Streek · Co. Mayo

Killala Bay

The bay on the west coast between Mayo and Sligo — the estuary of the River Moy, with Kilcummin Head to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east, Bartragh Island in the centre and the village of Killala at its south-west corner.

The bay

Killala Bay (Cuan Chill Ala in Irish) is a bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Mayo and County Sligo, with Kilcummin Head to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east, which is the estuary for the River Moy. The village of Killala is at the southwest corner of the bay, and Bartragh Island lies in the centre of it.

The water in it

The bay is on the west coast of Ireland between Mayo and Sligo, between Kilcummin Head to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east, and it is the estuary for the River Moy. The bay is an extension of the estuary of the Moy, with the deep waters of the continental shelf close to the shore — the water in the bay is the Atlantic in its proper form: the depth, the tide and the headlands, with the river running out to it from the south. The village of Killala sits at the south-west corner, and the light on the water is best in the evening.

The headlands and the island

Kilcummin Head stands to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east, the two points that mark the mouth of the bay, and Bartragh Island lies in the centre of the water between them. The island is the bay’s monument: the place in the middle of the water, and the walk around the bay is the walk that takes in the headlands, the island and the village. The bay is the water country of the Moy valley, and the headlands are the things that break the coast into the bay.

Practical

Killala Bay is on the west coast between Mayo and Sligo, a drive from Ballina and Killala; the headlands and the island are the days out, and the village of Killala is the base. The light on the water is best before the weather moves in, and the tide is the thing to check before the walk.

Bronnen & verificatie

🧭 Route plannen

Waar logeren

Stay at the head of the bay

Killala puts the headlands, the island and the Moy estuary all within a drive — the water is the point.

  • KillalaThe village at the bay’s south-west corner — guesthouses and B&Bs at the head of the water. · at the corner
  • BallinaThe town at the mouth of the Moy, a short drive south — the bigger base. · 15 min by car
See stays in Killala ↗

Bekijk de actuele beschikbaarheid voor je data. Beschikbaarheid en prijzen komen van de aanbieder, niet van ons.

Meer in Mayo

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Free to explore; a small charge at some coastal car parks.· Reserveer A full day is not enough; allow two or three days.
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Free to climb.· Reserveer 2–3 hours to the summit and back; 3–4 hours for the round.
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Ballina

“Mouth of the ford” — the town at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, with the Ox Mountains to the east and the Nephin Mountains to the west, and the Bronze Age Dolmen of the Four Maols behind the station.

The town is free to visit. No admission for the town — the dolmen is on open ground.
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Belmullet

“Mouth of the Mullet” — the coastal Gaeltacht town at the isthmus, with the two bays of Blacksod and Broadhaven linked by Carter’s Canal running through the town, and half the population able to speak Irish.

The town is free to visit. Any specific sites on the Mullet carry their own arrangements — confirm the current prices before travelling.