County Mayo
Encyclopedia
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 according to the 2011 census. The county was formed in 1585, and its boundaries reflect the Mac William Íochtar
lordship at that time.
and Ballina
, respectively located in the centre and in the northeast of the county. There is a distinct geological difference between the north and the south of the county. The north consists largely of poor subsoils, and is covered with large areas of extensive Atlantic blanket-bog, whereas the south is largely a limestone landscape. Agricultural land in the south is, therefore, more productive than that in the north.
, four in the northern area and five in the south of the county:
North Mayo
South Mayo
and Ballina
are the two most populous towns in the county, with 17,891 and 10,146 residents respectively according to the 2006 census; Ballina being much larger by land area. These are followed by Westport
, a popular tourist town, which has some 5,000 residents. The fourth largest town is Claremorris
, a market town, with a population of 3,170 in the 2006 census returns.
in Volume 6.
Consultants working for the Corrib gas project have carried out extensive surveys of wildlife flora
and fauna
in Kilcommon
Parish, Erris
between 2002 and 2009. This information is published in the Corrib Gas Proposal Environmental impact statement
s 2009 and 2010
The first people who came to Ireland – mainly to coastal areas as the interior was heavily forested – arrived during the Middle Stone Age
, as long as eleven thousand years ago.
Artefacts of hunter/gatherers
are sometimes found in midden
s, rubbish pits around hearth
s where people would have rested and cooked over large open fires. Once cliffs erode, midden-remains become exposed as blackened areas containing charred stones, bones, and shells. They are usually found a metre below the surface. Mesolithic people did not have major rituals associated with burial, unlike those of the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period.
The Neolithic period followed the Mesolithic around 6,000 years ago. People began to farm the land, domesticate animals for food and milk, and settle in one place for longer periods. The people had skills such as making pottery, building houses from wood, weaving, and knapping (stone tool working). The first farmers cleared forestry to graze livestock and grow crops. In North Mayo, where the ground cover was fragile, thin soils washed away and blanket bog
covered the land farmed by the Neolithic people.
Extensive pre-bog field systems have been discovered under the blanket bog, particularly along the North Mayo coastline in Erris
and north Tyrawley at sites such as the Céide Fields
, centred on the north east coast.
The Neolithic people developed rituals associated with burying their dead; this is why they built huge, elaborate, galleried stone tombs for their dead leaders, known nowadays as megalithic tombs. There are over 160 recorded megaliths in County Mayo, such as Faulagh
, and many more which are unrecorded.
type--court tomb
s, portal tomb
s, passage tomb
s and wedge tomb
s--examples of all four types can be found in County Mayo. Areas particularly rich in megalithic tombs include Achill
, Kilcommon
, Ballyhaunis
, Killala
and the Behy/Glenurla area around the Céide Fields
.
when metal began to be worked for tools alongside the stone tools. The Bronze Age lasted from approx 4,500 years ago to 2,500 years ago (i.e. 2,500BC to 500BC)--archaeological remains from this period include stone alignments
, stone circle
s and fulachta fiadh
(early cooking sites). They continued to bury their chieftains in megalithic tombs which changed design during this period, more being of the wedge tomb
type and cist
burials.
took over from the Bronze Age as more and more metalworking took place. At the same period the Roman Empire was at its height in Britain but it is not thought that the Roman Empire extended into Ireland to any large degree. Remains from this period, which lasted until the Early Christian
period began about 325AD (with the arrival of St. Patrick into Ireland, as a slave) include crannóg
s (Lake dwellings, promontory fort
s, ringfort
s and souterrain
s of which there are numerous examples across the county.
The Iron Age
was a time of tribal warfare with kingships, each fighting neighbouring kings, vying for control of territories and taking slaves. Territories were marked by tall stone markers, Ogham
stones, using the first written down words using the Ogham alphabet. The Iron Age is the time period in which the tales of the Ulster Cycle
and sagas took place. The Táin Bó Flidhais
which took place mainly in Erris
sets the scene well.
Christianity came to Ireland around the start of the 5th century AD. It brought many changes including the introduction of writing and recording events. The tribal 'tuatha' and the new religious settlements existed side by side. Sometimes it suited the chieftains to become part of the early Churches, other times they remained as separate entities. St. Patrick (4th century AD) may have spent time in County Mayo and it is believed that he spent forty days and forty nights on Croagh Patrick praying for the people of Ireland.
