Exploring Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way: A Motorcycle Odyssey

by Eugene O'Loughlin

The Wild Atlantic Way is Ireland's 2,500 kiIometre driving route stretching around the beautiful and rugged western coast from Cork to Donegal. Launched by Failte Ireland in 2014, it is the longest coastal driving route in the world. With the constant presence of the blue Atlantic Ocean on one side, visitors will encounter well-known attractions such as the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, and Connemara, but will also explore many of the lesser known locations that make the Wild Atlantic Way so special. With his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a map, author Eugene O'Loughlin set out on a trip of discovery from Kinsale in West Cork to Inishowen in Donegal. Along the way he explored beautiful and remote locations with wonderful names like Toe Head, the Bridges of Ross, Sheep's Head, Flaggy Shore, and Horn Head. He discovered locations associated with the legends of the Children of Lir, the Black Pig of Muckdubh, and Fionn Mac Cumhaill, and visited some of the most iconic lighthouses in Ireland at Mizen Head, Loop Head and Fanad Head. In this first book to describe the entire Wild Atlantic Way route, Eugene and his bike experience a real trip of a life time through some of the most dramatic scenery in Ireland. County by county he documents his trip, taking photographs along the way. And with detailed maps highlighting the many points of interest, this book is the essential guide to one of the world's newest and best driving routes - Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.

215 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2014

Reviews

[N E C Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insights to Ireland's west coast

I cannot wait to follow in the footsteps of the author. To explore Ireland's west cost for its beauty it's people and wildlife. I think I will use my motorcycle

[Gosia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love to travel and I enjoy travel literature very much. I was already excited to read this one, and even more so as I used to reside very close to Wild Atlantic Way and walked parts of it myself. I had my stories, but I was more than ready to learn about some new amazing and Irish-like happenings! And while I was excited, the author, sadly, seemed not.

While I enjoyed the historical info and tidbits (however even those were served in a laconic way), the gist of a travel/journey literature was missing. The writing was very matter-of-factly, simply a recap of "I turned left and saw some sheep, and then I parked and had lunch." There were no emotions of the author being excited to be on that journey. I think I spotted about 4 jokes through the entire book, and maybe a couple of stories where the author encountered another traveler. And all that in Ireland!

All in all, I enjoyed learning short facts about some of the places along the Wild Atlantic Way but didn't bond with the author. If I didn't have the love for Ireland and its hills, I certainly wouldn't get it from this book.