Crookedwood – Art, nature and traditional customs

Art workshops, traditional customs and the landscape around Lough Derravaragh give Crookedwood an unusual character. In the village, Devine Art Studios focuses on art, wellness and chocolate; nearby, you’ll find a designated wetland and a marked circular walking route. When planning your trip, you can choose between creative activities, nature and fishing, without any one theme defining the place on its own.

Lough Derravaragh and the surrounding area

Lough Derravaragh is designated as a Ramsar site. It is considered nationally important for pochard, mute swan, little grebe and coot. This makes the lake a special natural attraction for anyone interested in wetlands and birds. The slopes near St. Munna’s Church offer views of the lough. The church, also known as Taghmon, is 1.8 km east of Crookedwood and is a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works.

Clintons Bay near Crookedwood is an access point for anglers on Lough Derravaragh. If you’d like to focus your stay more on nature and outdoor activities, you’ll also find the Knockeyon Loop near Crookedwood: a marked circular route up the hill starts on the R394 and is approximately 5.5 km long. There are no toilets, cafés or shops on the hill. Take this into account when planning before deciding on this outing.

Art, wellness and chocolate

Devine Art Studios in Crookedwood offers art and craft workshops as well as art retreats. A gallery of original art adds to this creative offering. The workshops and courses are led by professional instructors. If you’re looking for a focus for your trip, you can treat these activities as a distinct part of your stay, rather than seeing Crookedwood only as a base for enjoying nature by the lake.

The studios also offer wellness retreats, with a focus on relaxation, yoga, Tai Chi and meditation. There are chocolate workshops too. After workshops, a home-cooked lunch, dessert and light snacks are available. One provider brings together a variety of activities: hands-on creative courses, art, movement and relaxation, as well as chocolate and food. These offerings may be a reason to centre your stay around village life when looking for a holiday rental in Crookedwood; fishing or the lakeside landscape offer other possible points of focus.

Folklore and historical traces

Traditional customs also give Crookedwood a distinctive cultural side. Historical folklore records describe large crowds gathering in the village on Cora Sunday. A custom is recorded for St Stephen’s Day in which boys, girls and adult men went from house to house. They carried a dead wren or a feather on a stick. Another historical folklore entry tells of carrier pigeons kept by people in Crooked Wood: the birds flew to Faughalstown, where Mass was celebrated, and to the chapel in Knockion. These stories add local traditions to the area’s nature and art themes.

Fishing is another specific activity to consider in the surrounding area. Irish Angling Safaris offers visiting anglers on Lough Derravaragh a complete fishing package and arranges accommodation in hotels, guesthouses or self-catering holiday homes. If fishing is a deciding factor for you, you can take this specialist option into account when planning your trip. When looking for a holiday rental in Crookedwood, however, it’s worth first weighing up whether the village’s art and wellness offerings or the nature and activities around the lake will shape your trip more.

Other places at the same level: Kinnegad, Kilbeggan, Mullingar, Castletown Geoghegan, Tang, Glasson, Moate, Athlone.

For the broader travel overview: County Westmeath.