Jonathan Beaumont is an author of two books on Achill Island

Achill Island

Achill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...

 in County Mayo

County Mayo

County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...

. As a child, his parents took him to Achill for a holiday every year, and he has returned regularly since then.

Rails to Achill (2001) describes the history of the Westport to Achill railway, which ran from 1894 to 1937. Achillbeg: The Life of an Island (2005) chronicles life on the island of Achillbeg

Achillbeg

Acaill Bheag is a small island in County Mayo, Ireland, just off the southern tip of Achill Island. Its name means 'Little Achill'. Acaill Bheag was evacuated in 1965 and the inhabitants were settled on the main island and nearby mainland. The main settlement was in the centre of the island,...

, which was depopulated in 1965. Research for the latter book was funded by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.