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Killary Harbour Review

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Killary Harbour

Category: Bodies of Water
Location: Kylemore Valley

Fodor's Review:

Beyond Kylemore, N59 travels for some miles along Killary Harbour, a narrow fjord (the only one in Ireland) that runs for 16 km (10 mi) between County Mayo's Mweelrea Mountains to the north and County Galway's Dorruagh Mountains to the south. The dark, deep water of the fjord reflects the magnificent steep-sided hills that border it, creating a haunting scene of natural grandeur. The harbor has an extremely safe anchorage, 13 fathoms (78 feet) deep for almost its entire length, and is sheltered from storms by mountain walls. The rafts floating in Killary Harbour belong to fish-farming consortia that raise salmon and trout in cages beneath the water. This is a matter of some controversy all over the West. Although some people welcome the employment opportunities, others bemoan the visual blight of the rafts. From April through October Killary Cruises (Nancy's Point, 2 km [1 mi] west of Leenane on N59 Clifden Rd. 091/566-736. www.killarycruises.com) runs 1½-hour trips around Killary Harbour in an enclosed catamaran launch with seating for 150 passengers, plus a bar and restaurant.

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