Description
The Slievemore Deserted Village is a captivating historical settlement located on the southern slopes of Slievemore Mountain, establishing itself as one of the best things to do with kids in Achill Island for families searching for an open-air archaeological site and historic landmark category. Stretching across a mile-long mountain track, this ghost village consists of roughly 80 to 100 abandoned stone cottages. It provides a completely safe, expansive outdoor environment where children can freely explore genuine historic ruins, walk amongst old agricultural fields, and imagine what remote island life was like in past centuries.
Access to the Slievemore Deserted Village and its surrounding fields is completely free for self-guided family groups all year round. There are no mandatory entry ticket fees, gate tariffs, or site booking costs required to wander through the ruins. Families only need to budget for the expert-led summer walking tours, which cost just €10 per adult and are paid directly to the local guides.
If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids to enjoy clear Atlantic air, unique history, and an active outdoor trek, this haunting archaeological reserve is a magnificent choice. The grassy trails between the stone walls are perfectly manageable for children of all ages to explore at their own pace. It delivers an educational, highly scannable day out where kids can see traditional farming contours, spot local mountain sheep, and learn about the ancient Irish custom of seasonal migration.
Features
- Free
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
Key Features
- Sensory Play & Wild Elements: Children can touch the rough, hand-stacked stone cottage walls, run through the soft mountain grass, and listen to the ocean wind sweeping down the slopes.
- Interactive Exhibits & Nature Spotting: The village functions as a giant open-air archive where families can look out for mountain birds and trace the shapes of old cultivation plots.
- Educational Day Out: A stroll provides a tangible history lesson about the Famine era, local archaeological discovery, and how historic island families adapted to survive.
What makes Slievemore Deserted Village unique?
- The Preserved Booley Cottages: This is the largest and most recently abandoned seasonal migration settlement in Ireland, where families moved their livestock for summer grazing.
- Ancient Lazybed Ridges: The surrounding mountainside is covered in ancient potato cultivation furrows, showing kids exactly how families grew food on the rocky slopes.
- 5,000-Year-Old Megalithic Tombs: Nestled right alongside the 19th-century houses are ancient stone burial sites dating all the way back to the Neolithic period.
- The Majestic Slievemore Backdrop: The imposing mountain peak towers directly above the village streets, providing shelter from northern gales and creating a dramatic landscape.
- Expert Summer Walking Tours: During peak months, local history experts lead immersive walks through the ruins, sharing deep oral histories and personal family records.
Specific Named Sub-Exhibits & Historical Sites
- The 19th-Century Stone Booley Houses: The main row of 80 to 100 dry-stone cottages lining the old mountain trackway.
- The Neolithic Megalithic Tombs: Ancient stone monuments positioned near the settlement that date back 5,000 years.
- The Lazybed Cultivation Furrows: Well-preserved historical ridge networks running through the adjacent fields for crop drainage.
- The Slievemore Cemetery Landmark: The historic focal point located at the edge of the village, serving as the main meeting zone for tours.
- The Early Medieval Field Systems: Ancient agricultural boundary walls showing centuries of continuous land use.
- The Fitsticks Slievemore Trail: A marked 6.2-mile (10km) moderate walking track equipped with specific exercise stations leading from Dooagh.
5.46 miles
