Ballycastle, County Mayo
Encyclopedia
Ballycastle is a village in County Mayo
, Ireland
, situated northwest from Ballina
, near Mayo's north coast in the West of Ireland
. Ballycastle is also on the edge of an Irish speaking area called a Gaeltacht
.
Ballycastle is situated on the rugged coast of North Mayo, with its northern boundary exposed to the wild Atlantic ocean. To the west of the town are the Stags of Broadhaven
(600 million years old), to the east lies Killala Bay while to the south are the towns of Crossmolina
and Ballina
. It was at the Céide Fields
that the first settlers began to farm the slopes of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5000 years ago. Ballycastle is host to the annual Healyfest festival. The festival takes place every August Bank holiday weekend and has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2005. This event attracts bands from all over Ireland and beyond for a weekend of great fun and great music.
The parish of Ballycastle is a combination of the two ancient parishes of Kilbride and Doonfeeney. The name Ballycastle was in use as early as 1470 and was referred to as a parish in the Catholic directory of 1836.
Famous people from Ballycastle include the Gaelic football
er Tommy Langan
. He won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
s with the Mayo GAA
senior county team and was named on the Football Team of the Millennium.
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, situated northwest from Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
, near Mayo's north coast in the West of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Ballycastle is also on the edge of an Irish speaking area called a Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
.
Ballycastle is situated on the rugged coast of North Mayo, with its northern boundary exposed to the wild Atlantic ocean. To the west of the town are the Stags of Broadhaven
Broadhaven Bay
Broadhaven Bay is a natural bay of the Atlantic Ocean situated on the northwestern coast of County Mayo, Ireland. The opening of the bay faces northward, stretching between Erris Head on the west side and Kid Island on the east side with approximately 8.6 km between the two sides.It borders...
(600 million years old), to the east lies Killala Bay while to the south are the towns of Crossmolina
Crossmolina
Crossmolina or Crosmolina is a town in the Barony of Tyrawley in County Mayo, Ireland, as well as the name of the parish in which Crossmolina is situated. The town sits on the River Deel near the northern shore of Lough Conn...
and Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
. It was at the Céide Fields
Céide Fields
The Céide Fields is an archaeological site on the north Mayo coast in the west of Ireland, about 8 kilometres northwest of Ballycastle. The site is the most extensive Stone Age site in the world and contains the oldest known field systems in the world...
that the first settlers began to farm the slopes of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5000 years ago. Ballycastle is host to the annual Healyfest festival. The festival takes place every August Bank holiday weekend and has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2005. This event attracts bands from all over Ireland and beyond for a weekend of great fun and great music.
History
Famous people from Ballycastle include the Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er Tommy Langan
Tommy Langan
Tommy Langan was an Irish Gaelic footballer from County Mayo. He played for the Ballycastle club and the Mayo GAA county team.-Playing career:...
. He won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
s with the Mayo GAA
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
senior county team and was named on the Football Team of the Millennium.