From the middle of the 6th century hundreds of small monastic settlements were established around the county.
Some examples of well-known early monastic sites in Mayo include Mayo Abbey, Aughagower
, Ballintubber, Errew
, Cong
, Killala
, Turlough on the outskirts of Castlebar, and island settlements off the Mullet Peninsula like the Inishkea Islands
, Inishglora
and Duvillaun
.
In 795AD the first of the Viking
raids took place. The Vikings came from Scandinavia
to raid the monasteries as they were places of wealth with precious metal working taking place in them. Some of the larger ecclesiastical settlements erected round tower
s to prevent their precious items being plundered and also to show their status and strength against these pagan raiders from the north. There are round towers at Aughagower
, Balla
, Killala
, Turlough and Meelick. The Vikings established settlements which later developed into towns (Dublin, Cork, Wexford, Waterford etc..) but none were in County Mayo.
Between the reigns of Kings of Connacht
Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg
(973
-1010) and Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1106-1156), various tribal territories were incorporated into the kingdom of Connacht and ruled by the Siol Muirdaig dynasty, based initially at Rathcroghan in County Roscommon
, and from c. 1050 at Tuam
. The families of O'Malley
and O'Dowd
of Mayo served as Admiral
's of the fleet
of Connacht
, while families such as O'Lachtnan, Mac Fhirbhisigh, O'Cleary were ecclesiastical and bardic clans.
) in the east of Ireland appealed to the King of England for help in his fight with a neighbouring king, the response of which was the arrival of the Anglo-Norman colonisation of Ireland.
County Mayo came under Norman control in 1235AD. Norman control meant the eclipse of many Gaelic lords and chieftains, chiefly the O'Connors of Connacht.
During the 1230s, the Anglo-Norman
s and Welsh
under Richard Mór de Burgh
(c. 1194-1242 invaded and settled in the county, introducing new families such as Burke, Gibbons
, Staunton, Prendergast, Morris
, Joyce, Walsh
, Barrett
, Lynott, Costello
, Padden
and Price
, Norman names still common in County Mayo today. Following the collapse of the lordship in the 1330s, all these families became estranged
from the Anglo-Irish
administration based in Dublin and assimilated with the Gaelic-Irish, adopting their language,religion, dress, laws, customs and culture and marrying into Irish families. They "became more Irish than the Irish themselves".
The most powerful clan to emerge during this era were the Mac William Burkes, also known as the Mac William Iochtar (see Burke Civil War 1333-1338, descended from Sir William Liath de Burgh, who defeated the Gaelic-Irish at the Second Battle of Athenry
in August 1316. They were frequently at war with their cousions, Clanricarde
of Galway
, and in alliance with or against various factions of the O'Conor's of Siol Muiredaig and O'Kelly
's of Uí Maine. The O'Donnell
's of Tyrconnell regularly invaded in an attempt to secure their right to rule.
The Anglo Normans encouraged and established many religious orders from continental Europe to settle in Ireland. Mendicant orders—Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans and Franciscans began new settlements across Ireland and built large churches, many under the patronage of prominent Gaelic
families. Some of these sites include Cong
, Strade
, Ballintubber, Errew
, Burrishoole Abbey
and Mayo Abbey.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, despite regular conflicts between them as England chopped and changed between religious beliefs, the Irish usually regarded the King of England as their King. When Queen Elizabeth 1 came to the throne in the mid-16th century, the English people, as was customary at that time, followed the religious practices of the reigning Monarch and became Protestant. Many Irish people such as Gráínne O'Malley, the famous pirate queen had close relationships with the English monarchy and the English kings and queens were welcome visitors to Irish shores. The Irish however, generally held onto their Catholic religious practices and beliefs. The early plantations of settlers in Ireland began during the reign of Queen Mary in the mid-16th century and continued throughout the long reign of Queen Elizabeth I
until 1603. By then the term County Mayo had come into use. In the summer of 1588 the galleons of the Spanish Armada
were wrecked by storms along the west coast
of Ireland. Some of the hapless Spaniards came ashore in Mayo, only to be robbed and imprisoned, and in many cases slaughtered. Almost all the religious foundations set up by the Anglo Normans were suppressed in the wake of the Reformation
in the 16th century.
