The Doolough Pass

The Doolough Pass is a mountain pass overlooking Doolough Lake in County Mayo. It is beautiful, majestic and wild and is located not far from the Delphi pass, another pass that offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area.

Visit the Doolough Pass

Sublime landscapes, charged with a typically Irish aura!

The Doolough Pass can be reached by car, bus, or even by bike for the more sporty. The place is quite deserted, so don’t hesitate to fill up with petrol before venturing there: petrol stations are rare here.

The place is beautiful and deserves a little stop on foot, another picnic in front of Lake Doolough. You should also pass by the Doolough Memorial, a monument to a terrible tragedy that took place in 1849.

More than 400 Irish died there on the night of March 30, 1849 as a result of the Great Famine. They had been summoned to report to the Delphi Lodge, a former hunting lodge on the Dephi Pass, at 7:00 am. If they refused, they would have been refused any further assistance from the State to cope with the Great Famine.

Already in a state of extreme poverty, the 400 Irish people walked at night and in the cold towards the hunting lodge, which was 20km away. But exhausted and tired, they decided to spend the night at the DooLough Pass. Bad weather, disease, cold and hunger got the better of them: more than 400 Irish died there.

In commemoration, the site is home to a memorial: a stone cross facing the lake with an inscription signed by the hand of Ghandi: “How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings? “.

In addition to the memorial, local residents also hold the annual Doolough Famine Walk, a solidarity march from Louisburgh to Doolough, to remember the terrible tragedy.

So much more to discover...