Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [374]
Quay Cottage ( 098-26412; Harbour; mains €15.50-26; dinner mid-Feb–mid-Jan) Serving seafood straight off the boats and steeped in salty-dog charm (including lobster pots hanging from the roof beams), this is the pick of places to eat on Westport’s lively harbourfront.
Cabot’s Source ( 098-50546; The Linen Mill; lunch mains €6-9, dinner mains €18.50-27; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Tue-Sun) Charismatic chef Redmond Cabot utilises locally sourced, organic seasonal produce to create a fusion of Italian/Irish cuisine. The hip, open-plan industrial-style space occupies a converted linen mill.
Ardmore Country House ( 098-25994; www.ardmorecountryhouse.com; The Quay; mains €20-32.50; dinner guests nightly, nonguests Mon-Sat Apr-Oct) This little gem is where Westport’s best chefs dine on their nights off. Superb-value five-course menus cost around €35, depending on what’s in season.
Drinking & Entertainment
Matt Molloy’s ( 098-26655; Bridge St) Matt Malloy, the fife player from the Chieftains, opened this old-school pub years ago and the good times haven’t let up. Head to the back room around 9pm and you’ll catch live céilidh (traditional music and dancing). Or perhaps an old man will simply slide into a chair and croon a few classics.
Moran’s ( 098-26320; Bridge St) A preserved holdover from the days when a pub was also a shop, and grocery shopping was occasion to have a few pints before heading home, having forgotten about the groceries.
Also recommended:
Porter House ( 098-28014; Bridge St) Live music plays every night year-round at the Porter House, as well as weekend afternoons in summer.
Jester Bar ( 098-29255; Bridge St) No céilidhs, no talk of fishing – urban grooves set the pace at this hipster hang-out.
Cosy Joe’s ( 098-29403; Bridge St) Beneath a backlit stained-glass ceiling, musicians and DJs entertain the masses at this party-hard pub.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann ( 096-71800) travels to Achill Island (€12.50, 30 minutes, two daily), Dublin (€18.50, five hours, three daily), Galway (€14.40, two hours, eight daily) and Sligo (€16.70, two hours, two daily). Buses depart from and arrive at the Mill St stop. There are limited services on Sunday.
The train station ( 098-25253) is 800m from the town centre. There are three daily connections to Dublin (€35 to €48.50, 3½ hours).
Getting Around
For a cab call Moran’s Executive Taxis ( 098-25539) or O’Toole Taxis ( 087 243 2600). Sean Sammon ( 098-25471; James St; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, by appointment Sun) hires out bikes for €10/55 per day/week.
Return to beginning of chapter
NEWPORT
pop 590
Newport (Baile Uí Fhiacháin), a wiggling 12km drive north of Westport, is a picturesque 18th-century village in which there really isn’t much to do other than fish in streams, lakes or Clew Bay. But the Bangor Trail and Foxford Trail both end near the town, attracting many walkers, and Achill Island is a short drive away.
The town’s most striking feature is a seven-arch viaduct built in 1892 for the Westport–Achill Railway; the trains stopped in 1936 and the bridge has since become a pedestrian walkway.
The post office and bureau de change are across the river. There are no banks.
Sleeping & Eating
Hotel Newport ( 098-41155; www.hotelnewportmayo.com; Main St; s €89-99, d €100-140; ) This 2006-built hotel was not only constructed in the same style as the old hotel that stood here, but the original facade was rebuilt numbered stone by numbered stone. All of the spacious rooms have bathtubs (except for the two wheelchair-accessible rooms, which have barrier-free showers). You’ll get the best deals by booking packages that include dinner at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, which serves good local seafood.
Newport House ( 098-41222; www.newporthouse.ie; Main St; s €148-190, d €244-328; mid-Mar–Oct; ) Strangled by ivy that turns crimson in autumn, this gorgeous Georgian mansion is one of Ireland’s most romantic country retreats. Every room is beautifully appointed (four-poster beds cost an extra €22 per person), but Newport