Explore Leitir Mealláin

If the words ‘rugged’ features in your vocabulary, Leitir Mealláin (Lettermullen) is the place for you. An archipelago of connected islands, it is the most westerly part of South Connemara.
The stark, rocky landscape is balanced by the most amazing seascapes, coves inlets and beaches. It is truly the kind of beauty that “arises out of the repetitive interweaving of simple elements” and one that “teems with ungraspable reiterations of details” as described by the author Tim Robinson.
Fascinating to everybody, it is a paradise for ramblers – various trails bringing you to different parts of the island. One brings you to Golam Head where a Martello Tower built in 1804 as a protection from a Napoleonic invasion still stands, another to a heritage centre well worth a visit
Walking by the shore bring you closer still to island life, sights of smaller uninhabited ones such as Daighnis and Inis Oirc, amazing views of An Cheathrú Rua’s Coral Strand to the east, Oileáin Árann to the south and Cill Chiaráin to the west. The film-maker John Huston once had a holiday home on the island and a nearby beach carries his name – Trá Huston. The parents of director Martin McDonagh were born in Lettermullen.

Má tá ceantar álainn clochach le farraige uait tabhair aghaidh ar Leitir Mealláin. Slabhra oileán atá i gceist agus ceangal eatarthu agus é ar an áit is faide siar i ndeisceart Chonamara. Timpeallacht álainn carraigeach agus amach chun farraige, cuaisíní gleoite agus tránna. Tá áilleacht shimplí, dosháraithe anseo agus mionsonraí spéisiúla dochreidte ann, mar atá sa chur síos faoin áit atá ag an údar Tim Robinson. Tá deiseanna fánaíochta go leor anseo a thugann duine chuig páirteanna difriúla den oileán. Tugann ceann acu thú go Ceann Gólaim, áit a bhfuil túr Martello a tógadh in 1804 mar chosaint in aghaidh ionsaithe ó dhíorma Napoleon agus tá an túr sin fós ann. Tá ionad oidhreachta in aice láimhe ar fiú go mór cuairt a thabhairt air. Tá léargas ar shaol na ndaoine le fáil le cósta. Tá oileáin amach ón gcósta nach bhfuil aon chónaí anois orthu, cosúil le Daighnis agus Inis Oirc. Tá amharc iontach ar Thrá choiréalach an Dóilín ar an gCeathrú Rua soir uait, Oileáin Árann ó dheas agus Cill Chiaráin siar uait. Bhí teach saoire tráth ar an oileán ag an scannánaí John Huston agus tá trá áitiúil ainmnithe in ómós dó – Trá Huston. Rugadh tuismitheoirí an stiúrthóra scannán, Martin McDonagh, i Leitir Mealláin.