FUTURES
These days Mayo doesn’t dwell on its past and is firmly focussed on innovation and a sustainable future to look forward with. Mayo born and Ireland’s most famous surfer, Fergal Smith, who learnt to surf on Achill and was once considered as having more coverage in the surf press than Kelly Slater!, recently announced he is running as a candidate for Ireland’s general election representing the Green Party. Ireland’s longest off road walking and cycling trail starts in Achill, running for 42 kms, taking in the shores of Clew Bay to Westport as it follows the tracks of a disused rail road. In Belmullet on Mayo’s west facing shores an Irish Gaelic language centre, uisce.ie (Uisce is Irish for water), uses the medium of watersports to immerse young people in learning their mother tongue. Mayo’s exposure to the Atlantic make it a surf sport paradise but it is also the government’s aim to develop it as a centre of excellence for the renewable energy sector, developing wind and wave power technology. Mayo’s wide open land expanses are being promoted as possible destinations for testing drones which require large spaces free from conflicting air traffic.
Even its geographic position as one of the western most counties, once seen as a disadvantage due to its distance from Dublin, is now being used to its advantage as one of the closest points of Europe to America and landfall for a major transatlantic internet cable linking the two continents and with the capacity to handle up to one third of the world’s telephone calls and the entire internet traffic of Europe and the US. Mayo is in a flagship process of reinvention using its natural resources to create new ideas in tourism and industry. In a county traditionally dominated by agriculture and much of its character forged by relationship with the land, the change brings exciting times. As tourists exploring its remote surf shores we still need to be sensitive though to the land and its people. Much of the attraction of visiting here is finding your own secluded surf spot and while access is not generally a problem, seek permission and act respectfully when crossing land, park considerately and keep gates closed. Farming here on rough terrain and buffeted by the ocean is not easy but challenge breeds character so expect to meet warm wit and conversation if you behave and swift rebuke from farmers if you don’t!
