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I just came across some information about a very ancient road way that runs along the side of this beautiful harbour/fiord in Killary, Ireland. Starting from Rosroe past Foher and finially leading up into the hills. Called the "Smooth Road", at least that is all I have heard it called. Built in neolithic times. Can anyone give me any more information about this ancient site and also about the "Holy Well of Connamara" located not too distant from the Smooth Road.
Clay
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Killary Harbour "The Smooth Road"
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Clay 
- Junior Member
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- Joined: 27-September 01
- Location:Massachusetts, USA
- Interests:Ancient History, Archaeoastronomy, Mythology, Sailing
Posted 29 November 2001 - 21:23
Killary Harbour lays between Mayo and Galway Counties on the west coast. The countryside I have heard is very bleak and mountainous. Never having been there I can only tell you what I have heard about this area of Ireland.
Franco,I really appreciate your help in searching for more information about this site.
Clay
Franco,I really appreciate your help in searching for more information about this site.
Clay
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Franco
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- Location:Milano, Italy
- Interests:stone circles
Posted 3 December 2001 - 16:58
At the mo' this is what I found, although I must confess it's taken from the Net and not from some obscure books of mine.
KILLARY
by Gabi Kennedy
History
Killary Harbour is a sea inlet which forms a small part of the border between Mayo and Galway. It is a pleasant drive from Westport to the inlet, passing Croagh Patrick and through the beautiful Lough Doo Pass before reaching Leenaun. This picturesque Galway village is nestled at head of the harbour sea inlet which forms a small part of the border between Mayo and Galway.
It is a pleasant drive from Westport to the inlet, passing Croagh Patrick and through the beautiful Lough Doo Pass and marks the start, on the Galway side, of the Connemara trail.
Famed for its scenic beauty, the area is also renowned for its historical hardships over the years. During the Irish Potato famine of the mid nineteenth century, millions of people died and millions more emigrated from Ireland as a result of the failure of the potato crop. Rural areas were the worst affected as the sheer remoteness of their locations meant that starving people had to walk many miles to search for small patches of healthy potatoes or Government/Church run food stations.
The Famine walk is a path traced through the Doo Lough pass that commemorates one such hazardous quest for food when famine victims trekked from Louisburgh to Delphi Lodge in March 1849. Many people died on this journey and for the past nine years an annual walk commemorates those who died on that hazardous journey in Irelands distant and harsh past.
Fame and fortune has also come to the area in recent years with the filming of the movie 'The Field' (Based on the John B.Keane play), and the setting of the play, 'The Beauty Queen of Leenaun', (which recently won several Tony Awards) in the tiny village of Lennaun, on the Galway side of Killary Harbour.
Geology
Killary Harbour itself is a distinct valley type called a fjord. This type of valley forms as a direct result of the glaciation which held most of the world in it's grip in the Quaternary period over 2 million years ago (the most recent geological period). As glaciers moved over the mountains in the west of Ireland, they deepened and widened existing river valleys.
The giant mass of ice cut through the steep valley slopes carving out broad "U" shaped valleys as it passed. But in Killary Harbour, the glaciers had a secondary effect. As the ice melted, water flooded back into the seas and oceans worldwide, causing global sea levels to rise.
The newly formed glacial valley at Killary was flooded by the rapidly rising seas and the fjord, or drowned valley, that we see today was created. 'Fjord' is a word of Scandinavian origin used to describe similar valleys dissecting the western Swedish coastline.
The geological environment of Killary Harbour is more impressive when you consider that this deep fjord which runs roughly east-west, separates two mountain ranges. To the north of the harbour sandstones of Ordovician age (500 million years old) can be found in the Sheefry and Mweelrea Mountains, especially along the slopes of Lough Doo pass which divides these two ranges.
To the south of Killary, Silurain quartzites (400ma) and ancient Dalradian rocks are to be found in the Maumturk mountains, near Leenane. Silurain quartzite also occurs between Westport and Louisburg where the distinctive erosion pattern of this rock type gives Croagh Patrick, Ireland's Holy Mountain, it's volcano like appearance.
It is this rock diversity that makes the Killary Harbour region so special and distinctive. Three major periods of geologic history can be seen within a day's drive of one another. A must for the amateur rock hound.
Mythology
The regions of Mayo and Connacht in general have played host to ancient warriors, giants, nasty troll-like things and the odd God or two, for millenia. One such tale which involves the Mayo region is the ancient battle of The Tuatha Dé Danann (literally the people of the goddess Danu) and the Formorians.
The Formorians who by all accounts were fierce sounding creatures were (according to some sources) the original inhabitants of Ireland. They were a demonic giant-like race who spent their time in vicious battles with anybody who attempted to invade Ireland.
But the Tuatha Dé Danann proved too strong for the Formorians and the mighty battle of Mag Tuireadh saw an end to the hold of the Formorians over the peoples of Ireland.
The Tuatha would have been within their right to expel the giants from the land for good but instead they showed mercy and allowed the Formorians to remain in the province of Connacht.