Protestant
settlers from Scotland
, England
, and elsewhere in Ireland, settled in the County in the early 17th century. Many would be killed or forced to flee because of the 1641 Rebellion
, during which a number of massacres were committed by the Catholic Gaelic
Irish, most notably at Shrule
in 1642. A third of the overall population was reported to have perished due to warfare, famine and plague between 1641 and 1653, with several areas remaining disturbed and frequented by Reparees
into the 1670s.
, though many natives were outlawed and exiled.
For the vast majority of people in County Mayo the 18th century was a period of unrelieved misery. Because of 'the penal laws', Catholics had no hope of social advancement while they remained in their native land. Some, like William Brown (admiral)
(1777–1857), left Foxford with his family at the age of nine and thirty years later was an admiral in the fledgling Argentine Navy. Today he is a national hero in that country.
The general unrest in Ireland was felt just as keenly across Mayo and as the 18th century approached and news reached Ireland about the American War of Independence and the French Revolution
, the downtrodden Irish, constantly suppressed by Government policies and decisions from Dublin and London, began to rally themselves for their own stand against English rule in their country. By 1798 the Irish were ready for rebellion. The French came to help the Irish cause. General Humbert
, from France landed in Killala
with over 1,000 officers where they started to march across the county towards Castlebar
where there was an English garrison. Taking them by surprise Humbert's army was victorious. He established a 'Republic of Connacht' with one of the Moore family from Moore Hall
near Partry. Humbert's army marched on towards Sligo, Leitrim and Longford where they were suddenly faced with a massive English army and were forced to surrender in less than half an hour. The French soldiers were treated honourably, but for the Irish the surrender meant slaughter. Many died on the scaffold in towns like Castlebar and Claremorris, where the high sheriff for County Mayo, the Honourable Denis Browne, M.P., brother of Lord Altamont, wreaked a terrible vengeance - thus earning for himself the nickname which has survived in folk-memory to the present day, 'Donnchadh an Rópa' (Denis of the Rope).
In the 18th century and early 19th century, sectarian tensions arose as evangelical Protestant missionaries sought to 'redeem the Irish poor from the errors of Popery'. One of the best known was the Rev. Edward Nangle's mission at Dugort in Achill
. These too were the years of the campaign for Catholic Emancipation and, later, for the abolition of the tithes, which a predominately Catholic population was forced to pay for the upkeep of the clergy of the Established (Protestant) Church.
The Irish people depended on the potato crop for their sustenance. Disaster struck in August 1845, when a killer fungus (later diagnosed as Phytophthora infestans) started to destroy the potato crop. When widespread famine struck, about a million people died and a further million left the country. People died in the fields from starvation and disease. The catastrophe was particularly bad in County Mayo, where nearly ninety per cent of the population depended on the potato as their staple food. By 1848, Mayo was a county of total misery and despair, with any attempts at alleviating measures in complete disarray.
There are numerous reminders of the Great Famine to be seen on the Mayo landscape: workhouse sites, famine graves, sites of soup-kitchens, deserted homes and villages and even traces of undug 'lazy-beds' in fields on the sides of hills. Many roads and lanes were built as famine relief measures. There were nine workhouses in the county: Ballina, Ballinrobe, Belmullet, Castlebar, Claremorris, Killala, Newport, Swinford and Westport.
A small poverty-stricken place called Knock
, County Mayo, made headlines when it was announced that an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John had taken place there on 21 August 1879, witnessed by fifteen local people.
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A national movement was initiated in County Mayo during 1879 by Michael Davitt
, James Daly
, and others, which brought about the greatest social change ever witnessed in Ireland. Michael Davitt, a labourer whose family had moved to England joined forces with Charles Stewart Parnell to win back the land for the people from the landlords and stop evictions for non payment of rents.
A new word came into the English language through an incident that occurred in Mayo. An English landlord called Captain Charles Cunningham Boycott
could get no workers to do anything for him, so unpleasant as he was to them, so he brought in Protestant workers from elsewhere. He spent so much on security and protection for them that his harvest cost him a fortune and also nobody in the area would serve him in shops, or deal with him. This ostracisation became known as 'boycotting' and Captain Boycott was left with no option but to leave Mayo and take his family with him to England.
