Inishbofin makes a marvellous place to explore

With a developed infrastructure for welcoming tourists, Inishbofin island is well worth a visit, boasting unmatched coastal vistas and pristine white sand beaches

Sailboats shelter in Inishbofin Harbour, with the ruins of Cromwell’s Barracks on the right.

Oliver Cromwell is one of history’s great paradoxes. Undoubtedly, a man of sincere faith, he nevertheless executed the King of England and was more authoritarian than the monarch he replaced. Promoting tolerance and freedom of religion, he welcomed back Jews, who had been banished from England; on the other hand, he banned the Catholic mass. Religious freedoms were not extended to English Catholics who faced legal, social, and economic discrimination, but they were, in general, not physically harmed. By the standards of his time, he was a relatively moderate leader and has been rewarded with a statue outside London’s House of Commons.

For a lovely walk taking in most of Inishbofin, follow the tarmac west along the south coast from the Harbour and then tag the walking arrows right, with the Instagram-pretty mountains of Achill, Nephin and Croagh Patrick filling the horizon.