When you approach Newport from Castlebar, the first thing you will see is the striking Seven Arches Bridge.
This is a beautiful sight either in the day or night. The bridge, now a protected structure, is a seven-span squared red sandstone structure with limestone. It crosses the Black Oak River (or Newport River). It was built in the late 1890s and was used to service the Midland Great Western Railway Line. The last train that ran on this line, which went to Achill, was in 1937. The bridge measures 93m long and just under 6m wide. It is tastefully lit at night. St. Patrick's Church which is situated above the town is also lit at night and adds to the beauty of the approach to Newport.
Newport is a founder member of the Friends of Mayo Dark Skies Steering Group, which has embraced the Dark Skies ethos and now has a thriving Astronomy Club. It also hosted the first-ever Mayo Dark Sky Festival in October 2016.
More information on Newport here: http://www.newportmayo.ie/ and Mayo Dar Skies here: http://www.mayodarkskypark.ie/