Tourist Information
Killary harbour can be accessed from the Mayo side from Westport or the Galway side from Connemara. You can get a train straight to Westport so that might be best if you're on public transport, other than that let the highways and byways of the West guide you to a rural treat.
All your tourist questions can be answered by those lovely folk in the Westport Tourist office
Westport Tourist Office
The Mall
Westport
County Mayo
Tel:00353 (0) 98 25711
Published by: Local Ireland
Year written: 1999
Copyright owned by: Local Ireland
links to related sites: http://www.killary.com/family.htm
KILLARY
by Gabi Kennedy
History
Killary Harbour is a sea inlet which forms a small part of the border between Mayo and Galway. It is a pleasant drive from Westport to the inlet, passing Croagh Patrick and through the beautiful Lough Doo Pass before reaching Leenaun. This picturesque Galway village is nestled at head of the harbour sea inlet which forms a small part of the border between Mayo and Galway.
It is a pleasant drive from Westport to the inlet, passing Croagh Patrick and through the beautiful Lough Doo Pass and marks the start, on the Galway side, of the Connemara trail.
Famed for its scenic beauty, the area is also renowned for its historical hardships over the years. During the Irish Potato famine of the mid nineteenth century, millions of people died and millions more emigrated from Ireland as a result of the failure of the potato crop. Rural areas were the worst affected as the sheer remoteness of their locations meant that starving people had to walk many miles to search for small patches of healthy potatoes or Government/Church run food stations.
The Famine walk is a path traced through the Doo Lough pass that commemorates one such hazardous quest for food when famine victims trekked from Louisburgh to Delphi Lodge in March 1849. Many people died on this journey and for the past nine years an annual walk commemorates those who died on that hazardous journey in Irelands distant and harsh past.
Fame and fortune has also come to the area in recent years with the filming of the movie 'The Field' (Based on the John B.Keane play), and the setting of the play, 'The Beauty Queen of Leenaun', (which recently won several Tony Awards) in the tiny village of Lennaun, on the Galway side of Killary Harbour.
Geology
Killary Harbour itself is a distinct valley type called a fjord. This type of valley forms as a direct result of the glaciation which held most of the world in it's grip in the Quaternary period over 2 million years ago (the most recent geological period). As glaciers moved over the mountains in the west of Ireland, they deepened and widened existing river valleys.
The giant mass of ice cut through the steep valley slopes carving out broad "U" shaped valleys as it passed. But in Killary Harbour, the glaciers had a secondary effect. As the ice melted, water flooded back into the seas and oceans worldwide, causing global sea levels to rise.
The newly formed glacial valley at Killary was flooded by the rapidly rising seas and the fjord, or drowned valley, that we see today was created. 'Fjord' is a word of Scandinavian origin used to describe similar valleys dissecting the western Swedish coastline.
The geological environment of Killary Harbour is more impressive when you consider that this deep fjord which runs roughly east-west, separates two mountain ranges. To the north of the harbour sandstones of Ordovician age (500 million years old) can be found in the Sheefry and Mweelrea Mountains, especially along the slopes of Lough Doo pass which divides these two ranges.
To the south of Killary, Silurain quartzites (400ma) and ancient Dalradian rocks are to be found in the Maumturk mountains, near Leenane. Silurain quartzite also occurs between Westport and Louisburg where the distinctive erosion pattern of this rock type gives Croagh Patrick, Ireland's Holy Mountain, it's volcano like appearance.
It is this rock diversity that makes the Killary Harbour region so special and distinctive. Three major periods of geologic history can be seen within a day's drive of one another. A must for the amateur rock hound.
Mythology
The regions of Mayo and Connacht in general have played host to ancient warriors, giants, nasty troll-like things and the odd God or two, for millenia. One such tale which involves the Mayo region is the ancient battle of The Tuatha Dé Danann (literally the people of the goddess Danu) and the Formorians.
The Formorians who by all accounts were fierce sounding creatures were (according to some sources) the original inhabitants of Ireland. They were a demonic giant-like race who spent their time in vicious battles with anybody who attempted to invade Ireland.
But the Tuatha Dé Danann proved too strong for the Formorians and the mighty battle of Mag Tuireadh saw an end to the hold of the Formorians over the peoples of Ireland.
The Tuatha would have been within their right to expel the giants from the land for good but instead they showed mercy and allowed the Formorians to remain in the province of Connacht.
Tourist Information
Killary harbour can be accessed from the Mayo side from Westport or the Galway side from Connemara. You can get a train straight to Westport so that might be best if you're on public transport, other than that let the highways and byways of the West guide you to a rural treat.
All your tourist questions can be answered by those lovely folk in the Westport Tourist office
Westport Tourist Office
The Mall
Westport
County Mayo
Tel:00353 (0) 98 25711
Published by: Local Ireland
Year written: 1999
Copyright owned by: Local Ireland
links to related sites: http://www.killary.com/family.htm
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