Golf is a popular sport in Ireland and there are quite a few golf course options in County Mayo. There are two popular 18-hole golf courses for a full golf outing: Claremorris Golf Club in Claremorris and Balla Golf Club in Balla. If you are looking for a shorter outing, then Ballintubber Golf Club in Ballintubber offers a nine-hole course. Also, if you want to take your children out for some miniature golf, then Cong Mini Golf in Cong is a nine-hole miniature golf option.
Roughly 87 percent of the total population of the Republic of Ireland is Roman Catholic, with nearly 92 percent of native Irish being Roman Catholic, and as such, County Mayo offers travel destinations for people who are interested in religious pilgrimages or Roman Catholic history. The Knock Shrine in Knock, located in the western part of County Mayo, is a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint John the Evangelist, who are said to have appeared in Knock in 1879. County Mayo is also the home of Croagh Patrick, the mountain that Saint Patrick climbed and fasted for 40 days in 441 A.D. Croagh Patrick is located on the outskirts of Westport in County Mayo. There is also the Fr. Patrick Peyton Memorial Centre where many tourists go to pray the rosary and learn about the life of Fr. Peyton. The Memorial Centre is located in Ballina, County Mayo.
A good way to take in the culture of County Mayo is to visit its museums. The village of Straide in County Mayo houses the Michael Davitt Museum, which is dedicated to an Irish landownership activist and humanitarian, and contains many of his personal writings and effects. The Old Coastguard Station is located outside of Westport and is dedicated to the history of the Irish Coastguard. The Old Schoolhouse Museum is located in Ballintubber and demonstrates an Irish school house in the early 20th century.
If you are interested in beach-combing, County Mayo is located on the west coast of Ireland, on the Atlantic Ocean. Keem, Dooega, Golden Strand, Keel, and Dugort are beaches located on Achill Island and the Harbour is located on Clare Island. Carrowmore and Old Head are beaches located on Louisburgh. Belmullet has two beaches: Elly Bay and Mullaghroe.
