village sits on the Dún Chaocháin peninsula in the north-west of Kilcommon Parish, where the ocean meets limestone cliffs, sea caves and hidden coves, looking out over Broadhaven Bay and the steep-sided Kid Island, which still takes summer grazing sheep. This is the Erris Gaeltacht, with a strong Irish-language tradition and a landscape that feels barely touched by modern development.

History and heritage

The past here is written in stone and in place names. In the graveyard near Broadhaven Bay, a large cairn has long been linked to St Galligan, the early Christian saint the townland is named for. Never formally excavated, it was described in 19th-century surveys as a pyramid of accumulated burials covered in headstones and small crosses. A nearby holy well still draws pilgrims on 14 August, the eve of St Galligan’s feast.

The peninsula is dense with defensive sites. The Bronze-Age promontory fort of Doonkeeghan (Dún Chaocháin) was recorded as belonging to the De Exeter-Jordan family in 1318. By the 14th century the Barrett clan had built a fortified residence on the same headland, later called Doonaniron; it passed through notable hands – including the second husband of the pirate queen Gráinne O’Malley – before reaching Michael Cormuck of Inver Castle in 1618. Its wall and arched gateway stood until a severe gale in January 1839 brought them down. Down at Rinroe Pier, a coastguard station, watch house and signal post went up in 1838 to monitor shipping in the bay.

One local story is worth keeping: during the Great Famine, postmaster Robert Savage claimed his sheep were being sabotaged. Police later found he had invented the whole thing to pressure the authorities into building a barracks on his land.

The strongest heritage here is linguistic. Seán Ó hEinirí, a monolingual Irish speaker who lived his whole life in Kilgalligan, recorded over 800 micro-toponyms – names for individual fields, rocks, cliffs and coves – published in The Living Landscape, Kilgalligan, Erris (1975). They amount to a map of how this land was used, told entirely in Irish.

The Carrowteige loop walks

The four routes start at Carrowteigue Village, where a free car park and the community-run Teach Greannaí diner make a practical base.

If your legs and the weather allow it, the Benwee Loop is the one to do – it earns the sweeping views of Broadhaven Bay and the Stags of Broadhaven. But take the grade seriously: it runs along unguarded cliff edges at around 250 m, needs sturdy boots and careful footing, turns boggy in wet weather, and dogs are not allowed on it. For an easier day the Beach Loop follows sandy shores and sheltered coves, while the Children of Lir and Black Ditch routes weave through headlands, old field walls and inland tracks.

Teach Greannaí runs a seven-day diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with weekend takeaway, and also offers guided summer walks, a laundry service and pod accommodation.

The Stags of Broadhaven

Roughly 3 km offshore from Benwee Head lie Na Stacaí, the Stags of Broadhaven – five limestone islands rising sharply from the sea. The central peak, Teach Dónal Ó Cléirigh, reaches 97 m, with Teach Mór (93 m), Teach Beg (71 m), An-t-Oighean (75 m) and Carraig na Faola (30 m) completing the line.

They are a protected seabird colony. Between April and July the cliffs hold breeding puffins, fulmars, storm petrels and kittiwakes, and the sea arches and tidal caves draw kayakers and divers. On a clear day the whole group is visible from the shore.

Getting there and practical information

Kilgalligan is reached by the R313, about 15 km west of Belmullet. The Carrowteigue Village car park is free, and bus routes 499 and 945 stop at the Kilgalligan/Carrowteige stops, linking to Ballina and Rossport.

Weather on this coast changes fast – Atlantic winds can be strong and sea mist is common even in summer, so waterproof layers, windproof outerwear and sturdy boots are essential. The walks are free and open year-round, but the strenuous loops are best between May and September for longer daylight and steadier conditions. Irish is the everyday language here; locals are used to visitors and happy to help in either language. Stay on marked paths to protect the cliff edges and nesting birds, and if you visit the holy well in mid-August, a small donation to its upkeep is appreciated.

Even if Benwee Head is more than the day allows, the Stags are visible from the shore on a clear day, so you won’t leave without seeing them. For a longer trip, the Céide Fields lie about 30 km east and Ballycroy National Park about 55 km south.