Doolough Pass is a mountain pass overlooking Lake Doolough in County Mayo. The place is magnificent, majestic and wild, and lies not far from Delphi pass, another pass offering a lovely view of the surrounding area.
The Doolough valley – © Sebastian
The Doolough Pass can be reached by car, bus or, for the more athletic, by bike. The area is fairly deserted, so don’t hesitate to fill up with petrol before venturing out: service stations are rare here.
It’s a beautiful place, well worth a walk or a picnic overlooking Lake Doolough. And don’t forget to pass by the Doolough Memorial, a monument to a terrible tragedy that took place in 1849.
On the night of March 30, 1849, over 400 Irish people perished as a result of the Great Famine. They had been summoned to report at 7am to Delphi Lodge, a former hunting lodge on Dephi Pass. In the event of refusal, they would have been denied any additional state aid to cope with the Great Famine.
Already in a state of extreme poverty, the 400 Irish marched at night and in the cold towards the hunting lodge, 20km away. But exhausted, they decided to spend the night at DooLough Pass. Bad weather, coupled with sickness, cold and hunger, got the better of them: over 400 Irish perished on the spot.
In commemoration, the site has been given a memorial: a stone cross faces the lake and bears an inscription in Ghandi’s handwriting: ” How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings? ” (How can men feel honored by the humiliation of their fellow men?).
In addition to the memorial, local residents also organize the annual Doolough Famine Walk, a solidarity march from Louisburgh to Doolough, to remember the terrible tragedy.
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