The shore of the bay known as Killary Harbour marks the
border seperating the counties of Galway and Mayo. From
here the road leads through a wild and romantic valley
containing the 'black lake' of Doo Lough, and then on to
the pretty village of Louisburgh with it's 18th century
houses.
To the east is Croagh Patrick, Louisburgh, a conical
mountain on which St Patrick spent the 40 days of Lent in
AD 441, before defeating the pagan deity Crom, and from
this peak rang his bell and banished all the reptiles from
Ireland - which is the reason there are no snakes in
Ireland to this day.
Croagh Patrick (also known as The Reek) has an oratory on
its summit, and thousands of pilgrims (as many as 60,000)
climb its 2,510 ft height each July for a mass. The climb
begins beside the beautiful ruin of Murrisk Abbey, a
14th-century Augustinian foundation. Spectacular views
await climbers at the summit. To the south the Twelve Pins
can be seen, and to the north is island-studded Clew Bay.