Two world firsts happened on this one soggy stretch of Connemara peat, twelve years apart. In 1907 Guglielmo Marconi sent the first commercial transatlantic wireless telegrams from a station on Derrigimlagh Bog; in June 1919 John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown ended the first non-stop transatlantic flight by burying the nose of their Vickers Vimy in it. A cairn on the Derrigimlagh Discovery Point trail marks the landing area, and the marked trail passes the ruins of Marconi’s station. The wing-shaped memorial is a separate landmark nearby. If you have the legs, walk the trail; that is where the interest is.
The flight
Alcock and Brown took off from St John’s, Newfoundland, on 14 June 1919, chasing the Daily Mail’s £10,000 prize for the first non-stop crossing in under 72 hours. Their aircraft, a modified First World War Vickers Vimy, was stripped of bomb racks and fitted with extra fuel tanks, a sextant and two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines. Radio contact failed early on, and crossing the North Atlantic they battled thick fog, snow and severe icing. At one point the plane spun close to the ocean surface, and Brown climbed out onto the wing to scrape ice from the instruments by hand.
The crossing took just under sixteen hours. They sighted the Connemara coast on the morning of 15 June, low on fuel and with no airfield in sight. Alcock put down on what looked like a flat green field, actually the soft peat of Derrigimlagh Bog. The wheels sank, the aircraft tipped nose-first, and both men climbed out unharmed. The flight earned them the Daily Mail prize and knighthoods from King George V.
Marconi’s wireless station
The bog’s connection to global communications predates the flight. In 1905 Marconi chose Derrigimlagh for a wireless station, drawn by the flat terrain, the closeness to the Atlantic and the peat to fuel it. By 1907 the complex covered roughly 300 acres and ran like a small industrial village, transmitting the first commercial transatlantic telegrams to Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Technological advances and damage during the Irish Civil War in 1922 closed the station, but foundations and interpretive markers remain, and the trail passes the remains of the wireless station. Leave the old foundations and the surrounding bog undisturbed.
What to see
- The landing cairn – Unveiled in 1969 for the flight’s 50th anniversary, this white stone marker stands on the Discovery Point trail and marks the landing area where the Vimy’s nose buried itself in the peat. Panels nearby detail the aircraft and the crossing.
- The wing-shaped memorial – A separate memorial to the flight stands nearby.
- The marked trail – Start from the Discovery Point car park. The trail passes the remains of the Marconi wireless station and crosses exposed, uneven ground, with interpretive stops explaining the wireless station and the landing. The boardwalks and uneven ground make it unsuitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Keep to the trail.
- The Clifden statue – Not at the bog, but a bronze of Alcock and Brown stands in Clifden’s main square: a replica of the 1954 limestone monument that once stood at Heathrow, cast by Bronze Art Ireland and unveiled in February 2020 for the flight’s centenary.
Visitor Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Use the signed Derrigimlagh Discovery Point trailhead car park. It is exposed, and catches the wind off the bog |
| Public transport | Check current bus services between Galway city and Clifden, and how to reach the trailhead from Clifden, before you travel |
| Accessibility | The trail crosses uneven, exposed bogland. Check local access information before setting out |
| Dogs | Leave dogs at home. The Connemara Chamber’s trail information says no dogs |
| Facilities | Facilities at the trailhead could not be confirmed, so plan ahead and use the cafés and toilets in Clifden town centre |
| Best time to visit | Late spring to early autumn provides the most reliable weather and the longest daylight for the walk. Autumn colours add extra visual interest |
| Safety tips | The bog can be wet underfoot; wear sturdy shoes and bring a waterproof jacket. Keep to the marked trail and boardwalks, especially after rain |
Nearby
The site sits within a short drive of other Connemara landmarks:
- Connemara National Park – home to the Twelve Bens and Diamond Hill.
- Kylemore Abbey – a neo-Gothic estate with Victorian walled gardens.
- Sky Road – a scenic coastal loop with dramatic views.
- Clifden Castle ruins – visible from the Sky Road drive.
- Benbaun – a peak of the Twelve Bens (Benbaun).
Together they make a full-day loop along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Getting there
From Clifden, follow local signs towards Derrigimlagh and the Discovery Point trailhead. From Galway city, take the N59 to Clifden and follow the local signs from there. Check the Discover Ireland page for current local information. Pack a rain jacket regardless of the forecast, and allow time for the walk and the panels.