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Voykit pocket guide · Ireland
Leenane
An Líonán
Give Leenane one night, two if you hike or kayak: it is a fjord stop on the N59 between Clifden and Westport, not a town with a day of sights.
Leenane is a village of about 200 on the south shore of Killary fjord, where the N59 meets the R336. The fjord is the county boundary: the north shore is County Mayo. There is a wool centre, a boat tour, an adventure centre and two bars, and the real draw is the road in and out through the Delphi and Maam valleys. You need a vehicle.
- Country
- Ireland
- Local name
- An Líonán
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (short days, many places closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including pubs and taxis.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid €90–150 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High €150+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Three and Eir run the networks; prepaid SIMs (also 48, Tesco Mobile, GoMo) sell in phone shops and newsagents, no registration fuss.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · All services (alternative) 999
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Type G three-pin, like the UK; European and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–15% if service is not included.; Pub: Not expected when ordering at the bar.; Taxi: Round up.; Tour guide or driver: €5–10 per person for a day tour.; Hotel porter: €1–2 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe; occasional local 'boil water' notices are posted by Uisce Éireann.
- Toilets
- Free in shopping centres, museums, pubs (as a customer) and many petrol stations; some public toilets charge 50c.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a village café | €3–4.50 (2026 estimate) |
| Soup and brown bread | €7–10 (2026 estimate) |
| Pub main course | €16–24 (2026 estimate) |
| Pint of stout | €5.50–6.50 (2026 estimate) |
| Petrol, per litre | €1.70–1.90 (2026 estimate) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 (2026 estimate) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NOC · Ireland West Airport Knock
- About 1 h 30 min by car via Westport; check car hire before you book
- SNN · Shannon
- About 2 h 30 min by car via Galway
- DUB · Dublin
- About 3 h 30 min by car; or train to Westport then Bus Éireann 423
Typical fares
- Bus 423 Westport → Leenane
- about €12, about 1 h
- Bus 423 Leenane → Clifden
- about €8, about 40 min
- Killary fjord cruise
- about €25, 90 min, April–October
Get around
You need a vehicle. Bus Éireann 423 runs every two hours from Westport (rail from Dublin) and takes about an hour to Leenane, then continues to Letterfrack and Clifden in another 40 min; there is no direct bus to Galway, so change at Clifden. The stop is at the N59/R336 junction. By car, the N59 is the spine and the R336 and R335 are the scenic loops.
See and do
Known for
- Killary fjord
- Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre
- Aasleagh Falls
- Delphi and Maam valleys
- The Field (1990 film location)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kylemore Abbey and Gardens | N59 west via Letterfrack by car | About 30 min |
| Clifden | N59 west by car; Bus Éireann 423 also runs it | About 40 min by bus |
| Westport | N59 north over the fjord head by car; Bus Éireann 423 takes about 1 h | About 1 h by bus |
| Inishbofin Island | N59 west to Cleggan, then ferry | Check ferry timings |
| Maam valley and Cong | R336 south, then R345 east via Clonbur | About 1 h to Maam Cross |
Sleep
- Village centre (N59)
- Leenane Hotel and Portfinn Lodge, both on the Clifden road; walk to the bars.
- West of the village, off the N59
- Otter Hostel and the Killary Adventure Company base, about 3.5 miles out; you need a car.
- Delphi valley (County Mayo)
- Delphi Resort and the Wild Atlantic Hostel, in south Mayo; quiet and activity-focused, and you need a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dia duitjeea gwit |
| Thank you | Go raibh maith agatguh rev mah agut |
| Please | Le do thoilleh duh hull |
| Where is the bus stop? | Cá bhfuil an stad bus?kaw will an stad bus |
| How much is it? | Cé mhéad é?kay vade ay |
| Cheers | Sláinteslawn-cha |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names quickly; avoid: Over-formality; it reads as coldness
- Conversation: Banter, weather and sport; self-deprecating humour; avoid: Opening with Northern Ireland, religion or the Famine
- Pubs: Buy your round; chat at the bar; avoid: Leaving a round without buying one
- Identity: Say Ireland, or the Republic when you need to distinguish; avoid: 'Southern Ireland' and calling it British
- Driving: Lift a finger from the wheel to thank drivers who pull in for you; avoid: Stopping on narrow bends for photos
Scams and watch-outs
- Narrow valley roads and sheep: drive slowly and pull in for oncoming traffic.
- Many businesses close from November to March; check dates before booking a winter night.
- Fuel and groceries are limited: Hamiltons is the village shop, post office and filling station.
- Mobile coverage is 4G only; 5G has not reached this area.
- Rain arrives fast off the fjord; bring a waterproof layer even on a clear morning.
Very safe. The real risks are the roads: single-track lanes, sheep, tour buses on the N59 and fast weather changes on the fjord. Tell someone your route before any mountain walk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Leenane yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Killary fjord
- Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre
- Aasleagh Falls
- Delphi and Maam valleys
- The Field (1990 film location)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Discover Ireland — Connemara and Killary: www.discoverireland.ie/
- Bus Éireann: www.buseireann.ie/
- Killary Fjord Boat Tours: killaryfjord.com/
- Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre: www.sheepandwoolcentre.com/index.html
- Wikivoyage: Leenane, revision 5069523 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5069523
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
LeenaneAn Líonán
Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoil
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Leenane or Galway city for most countries; embassies are in Dublin. US citizens: the US Embassy is in Dublin (check the address).
Bus times and boat tour sailings change by season: confirm the day before.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/leenane). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.