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Adventure Festival on the West Coast

Gary Tompsett / 14.09.2006

In the summer of 2006, Gaelforcewest appeared in the Adventure Racing calendar. At last, a return to the Emerald Isle for the sport, and a time to immerse ourselves in the culture and folklore of the far west, and of course - the rugged lands. With some solid support from Ireland West tourism, and a local committee of local providers, the event started to grow in size and bearing, with three events planned for the one weekend.

The three elements were Gaelforce 6; a mass participation multi-sport race on the Saturday, Gaelforce 12; a stage adventure race, and Gaelforcewest Adventure Festival; a collection of activities that would attract families from all over the region. All firmly putting the small but perfectly formed town of Westport on the map.

Look just north of Galway City, and you will see Westport. So it transpires that Westport is at the foot of Ireland’s, (possibly Europe’s) most climbed mountain, awkwardly situated at the junction of four Ordnance Survey Ireland’s Discovery maps. This holy mountain of Croagh Patrick rises as a distinctive cone beside Clew Bay.

Clew Bay itself cradles Clare Island, and 365 other tiny drumlin islands, the largest collection in Europe. Then to the north, Achill Island possessing on its west face - peering out to the Atlantic - Croaghaun, with reputedly the highest sea cliff’s in Europe, and on it’s south edge the Atlantic Drive – voted one of the World’s top ten car journeys. To the south lye Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord, and further south still a whole sequence of mountain ranges including the National Park of Connemara.

Westport really was in a geographical hot spot! Ready to be embraced by the adventure racer.

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