"A small chapel at Mamean" Lough Inagh Travelogue by Alain_Smeets

Dirk at Manean

When we drove from Kylemore Abbey towards Leenane on the N59 we enjoyed the countryside. We turned right on the R344 towards Recess because we wanted to see some views of the Maumturk Mountains and the Twelve Bens.

We were told that there is parking spot at the Lough Inagh from where you can do a walk towards the Maumturk Mountains. We parked our car and enjoyed the scenery and we saw some walkers going onto the small road. We were a bit puzzled, should we leave our car behind and walk further or do we enter this road by car?

The two of us

We decided to enter it by car and it was a small road and a bit further it looked more like a road to a farmhouse. So we hesitated but I shifted gear and went ahead, riding this road to the end. I was lucky that I didn't pass any other car and we had a beautiful sight on the Maumturk Mountains on our left hand side.

Maumturk Mountains (photo Dirk)

Then we saw another parking and a few people walking into the mountains so we decide to do the same. We had no idea where they were going to or what to see there. But a walk to a hilltop seemed like a good idea at the time and we needed to stretch our legs again.

We start walking to a well beaten track and passed a gate that holds some sheep away from the road. The walkway is slowly going up and keeps on climbing, we still have no clue were we are going to end. The sun is burning and the views behind us getting better and better. We are so lucky that we decided to take this road instead of the main one.

A cross of the Calvary (photo Dirk)

After walking for maybe an hour we see a small chapel beneath the top of a hill and the 14 crosses of the Calvary. This is a pilgrimage place and it's devoted to St. Patrick. This place is called Manean. It's a nice place to hike to.