Islandeady: Church, Art and Greenway

Islandeady lies on the N5 between Castlebar and Westport. The destination’s appeal is shaped primarily by St Patrick’s Church and its construction history, The Touchstones art project, and a six-kilometre Greenway route to Rehins Wood. A historic cottage and landscapes featuring oak woodland, bogs, and wetlands complete the picture.

St Patrick’s Church: Architecture and Construction History

The Roman Catholic church in Islandeady is dedicated to Saint Patrick. Its south window contains leaded glass panels; an A-frame timber roof with collar beams is also visible. The window and roof provide distinct architectural features, giving the church a tangible character beyond its dedication.

The building’s history comprises several clearly distinct phases. St Patrick’s Church was originally thatched; in 1849, a slate roof was added, and the central aisle was also added that year. A rear extension dating from 2009 was named St Aidans Room. The two changes from 1849 thus stand alongside a much later extension.

Art and Local History

The Touchstones is a series of ten artistically carved stones, with locations including Islandeady. The carvings draw on folklore, social memory, and the history of each area. The art project complements the church’s architectural perspective with another way of looking at regional stories and memories: rather than a single building’s history, the focus is on a series of stones.

Jack’s Old Cottage is also located in the centre of Islandeady. Carefully restored, the cottage was built almost two centuries ago. Its age and restoration give the building its own historic character; its central location adds another tangible building to the church and art project.

Greenway and Landscape

The Great Western Greenway Castlebar Network includes a six-kilometre route from Castlebar to Rehins Wood in Islandeady. The network is rated easy to moderate and has only gentle gradients. The route length refers to the Castlebar–Rehins Wood section; the difficulty rating and gradient description refer to the network. This gives you two distinct points of reference: a specific distance for the route and a qualitative rating for the network.

The approximately 500-year-old Cornagashlaun Oak Wood adds a landscape dimension to the route and cultural themes. Islandeady’s townlands include landscapes with bogs and wetlands. Many rivers and lakes in Islandeady contain protected wildlife species. The area’s natural character therefore encompasses both ancient woodland and wetlands, as well as protected wildlife.

County Mayo: Further Cultural Context

In the wider destination of County Mayo, the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park offers a glimpse into Ireland’s rural past. The museum uses objects, rare archival photographs, and films to tell this story; workshops, lectures, and guided tours are part of the programme year-round. Mayo Local Link’s Route 454 runs a daily bus service connecting the museum with Castlebar and Ballina.

Discover more destinations: Cong, Tawnyinah, Mayo, Kiltimagh, Ballytoohy, Louisburgh, Aghamore, Killala.

For the wider travel guide: County Mayo.