Achillbeg 3

Acaill Bheag is a small island in County Mayo, Ireland, just off the southern tip of Achill Island.EtymologyIts name means Little Achill.HistoryAcaill 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, bounded by two hills to the north and south. There are a small number of holiday homes on the island, but they are usually empty for most of the year. Access to the island is from Cé Mhór, in the village of An Chloich Mhór, by local arrangement. A lighthouse on Acaill Bheag's southern tip was completed in 1965.A comprehensive book about the life and times of the island and the people and way of life there, "Achillbeg - The Life of an Island", by Jonathan Beaumont was published in 2005.DemographicsThe table below reports data on Achillbeg's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland and the Census of Ireland.