You Can Spend the Night in a 200-Year-Old Lighthouse on a Mayo Island

At the northern tip of Clare Island, high above the Atlantic, there’s a lighthouse that spent more than 150 years guiding ships through the waters off Mayo.

These days, you can sleep in it. Clare Island Lighthouse has been transformed into boutique accommodation, but much of what makes the place unusual remains.

You’ve got the original lighthouse buildings and stone walls, rooms overlooking Achill and Clew Bay and, if you choose carefully, you can even sleep inside the old lighthouse tower itself. There’s no TV, the island is reached by ferry and the views do most of the entertaining.

Welcome to the incredible Clare Island Lighthouse

Clare Island sits at the entrance to Clew Bay, a short ferry journey off the Mayo coast. The lighthouse occupies a fairly dramatic position at the island’s northern end, perched high above the Atlantic with views stretching towards Achill Island, Croagh Patrick and the Mayo mainland.

And it’s considerably bigger than the name might suggest. Behind the original stone walls you’ll find two towers, the former lighthouse keeper’s residence, several cottages and other buildings that have been converted into guest accommodation.

You can stay here on a B&B basis or, if you’re travelling with a group, book the property for a self-catering stay.

About the lighthouse on Clare Island

The original lighthouse complex dates to 1806, and its stone walls and former keepers’ buildings remain part of the property today.

The lighthouse eventually stopped operating, but rather than being left to the Atlantic weather, the old buildings have been given a very different second life. The original keeper’s residence now contains several bedrooms, while the separate old lighthouse tower has become the aptly named Tower House.

There’s also Cliff Corner overlooking the Atlantic, Banshee Cottage and a converted outhouse that’s now the Sauna Suite. Basically, choosing where to sleep is considerably more complicated than you’d expect from a lighthouse.

What it’s like inside Clare Island Lighthouse

The interiors are deliberately simple and comfortable, with the owners keeping things uncluttered so the location remains the main attraction. For the full lighthouse experience, Tower House is hard to overlook.

Its sitting room and bathroom are downstairs, while a winding staircase takes you into a circular bedroom inside the original light tower. Achill View is another standout. It sits at the top of a curved oak staircase and has huge picture windows overlooking the sea towards Achill Island.

From the super king bed you can even see Achill Beg Lighthouse, which replaced the light on Clare Island. Then there’s the Sauna Suite, the largest guest room, with its own private sauna and a flagstone patio looking across the water towards Croagh Patrick.

There are no TVs at the lighthouse, although Wi-Fi is available. I’d say if you’ve made the trip out to Clare Island only to spend the evening scrolling through Netflix, something has gone slightly wrong.

Discover more unique places to stay in Ireland

The stays above are just a handful of the wonderfully weird places you can spend a night around Ireland.

You’ll find plenty more in my guide to the most unique stays in Ireland, along with everything from treehouses and cabins to bell tents in my guide to the best places to go glamping in Ireland.