She was enjoying her job as a management consultant but a change in career has Lesley Emin feeling as high as the tallest peaks in the west, she tells Lorna Siggins.

Turbot Island, Co Galway, has a very important place in aviation history being the first sighted land for the very first trans-Atlantic flight by John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown on June 14 and 15, 1919.

The difficulties in building a castle on the mainland are considerable.

THE obliteration of the Hawaiian East Island in Hurricane Walaka in the last few weeks serves as a timely reminder to the vulnerability of many low-lying islands, writes Dan MacCarthy.

The ongoing Mayo ladies football row, which saw eight members of the Carnacon club withdraw from the Mayo panel, has brought claim and counter-claim from the players, manager Peter Leahy and the Mayo LGFA, which has backed the manager at all times.

Ladies’ football legend Cora Staunton has returned to the Mayo senior squad and will play in a remarkable 23rd championship campaign this summer.

Dwarfed by its magnificent neighbour, Achillbeg lies to the south east of the dominant landmass with which it shares a name. It forms the pinnacle of an inverted triangle and was once connected to Achill itself. Now, a narrow sound separates the two Achills through which a powerful current flows.

Just south of Clew Bay and sandwiched between Clare Island and Inishbofin is the roughly equally-sized island of Inishturk.

Dan MacCarthy discusses dragons and knights found on Clare Island, Co Mayo

Dan MacCarthy talks us through the Saltee Islands, named by Viking seafarers.

Three popular beaches have been forced to lower their coveted Blue Flag.

Antique Cork furniture, GAA memorabilia and a range of artwork are on sale, writes Des O’Sullivan.

More than 120 volunteers converged on the tiny village of Aughleam near Blacksod Bay in Co Mayo yesterday to assist in the search for the crew members of the ill-fated helicopter R116.

In 2003, Frank Browne lost his six-month-old daughter to pneumonia. The tragedy has given the Mayo ladies football manager a sense of perspective on what really matters...

At the height of summer comes this art and antiques auction, writes Des O’Sullivan.    

Talk about putting the WOW! into the WAW, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

It’s a tasty little dinner menu that’s set go down a treat — literally.

Husband and wife Peter and Birgitta Curtin of Burren Smokehouse, who set up their artisan smokehouse business in 1989, last year marked 25 years of international export growth.

Beaches and marinas across the country are bathing in the warm waters of European approval — 86 of them have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag status.

Ever wanted to stay in a lighthouse, to hear the waves crash around you and wake up to stunning views?

THE story of how Doireann Ní Ghríofa started writing poetry six years ago is bizarre but also somewhat fitting for this warm, dreamy and gentle writer who was awarded the Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary 2014-2015 by Ireland Professor of Poetry, Paula Meehan.

Vital funding for Ireland’s non-Gaeltacht islands has been secured for the year.

Communities on nine non-Gaeltacht islands have expressed concern at the news that the Department of the Environment, Community, and Local Government is to terminate funding to their five community development company offices from the end of next month.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara has applied for an aquaculture licence to develop a deep-sea salmon farm off Inis Oírr, and is working on two further projects off the west coast to create jobs for local communities, writes Donal Maguire.

People living on islands off the Galway, Mayo and Donegal coasts will cast their vote in the Local and European Elections today.

ON Nov 27 I got a very sad phonecall from Bernadette Fahy and a text from Paddy Doyle.Both Bernadette and Paddy are amazing people who are survivors of institutional abuse.

The Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) has protested and lodged complaints to both Inland Fisheries Ireland and Mayo County Council at the damming of a river on Clare Island.

Joe Dermody and family enjoyed some relaxation time at Lisloughrey Lodge in Mayo.

Fresh talent

Caher Island is reputed to have been visited by St Patrick. Dan MacCarthy visits on a special day

Life is an ocean and love is a boat, as the song goes, but thankfully, there was no love on the rocks for these newlyweds.

A global anti-fish farming activist on a tour of the west coast has called for details of chemical anti-parasite treatments used in Irish waters to be made available.

It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day today. Jonathan deBurca Butler rediscovers the tale of Grainneuaile, our own heroine of the high seas

There are many occasions for us farmers to share experiences and learn from each other — at the dairy and beef discussion groups, through Teagasc or private agricultural advisory services, and at demonstration farms.

Two main players in the EU Fiscal Treaty campaign claimed they have scraped a win in the referendum despite being on opposite sides.

Voting is getting underway this morning on the Mayo islands of Inisturk, Inisbiggle and Clare Island, two days ahead of the mainland.

Islanders off the north west coast were the first to vote on the Fiscal Treaty referendum today, four days ahead of the rest of the county.

Islanders off the north west coast of Ireland will be the first people to vote on the EU Fiscal Treaty referendum today, four days ahead of the rest of the county.

Giles Clark at Cake Cafe

GOING on a weekend break with a surfer, a toddler and a bump takes a special kind of optimism.

EMBATTLED Senator David Norris shrugged off continued questioning about clemency letters for his former partner and insisted that voters had moved on from the issue.