#dugort

#OTD in Irish History – 7 February:

1873 – Death of journalist, novelist, and short story writer, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, in Dublin. He is often called the father of the modern ghost story. Although Le Fanu was one of the most popular writers of the Victorian era, he is not so widely read anymore. His best-known works include Uncle Silas (1864), a suspense story, and The House by the Churchyard (1863), a murder mystery. His…

While I did have an early dinner at Keel Beach, I didn't really head back to the hotel until the sun was going down. There was still light out and this made it perfect for me to take some shots. The Strand Hotel was located at the west end of Dugort Beach. The eastern end is apparently an elevated area which has a great view of Dugort Beach. This was the perfect spot to take photos of the beach. The conditions were a bit challenging since the sun was directly in front of me. I had to wait until the sun was sufficiently down before I could start taking photos.

It seems that it would be very convenient if you have your own vehicle when visiting Achill Island. There is a bus service that but it is quite infrequent, not to mention inconvenient. Achill Island is Ireland's largest island, so one could imagine having to hike from one end to another. I passed by a few tourists on the way somewhere and I can't imagine how long it would take them to get to their destination. As for me, I was zipping through the Achill countryside in the car. From Dugort, there is a route I can take which can bring me to most of the interesting spots in Achill.

I booked a hotel at The Strand Hotel in the quiet northeastern part of Achill Island. I had no idea how remote this area was until I got this. I was under the impression that there would be a small town here but in reality it is more like a village or a just a collection of houses. The largest structure here would be the The Strand Hotel itself. The Strand Hotel occupies a strategic location in the village. It is on the western end of Dugort Beach and a lot of rooms in the hotel, including mine, would have great views of the beach.

The weather wasn't looking very cooperative that day. It was windy and very typical Irish weather especially in the Atlantic side of Ireland. Unfortunately, there is very little I can do about this. So I finally crossed the bridge at Achill Sound and continued on to Achill Island. This would be my first time visiting Achill Island and I look forward to visiting it. There are a few hotels in the island, and it is a big island so it pays to pay attention to where you would be staying. Most people would be staying at Keel where most of the establishments are, but depending on your tastes, you might want to stay in a more quiet area such as Dugort, which is to the north of the island.