Keem Bay
This golden stretch of secluded, sandy beach can be found on Ireland’s largest island, Achill, in Mayo. Nearby you can visit the island’s eerie Deserted Village, abandoned in the early 20th century it sits sheltered under Slievemore Mountain. A local practice known as ‘booleying’ or ‘transhumance’ meant that famers would live in different places during the summer and winter months, based on where their cattle could graze. Trace the footsteps of these long-gone villagers as you step inside their deserted stone cottages. The area is also home to some 5,000-year-old megalithic tombs, these pre-Christian stone burial sites offer a fascinating glimpse into life and death in ancient, mystical Ireland.
