Clew Bay
Clew Bay is the broad, island-studded bay that gives Westport its dramatic backdrop, famously said to contain 365 islands — one for every day of the year, though the real count is somewhat lower and disputed. Ringed by the Mayo coastline and dominated by the conical peak of Croagh Patrick rising at its southern shore, the bay is a place of genuine scenic drama, especially at low tide when the islands sit exposed amid mudflats and channels, or at sunset when the water catches the light against the mountains. It has real historical weight too: Clare Island and other islands in the bay were strongholds of the pirate queen Grace O'Malley in the 16th century, and the bay has long shaped the fishing and farming life of this stretch of Mayo. Viewpoints around Westport, Murrisk and the Great Western Greenway offer superb vantage points, and boat trips and kayaking let visitors get out among the islands themselves. It's less a single attraction than the defining landscape of the whole Westport area, visible from nearly everywhere you go.
Clew Bay FAQs
That's the popular claim, one for every day of the year, but the actual number is disputed and generally thought to be somewhat lower depending on how islands and rocky outcrops are counted.
Viewpoints around Westport, Murrisk, and the Great Western Greenway offer good vantage points on foot or bike; boat trips give a closer look at the islands themselves.
Yes, Clare Island and other islands in the bay were strongholds of the 16th-century pirate queen Grace O'Malley, a notable figure in Irish maritime history.
Yes, kayaking and other water sports are popular ways to explore the bay's islands and channels, with operators based around Westport.
Croagh Patrick rises at the bay's southern edge near Murrisk and offers some of the best elevated views over the islands.
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