At the Edge of the AtlanticNotebook No 125June 2026
A horseshoe of pale sand under green cliffs, ten miles past where you'd stop.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
Achill Island calls us across a short bridge from Mayo, then leads us on a road so long you will question if you have overshot the mark. Rest assured, you have not. Continue onward as the road climbs a pass at Keem, revealing a vista many remember as a highlight of their Ireland travels.
Keem Beach, a bowl of pale sand, nestles beneath two sheer green cliffs. The water shifts from a clear turquoise in bright sun to deep navy during a storm, a pure sight. The single narrow road down the cliff face leads to a small car park; it fills by eleven in summer, so we advise an early start.
There are no amenities here beyond a small toilet block. Carry your own water and food for the day.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.