Achill Irish still has many traces of Ulster Irish.

Keem BayAchill Archaeological Field School is based at the Achill Archaeology Centre in Dooagh, which has served as a catalyst for a wide array of archaeological investigations on the island.

* Mayo has Ireland's highest cliffs ( second highest in Europe ) at Croaghaun, Achill island while the Benwee Head cliffs in Kilcommon Erris drop almost perpendicularly into the Atlantic Ocean.

A full description of the locomotives, a line drawing and many illustrations may be seen in the book Rails to Achill ( a history of the Achill line ) by Jonathan Beaumont, published in 2002 by the Oakwood Press, Usk, Monmouthshire.

Rails to Achill ( 2001 ) describes the history of the Westport to Achill railway, which ran from 1894 to 1937.

Early human settlements are believed to have been established on Achill around 3000 BC.

It lies on the east side of Achill Island and is the first settlement one reaches after crossing the Michael Davitt Bridge, a swing bridge that joins Achill Island to Corraun Peninsula on the mainland.

Kildamhnait on the south east coast of Achill is named after St. Damhnait, or Dymphna, who founded a church there in the 16th century.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, there was much migration to Achill from other parts of Ireland, particularly Ulster, due to the political and religious turmoil of the time.

For a while there were two different dialects of Irish being spoken on Achill.

From the southwest part of the bay eastwards are Louisburgh, Lecanvey, Murrisk, and Westport ; north of Westport is Newport, and westwards from there lies Mulranny, gateway to Achill.

McGregor Blacker agreed to sub-let of land belonging to the Irish Church Mission Society on Achill to Boycott, who moved there in 1854.

Following the closure of the Achill line in 1937, there was little work for them to do, but one served on the Claremorris to Ballina branch for a time, another was occasionally used between Portarlington and Athlone and a third member of the class ended its days as a stationary boiler at Broadstone depot. The others seem to have found their way by degrees to Athlone and Broadstone.

Achill Island () in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast.

Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire ( Achill Sound ) and Poll Raithní ( Polranny ).

It is believed that at the end of the Neolithic Period ( around 4000 BC ), Achill had a population of 500 – 1, 000 people.

Grace O ' Malley's Castle Kildamhnait Castle is a 15th century tower house associated with the O ' Malley Clan, who were once a ruling family of Achill.

One of Achill's most famous historical sites is that of the Achill Mission or ' the Colony ' at Dugort.

The historic Valley House is located in The Valley, near Dugort in the north-east of Achill Island.

Lynchehaun is said to have returned to Achill on two occasions, once in disguise as an American tourist, and eventually died in Girvan, Scotland, in 1937.

It was during his early trips to Achill prior to the outbreak of World War I that Henri painted extensively and is reputed to have done portraits of almost all the children in Dooagh village.

The largest island in Connacht, and the island of Ireland, is Achill.

Westport House is situated in an impressive parkland setting with a lake, terraces, gardens and magnificent views overlooking Clew Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, Achill, Clare Island and Ireland's Holy Mountain, Croagh Patrick.

The Great Western Greenway is a greenway rail trail that follows the route of the former Midland Great Western Railway branch line to Achill, via Newport and Mulranny.

This road is a basic 2 lane road, and suffers from chronic congestion, particularly in the summer months when thousands of tourists have to negotiate the bottleneck on route to neighbouring Westport and Achill.

In Achill Island the curach is built with double gunwales.

Although he seems to have ceased experimenting with his technique after he left Achill and his range is limited, he created a large body of fine images whose familiarity is a testament to its influence.

The bridge from Achill Island to the mainland is named after him.

Note: The second picture on this page is not in fact Rockfleet castle, but another of Gráinne O ' Malley's castles, Carrickildownet Castle ( Irish: Carraig Chilldamhnait or Caisleán Charraig Chilldamhnait, also called Caisleán Ghráinne-Gráinne's Castle )-it is on the Atlantic Drive on Achill Island, east of Cloughmore.

The ' Colony ' was very successful for a time and regularly produced a newspaper called the ' Achill Missionary Herald '.

The Achill Mission began to decline slowly after Nangle was moved from Achill and was finally closed in the 1880s.

In 1894, the Westport-Newport railway line was extended to Achill Sound.

In Achill, as in many areas of Ireland, a system called ' Rundale ' was used for farming.

Boolying was also carried out in other areas of Achill, including Annagh on Croaghaun mountain and in Curraun.

There was also a branch to Achill Island branching off after the station, but this closed in 1937.

Denis Gallagher was born in Currane, by Clew Bay, facing Achill Island, County Mayo in 1922.

After receiving an inheritance, Boycott was persuaded by his friend, Murray McGregor Blacker, a local magistrate, to move to Achill Island, a large island off the coast of County Mayo.

Boycott was involved in a number of disputes during his time on Achill.

All Irish territory was considered friendly to ' Achill ', and hostile to their opponents.

After 159 years of faithful service the lighthouse was taken out of service on 28 September 1965, replaced by the modern Achillbeg Island lighthouse on the south side of Achill Island.

Acaill Bheag was evacuated in 1965 and the inhabitants were settled on the main ( Achill ) island and nearby mainland.

Plans to build a cable-car link across the very dangerous Bullsmouth Channel, one of the strongest currents in Europe separating the island from Achill had been under discussion since 1996, but have now been abandoned due to the high estimated cost and the money was given towards the Achill bridge redevelopment.

In 2008 the paper was the first to expose the controversial fundraising activities of the House of Prayer run by self proclaimed visionary Christina Gallagher in Achill, Co Mayo.