SHgo, Connemara and Clare. 71 



venience to all going to or from the island. The bridge was 

 built mainly through the efforts of Mr. John G. Porter, of 

 Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh, who contributed about one- 

 third of its total cost. Achill is about 15 miles long by 11 

 broad, and is the largest island off the Irish coast. It has very 

 fine cliffs and seal caves. Croghaun is 2,192 feet high, present- 

 ing a magnificent section to the Atlantic. Slievemore is 

 2,204 feet high. The village of Dugort at its base contains the 

 hotel, church, police barracks, and principal buildings. From 

 Dugort all the sights are easily reached, the ascent of Slieve- 

 more and Crogham, the seal caves, and cliffs of Menawn, the 

 cathedral, rocks, and the native village of Keel. There is a 

 fine strand near this village, extending for about three miles, 

 and close by the village of Slievemore are the remains of many 

 objects of antiquarian interest. Dugort is about nine miles 

 from the sound, and cars run in the tourist season on arrival of 

 the trains. From the summit of Croaghhaim a magnificent 

 sea clifl^, only equalled by Slieve League in Donegal, a most ex- 

 tensive view can be obtained either inland towards Westport 

 and Connemara, or seaward towards Clare Island, and the other 

 islands scattered along that portion of the Atlantic seaboard. 



CONNEMARA. 



Leaving Achill we return to Westport, which is the starting 

 place for Connemara. We take our seat on the tourist car for 

 Leenane, by the lovely Erriff Valley, through which the Erriff 

 River, a fine trout and salmon stream, flows into Killary 

 Harbour. We stop at the Leenane Hotel, from which a series 

 of excursions may be taken. There is fine lake, river, and sea 

 fishing to be had here, some free and also at a moderate rental 

 by the day or week. For those fond of mountaineering there 

 are several most interesting excursions — the ascent of Leenane 

 Mountain (at the foot of which the hotel is situated), which 

 rises 1,404 feet, and commands a splendid view of the twelve 

 Bens, Killary Harbour, and the lakes and rivers of Connemara, 

 the Delphi pass, and the ascent of Mweelrea, which lies along 



