Roman Island
View from Roman island
One of the best and most accessible bird watching spots in close proximity to Westport town is Roman Island, locally known as ‘The Point’. Roman Island is the most westerly point of the Quay and marks the outer reach of Westport Harbour. Follow the quayside from the Helm pub and on the left is ‘The Pond’ where one can see mallard, mute swans, and various species of gull. Moving towards the Point, Westport Heritage Centre and Westport Sailing Club are both situated on the left-hand side. Housed in the Heritage Centre are various traditional artefacts as well as archives of local historical events. http://www.museumsofmayo.com/clewbay.htm
The factory located behind the Sailing Club is Trouw, a fish-food processing plant formerly owned by B.P.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the shore-line tree across the harbour – kingfishers can be regularly seen perched here.
Continue on along the edge of the water and pass under the chute of the old dilapidated mill. The Pollexfen Grain Company originally opened this mill in 1904, but it has been derelict for many years and is now in a bad state of repair. As the Dublin train line extended to the old mill at the turn of the 20th century, this enhanced Westport’s importance as a vibrant and busy port.
Grain, coal, hardware and livestock were the main exports from here. There were also twice-weekly passenger sailings to Glasgow and Liverpool.
Continuing along the quayside you will pass a soccer pitch before reaching the Point. The area from the mill to the end of the Point is a man-made extension to the west side of Roman Island, constructed mainly from the ballast of ships arriving to collect people and goods.
Arriving at the end of ‘The Point’, you will be facing due West. Looking in this direction past the navigation beacons, Little Grebes, Great Northern Divers and Red-breasted Mergansers are often seen.
To the South, (left) Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and Mallard
To the North, (right) Bar-tailed Godwits, Mute Swans, Cormorants, Red-Shank and Turnstone are regularly present.
Watch out for otters, which can be observed ‘playing’ with the prey on the opposite shoreline.
Derek McLoughlin