Derrigimlagh, a signature discovery waypoint

Not too far from Clifden lies one of the Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Points — Derrigimlagh. This remote, windswept landscape is home to two remarkable milestones in early 20th‑century transatlantic history. The first, and the reason we found ourselves wandering through this barren beauty, was to walk in the footsteps of Guglielmo Marconi.

After successfully transmitting the first wireless message from Cornwall to Newfoundland, Marconi set his sights even further west. Derrigimlagh, just outside Clifden, was about as far west as he could go — the perfect location for his next ambitious wireless station.

But back to the beginning. After parking the car, we crossed a raised walkway towards the Wild Atlantic Way waymarker. The walkway itself is worth mentioning: the land here is deep bog, which means it can be heavily waterlogged depending on the season. A traditional path would crack and sink over time. Instead, engineers created a floating, segmented boardwalk that rests on the bog’s surface and moves gradually with the landscape. It’s a clever solution that allows visitors to explore this unique environment without damaging it — or disappearing into it.

A vibrant and colourful display welcomes you to the Derrigimlagh Bog site, introducing its remarkable history through interactive panels. This is also the starting point of a 5 km looped walk across the bog, with seven stop points that explain the site’s significance. And a word of advice — bring a decent jacket. In this part of the country, rain can arrive without warning. Thankfully, six of the seven stops double as shelters, so you’re never too exposed to the elements.

To continue the story: Marconi established his commercial transatlantic wireless station here in 1907. It must have been an extraordinary sight in such a barren landscape — a massive condenser house, a huge power house, and an enormous aerial system dominating the bog. A railway line even ran across the 300‑acre site to transport workers and equipment.
Because of its strategic importance — both financially and scientifically — the station was heavily guarded. During the First World War, large numbers of British soldiers were stationed here, controlling access to the site and monitoring the flow of people and goods. The railway became essential, moving staff and supplies efficiently across the sprawling complex.

​Today, only traces of that once‑bustling hub remain, but the sense of history is unmistakable. Walking through Derrigimlagh, you can almost imagine the hum of machinery, the crackle of early wireless signals, and the sheer ambition that once filled this wild corner of Connemara.

Walking further along the boardwalk, we uncovered even more fascinating details about the Marconi site. One story that stood out was the day James Joyce himself arrived here in August, hoping to interview Marconi for an article. Despite his literary fame, Joyce was turned away at the gate — he didn’t have the required paperwork to access the strictly controlled station. It’s a small anecdote, but it perfectly captures just how secure and significant this remote outpost once was.

Walking further along the bog road, the views opened up beautifully. The vast bogland, dotted with small lakes and framed by distant mountains, creates a landscape that feels both wild and timeless — a place anyone can appreciate. The honeysuckle was in full bloom, its sweet scent drifting along the path, while the blackberries were slowly turning from green to deep purple, almost ready for picking later in the year.

Remember how we mentioned that Derrigimlagh was home to two major historical events? The second is just as extraordinary as Marconi’s wireless station: this is the crash‑landing site of the world’s first non‑stop transatlantic flight.

On 15 June 1919, after taking off from Newfoundland some 16 hours earlier, John Alcock and Arthur Brown brought their Vickers Vimy biplane down onto this very bog, completing a journey of 1,980 nautical miles. Their daring achievement won them the £10,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail for the first non‑stop transatlantic flight. Just days after their dramatic landing, both men were honoured at Windsor Castle, where King George V knighted them for their accomplishment.
Standing here, surrounded by the quiet sweep of the bog, it’s incredible to imagine the roar of that aircraft touching down after crossing an ocean — a moment that changed aviation history forever.

After an afternoon filled with history, innovation and breathtaking scenery, we decided it was time to continue our journey along the Wild Atlantic Way. What struck us most was how these waypoints offer far more than dramatic landscapes — many of them are deeply rooted in stories that shaped the modern world. Derrigimlagh is the perfect example: a place where wireless communication leapt forward and where aviation history quite literally touched down on the bog.
As we drove away, the wind still sweeping across the open landscape, we couldn’t help but feel grateful for places like this — wild, remote, and rich with tales waiting to be rediscovered.