"There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't yet met".
W.B. Yeats

The Ocean Wave Bed & Breakfast is a tranquil oasis nestled between rolling hillside pastures and Cleggan Bay with stunning vistas of islands and the Twelve Bens Mountain Range. Our spacious family-run traditional Connemara farmhouse is modern and homely with lovely gardens for peaceful relaxation.

Our Guestrooms

The house contains four bright, comfortable and spacious rooms with en-suite bathrooms including one family suite with double and twin rooms. Comfy beds ensure a good night's rest after a day out exploring Connemara. All rooms are non-smoking with tea and coffee-making facilities. We offer free wifi and private car parking. Prices start at €35pp, children's rate available (may vary during peak season).

Enjoy a hearty breakfast in our breakfast room. Be sure to try our homemade soda bread, from a family recipe that has been handed down over generations. Unwind by the fire after your daily activities in our cosy sitting room.

The Views

We are surrounded by sandy beaches with breathtaking views of the islands and mountains. The beautiful Sellerna Beach is right on our doorstep. Be sure you look out into the Bay for any of the "pods" of dolphins that are regular visitors. The only noise is the lowing of cows, baaaing of Connemara blackface sheep, and seagulls chasing the lobster currachs as they return to the harbour.

As featured in 'Le Guide Du Routard' and 'The Lonely Planet'.

Bord Fáilte Approved. 3-Star rating.

A "home away from home" stay is guaranteed.

We look forward to welcoming you.

About Cleggan

Cleggan Village

Cleggan is a small, sleepy fishing village situated at the head of Cleggan Bay on the Atlantic Coast in Ireland's most stunning of regions - Connemara.

As you travel along the bog road and get the first view of the village and the bay sheltered by Cleggan Hill from the North, the beauty of the scenery grips you. The peace and calmness make you feel you have discovered heaven on earth.

An impressive looking pier built by engineer Alexander Nimmo in 1822 and later extended in 1908 is the main feature of our harbour. Our lobstermen and fishermen have plied their trade from here for generations, and now you can take the ferry to nearby Inishbofin or arrange fishing and island-exploration trips. Ne should always take time to enjoy a leisurely drink on the veranda of Oliver's Bar overlooking the harbour, with the sun setting in the west.

Cleggan boasts four pubs, one grocer, a post office, a restaurant, and a take-away. It is an ideal base for a Connemara holiday of a lifetime.

The Ocean Wave Bed and Breakfast is 1km from Cleggan Village.

Cleggan has been featured on numerous television programmes including BBC2's 'Coast' series as an idyllic place to live or visit. To view click here.

Local History

Cleggan, or An Cloigeann in Irish, means 'head' or 'skull', so obviously the name has to do with the domed headland. But local folklore has a different and much more enticing explanation. St Ceannanach from the Aran Islands is supposed to have been beheaded by a tyrant from nearby Bundowlish. He picked up his severed head, took it to the Holy Well in Clooncree, washed and reattached it! You can visit the site of this well, and try to find the 'Bloodstone' where it is said to have happened.

Not far from the scene of this St Ceannanach's activities is the townland of Sheeauns, the 'Fairy Hills', with a stone row and several neolithic tombs. There is a also very fine court tomb near to Cleggan Head, visible from the deck of Oliver's Bar. Cleggan Head is crowned with the ruins of an ancient signal tower, ruined during a fierce winter storm.

On October 28th 1927, the village was struck by great tragedy when twenty-six local men were lost at sea. On the last Friday of the month the men, as usual, got ready to go fishing. Their nets were scarcely shot when a gale from the North West broke without the slightest warning, whipping the comparatively calm sea into a foaming mass of rushing water. The frantic cry from the white-washed cabins ashore was 'Oh God who walked the waters once, bring them safely home'.

The tiny village of Rossadilisk lost sixteen men along with nine from Inishbofin Island and twenty men from County Mayo. A grim reminder of the tragedy is the tall Celtic Cross in limestone which dominates the tide-besieged graveyard overlooking Omey Strand.

A book now is available on this story of one fateful night in the life of two communities-a night that changed the course of local history. This book has been written by Marie Feeney, granddaughter of one of the survivors. Her personal interest has ensured readers of a story told with sensitivity and sympathetic attention to detail. There are many photos that illustrate life in Cleggan many years ago. Order the The Cleggan Bay Disaster from mariefeeney.ie

Activities

Visitors to Cleggan are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities right on their doorstep. A two minute walk from the Ocean Wave and you are on Sellerna Beach, where dolphins are regular visitors. You can also fish right from the rocks for mackerel, pollock, and other rock fish. Here are just a few of our local attractions:

Cleggan is on the Aughrus Peninsula which is blessed with many sandy, secluded beaches. At low tide the tidal of Omey is a great place to explore since you can walk or drive across! Wander through the coves, walk the cliffs, inspect our archaeological tombs and wells. There are so many sights of interest that one of our local residents, Heather Greer, has built a website highlighting the many things to see and do: aughruspeninsula.com

The west coast of Ireland offers some of the best sea-fishing in the world, and charters run from Cleggan Harbour regularly. Trips can be arranged to visit one of the many fascinating and historic islands just off our coastline, such as the former Cromwellian garrison of Inishbofin. Here are some local links:

Trips to Inishbofin leave Cleggan Pier about three times daily depending on the weather and demand. You can buy your tickets from local outlets. The trip takes about 45 minutes. There are two hotels, two bars, a restaurant, a hostel and lovely sandy beaches on the Island. The population before the Famine was about 1,400, now there are about 180 people living on the Island. In Irish the Island is called "Inis bo finne", meaning the 'Island of the White Cow'.

Western Kingfisher
Inishbofin Island Discovery Ferry
Blue Water Fishing
Killary Cruises

A great way to explore Connemara's rugged terrain and enjoy its beaches is from the saddle of a horse. Guides will take you on the "Green Road" to Omey Strand or Cleggan Beach, passing ancient landscapes and stunning scenery.

Cleggan Riding Centre

Take up the challenge at one of Ireland's most unique championship golf courses, amidst spectacular scenery right on the coast at Ballyconneely.

Connemara Championship Golf Links

Get in Touch

Please contact us by phone on +353 (0)95 44775 or by email with the form below.