The remote Irish island with no crowds and unspoilt beaches

As I wade into the North Atlantic, I’m blown away by how clear the water is. There’s a light, salty breeze in the air and the gentle waves are the kind of azure blue you expect to find in Mauritius, not Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. I’m paddling off a deserted Castle Cove, a sheltered beach on Clare, the largest island in Clew Bay, with just a couple of grazing sheep precariously close to the cliff edge above, for company. The previous day, crossing the bay on the Clare Island Ferry from the mainland (€17 return), I watched a pod of bottlenose dolphins surf the bow. At the same time, a couple of razorbills paddled on the water and the majestic, pointed peak of Croagh Patrick glinted back on the mainland in our wake. Shorts Clare’s hidden cove is accessed via a steep cliffside path with a rope handhold, right beside Granuaile’s Castle, while the neighbouring Blue Flag beach is a ribbon of pale blonde sand, on full display as the ferry docks in the harbour, between the two beaches. The hilltop castle is a derelict 16th-century tower, a former refuge of Gráinne Mhaol, also known as the pirate queen Grace O’Malley, an enemy of Queen Elizabeth I, who is said to be buried at Clare’s 13th-century Abbey. Last year, community-based co-operative Atlantic Island Escapes made it easier for visitors to explore Clare and neighbouring Inishturk Island with a two-night itinerary, designed to promote inter-island tourism. The all-inclusive package (€730pp) includes one night on each island, a ferry service between the two and the mainland, bike hire, dinner and activities such as crab tasting on Inishturk and sampling sea-aged whiskey on Clare. Clare Island’s Blue Flag Beach is now more accessible (Photo: Kelvin Gillmor/Fáilte Ireland) While the ferry car park at Roonagh Pier on the mainland was crowded (many island residents also leave a vehicle on the mainland), a big draw for visitors is that the islands are mostly car-free, with the ferry service offering space for bikes, not vehicles. At just five by three miles — flatter in the south and more mountainous in the north – Clare is best explored by electric bike, which can be hired from Shoreline Pursuits by the harbour (full day €55, half day €35). During two days on the island, I take in rugged ridges and grassy hills filled with grazing sheep, via winding lanes bursting with luxurious fern, orange montbretia and pink fireweed. O’Malleys Foodstore, a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute cycle from the harbour, is the only place to pick up groceries, right next to Clare Island Abbey, on the island’s southern stretch. The Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery, was built in the 1200s, rebuilt around 1460, and has a collection of rare medieval murals depicting animals, humans and mystical characters that are among the best-preserved in Ireland. Outside the small chapel, I notice the many O’Malley-marked gravestones —the island was once clan territory. Granuaile’s Castle dates to the 16th century (Photo: Michael McLaughlin) On the opposite side of Clare, surrounding Clare Island Lighthouse, now a B&B, the Seaward Cliffs harbour nesting kittiwakes, fulmars and guillemots. I spy diving gannets from the lighthouse’s lookout, but I’ve missed the small colony of Atlantic puffins, which have since descended on Inishturk. The following day, I visit Ballytoughey Loom, home to Beth Moran’s studio and cottage. Beth, from Boston, Massachusetts, has been creating joyful rugs, knits and scarves on the island for more than 30 years. She spins yarn using raw fleece from the island’s sheep, which she dyes using foraged lichen, onion skin and heather to create bright, eye-catching designs using a traditional loom. “Can you guess what colour heather produces?” Beth asks me. “Purple,” I respond, suspecting it might be a trick question. “Yellow,” she corrects. Similarly, I learn that onion skin creates a vivid rust-yellow shade. Handweaver Beth Moran in her studio (Photo: Michael McLaughlin) Later, I head out with local seafarer Jack Heanue on a dock-to-dish adventure aboard Atlantic Queen, an experience which is offered as part of Atlantic Island Escapes’s itinerary. Based on Inishturk, Jack reveals that cod has become scarce in the bay thanks to overzealous trawling and hungry harbour seals. “But we should catch a few pollock and hopefully some mackerel,” he reassures me. Indeed, within 90 minutes, we catch four pollock and several mackerel, with small fish returned to the water. Jack fillets two of the pollock on the boat, before throwing the guts to scavenging gulls circling above. As I sit outside the Anchor, Clare’s community centre and pub in the evening, with a steaming seafood chowder, I watch a family of three pitch a tent at the campsite by the beach before being lured into the water. Inside, the bar is packed with a crowd listening to Trad artist Molly Granahan, as the soothing sound of the fiddle drifts through the open window. A fisherman off Inishturk (Photo: Michael McLaughlin) How to get there Ryanair flies direct to Ireland West Airport from London Luton, Stansted, Liverpool and East Midlands. Aer Lingus operates direct to Knock from Heathrow. Car hire is available from Knock with Hertz. Clare Island Ferry operates a seasonal timetable, with departures from Ronagh Pier to Clare Island, between May and September, with three to five departures daily during summer, taking 20 minutes. Return fares €17 for adults, €8 for children. Atlantic Island Escapes offers a two-night package (15 – 17 September and 22-24 September, 2026) for €730pp, including one night on Clare and one night on Inishturk, with ferry to Clare, private ferry transfer between the islands and return ferry to Roonagh Pier, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and experiences such as fishing, loom demonstration and whiskey tasting. Where to stay Clare Island Lighthouse has rooms from €310 per night. Breakfast is €15 per person (2026 rates). More information clareisland.ie