Overview
Tourmakeady Waterfall drops in three stone steps, the last of them about 9 m, into a pool in a Coillte forest on the western shore of Lough Mask, in south-west County Mayo. It is a short, easy walk on well-marked trails, free and open year-round, which makes it a straightforward stop for families and anyone breaking a drive through the Tourmakeady Gaeltacht. If you only want the falls, park at the trailhead and do the 2.2 km out-and-back rather than the full village loop.
One honest caveat: this is a modest waterfall, and after a dry spell it thins to a trickle. Come a day or two after rain and it is a different thing, louder and fuller. The river below is graded 4–5 for white-water kayaking, which tells you how much water can move through here when it’s up.
History and the name
The village name Tourmakeady comes from the Irish Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, ‘the bleach field of the Keady family’ (Mac Céadaigh). A bleach field was where flax was laid out in the sun to whiten before spinning; the Keadys and the flax are long gone, though Tourmakeady kept a name in textiles for its knitwear. The woods themselves were first planted in the 1860s, on what was then the Moore estate. In 2000, 33 hectares here were set aside as one of the People’s Millennium Forests, replacing around 35 hectares of conifer with native broadleaf; Coillte manages the site, and later improvement works came under the NeighbourWood scheme funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The result is a mix of older oak with younger native planting, plus some non-native red oak and poplar.
The waterfall and woodland
The cascade falls in three tiers, the final drop roughly 30 ft (9 m) into a pool below. The approach is a mix of sanded paths and paved forestry tracks through the trees, straightforward for most visitors. Heather and rhododendron add colour through summer and early autumn, and the dense canopy keeps the spot quiet and sheltered, a contrast to the open water of Lough Mask a short distance away.
Walking routes
The falls sit on a small network of waymarked trails, all graded easy and marked with purple posts:
- From the car park: the shortest option, a 2.2 km out-and-back that takes about 30–45 minutes each way.
- Lake walk: 1.5 km, about half an hour.
- Nature trail: 2.5 km, about an hour.
- Loop walk: a 3.9 km circuit of roughly 1.5 hours, linking the village and car-park routes and gaining about 80 m in height. From the village itself it is around 4 km in.
The paths are generally well maintained, but the ground can be soft after heavy rain, so waterproof footwear rarely goes amiss.
Wildlife
The woodland holds a mix of native broadleaf and faster-growing conifer, good cover for wrens and jays, with crested grebes and mallards out on the man-made lake, which is stocked with brown trout. Foxes, rabbits and pine martens are about too, though the marten is a lucky sighting. Autumn (September–October) turns the canopy gold and amber and gives the best light of the year here.
White-water kayaking
Below the falls, the river is a recognised Grade 4–5 white-water run, a technical descent of the full three tiers that needs proper skill and safety gear, and enough water to keep paddlers off the rocks. It is no place for casual visitors: stay on the footpaths, as the river is fast and not for swimming or wading.
Getting there and practical notes
The waterfall and trails are free and open around the clock, all year. A small car park sits at the trailhead on the edge of the Millennium Forest, with picnic benches and an information board carrying a trail map. Spaces are limited, so arrive early on weekends and school holidays. There are no toilets or refreshments on site.
- By car: From Castlebar, take the N84 towards Ballinrobe, then the R330, following signs to Tourmakeady (about 30 km). The trailhead is signposted from the village, which is around 2.5 km from the falls. Westport is roughly a 30-minute drive.
- Public transport: Limited. The nearest useful bus connections are at Castlebar or Ballinrobe, and you’ll need a taxi or a lift from there to the trailhead.
For planning, a downloadable trail map is on the Coillte site: Tourmakeady Trail Map. The trailhead coordinates (53.6526566, -9.3784664) go straight into most navigation apps.
Nearby
Lough Mask is on the doorstep for fishing and kayaking, and Cong, with its stone bridges and The Quiet Man connections, is a short drive south. Croagh Patrick is within about 30 minutes, Aasleagh Falls is a scenic cascade further north, and Westport makes a comfortable base with coastal walks, shops and a working harbour.
Stick to the purple waymarkers on the way in; the forestry tracks that branch off them are private.