Ireland Travel

Getting Around Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon
County Mayo
Land of Poetry: County Sligo
County Roscommon

Getting Around Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon by Thomas Hollowell and Katie Kelly Bell

Getting to central towns is easy on public transport, but the best way to explore Ireland's upper-and central-west regions is by car.

County Mayo's largest town, Ballina, is 250km (155 miles) from Dublin, 100km (60 miles) north of Galway City, and 60km (37 miles) southwest of Sligo Town. County Roscommon borders both Mayo and Sligo and is 150km (90 miles) northwest of Dublin and only 80km (50 miles) from Galway City.

Flying and Driving

Located halfway between Galway and Sligo on the N17 in Charlestown, County Mayo, is the Ireland West Airport Knock (094 936 8100, www.irelandwestairport.com). Formerly the Knock International Airport, Ryanair (0818 303 303, www.ryanair.com), bmi baby (1890 340 122, www.bmibaby.com), Aer Lingus (0818 365000 or 1 516 622 4022 U.S., www.aerlingus.com), and Aer Arann (08 18 210 210, www.aerarann.com) serve several destinations throughout Europe from here. Sligo Airport (071 916 8280, www.sligoairport.com) in Strandhill connects only to and from Dublin.

All national and international car rental companies are located at the Ireland West Airport Knock. This includes Avis (094 9367707, www.avis.ie), Budget (090 662 4668, www.budget.ie), and Hertz (094 9367333, www.hertz.ie), which also has a counter at the Sligo Airport.

Essential

Because County Mayo was so shaken by the Great Potato Famine, many left for better lives in the United States. If you are researching your family roots in Mayo, visit the Mayo North (096 31 809, www.mayoroots.com) or South Mayo (094 954 1214, www.mayo.irishroots.net) Heritage Centres. The North Heritage Centre sits on Lough Conn in Castlehill with an on-site museum and Enniscoe Gardens.

Getting to and from the Ireland West Airport Knock is possible via taxi or bus. Call Seán McCann (087 251 3370) or Colm Horkan (087 2532 044) for taxi service before or upon arrival. Additionally, Bus éireann (096 71 800, www.buseireann.ie) connects the airport and Charlestown (twenty-five minutes), where other buses and the railway connect.

Bus

Bus éireann connects Dublin to Roscommon (Boyle, Roscommon Town), Mayo (Ballina, Westport, Castlebar, Cong), and Sligo (Drumcliff, Strandhill, Sligo Town), among other towns in each. Express services connect Galway City to various towns in Mayo as well. Traveling from Westport, one can travel to Achill Island, Ballina, and into Sligo or over to Roscommon.

Train

Irish Rail (850 366 222, www.irishrail.ie) connects Dublin's Connolly Station to Carrick-on-Shannon (County Leitrum), Boyle (Roscommon), and Sligo Town (on Lord Edward Street). The Dublin Heuston Station serves Roscommon, Ballina, Castlebar, and Westport. Traveling from Galway City to Roscommon and farther west into the regions of County Mayo is also an option.