‘We live lovely here’ on Inishturk — meet the locals living on a magical island off Mayo

An island at once isolated and warmly welcoming has two new cottages for visitors keen to experience its unique brand of slow tourism

Phylomena Heaney (left) and Deborah Bennett above 'The City' on Inishturk. Photo: Pól Ó Conghaile

Pól Ó Conghaile

There’s an island off the Mayo coast where 50 people live, a pint of Guinness costs a fiver and you can call a day ahead to order fresh lobster to its community centre.

The welcome is warm and when the weather lifts and the light paints in a certain way, you feel like you have one foot in Ireland and one in Tír na nÓg. It’s 5km long and there’s little to do, but its slowness is seductive; you won’t notice time going by.