The 'Land Question' was gradually resolved by a scheme of state-aided land purchase schemes. The tenants became the owners of their lands under the newly set-up Land Commission
.
A Mayo nun, Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard (1842–1932), set up the Foxford Woollen Mill in 1892. She made Foxford synonymous throughout the world with high quality tweeds, rugs and blankets.
Mayo has remained an essentially rural community to the present day.
. They included:
Of these, Walsh (Breathnach), Gibbons, Joyce, Burke/Bourke are of Anglo-Norman
origin. Gallagher and Sweeney/Mac Sweeney were Galloglass clans. Kelly, Duffy, Connor/O'Connor, Durkan, Doherty, Conway, Lyons, Higgins, McHugh, are native to other parts of Ireland. Malley/O'Malley, Moran, McHale, Murphy, are all native to Mayo.
Other surnames found in Mayo include:
Ainsworth, Barrett, Basquille, Bourke, Bowman, Breathnach (Walsh), Cafferkey, Carney/Kearney, Cawley, Chambers, Coleman, Costello, Coyle, Dean, Devilly, Derrig, Devir, Diamond, Donnelly, Flynn, Garvin, Gildea, Gillard, Gilmartin, Grealish, Healy, Heneghan, Horan, Jennings, Jordan, Lavelle, Lawless, Loftus, Lydon, Lynott, Macken, Maughan, Morley/O'Muraile, Mortimer, Moyles, Moylette, McDonnell, McEvilly, McGing, McLoughlin, McManamon, McManus, McNally/Nally, McPhilbin, McTige, Nolan, Ormsby, O'Boyle, O'Cleary, O'Donnell, O'Dowd, Padden, Ruàne, Rutlidge, Sammon, Staunton, Sullivan, Thornton, Tierney, Waldron.
. The Gaeltacht Irish-speaking region in County Mayo is the third largest in Ireland with 10,868 inhabitants. Tourmakeady is the largest town in this area. All schools in the area use Irish as the language of instruction.
Connemara and Mayo form an area known for stunning scenery and this guidebook describes some of the region’s best and most spectacular walks. A wide variety of walks and terrains are covered: easy two-hour walks on surfaced paths; two- to three-hour flat island and coastal walks; two- to four-hour gentle hill and mountain hikes; and four- to seven-hour strenuous hill walks. Detailed instructions, in an easy-to-use, practical format, are provided along with information regarding archaeology, history, landscape, flora and wildlife. Maps are included for each walk while photographs illustrate the routes and give a sense of the striking landscape. This is the most comprehensive walking guide to the area published for some time.
, the Connaught Telegraph
, the Connacht Tribune
, Western People
, and Mayo Advertiser, which is Mayo's only free newspaper. Mayo has its own online TV channel Mayo TV which was launched in 2011. It covers news and events from around the county and regularly broadcasts live to a worldwide audience. Local radio stations include Community Radio Castlebar and M.W.R. (Mid West Radio). The documentary Pipe Down, which won best feature documentary at the 2009 Waterford Film Festival, was made in Mayo.
There is local resistance to Shell
's decision to refine raw gas
from the Corrib gas field
at an onshore refinery
. In 2005, five local men were jailed for contempt of court
after refusing to facilitate Shell's work. Subsequent protests against the project led to the Shell to Sea
and related campaigns.
and subsequent fossil fuel depletion
for a rural county in west of Ireland. The study draws together many different strands to examine current energy supply
and demand within the area of study, and assesses these demands in
the face of the challenges posed by the declining production of fossil fuels and expected disruptions to supply chains, and by long term economic recession
.
team last won the Sam Maguire Cup
in 1951, when the team was captained by Seán Flanagan
. Their All-Ireland Final appearances since have been in 1989, 1996, 1997, 2004, and 2006.
Counties of Ireland
The counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
in 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,...
. It is located in the West Region
West Region, Ireland
The West Region is a NUTS Level III region of Ireland and is governed by the West Regional Authority. It consists of the area under the jurisdiction of the county councils of counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, along with Galway City Council. The West region spans 13,801 km², 20% of the total area...
and is also part of the province
Provinces of Ireland
Ireland has historically been divided into four provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, literally meaning "fifth part", indicates that there were once five; the fifth province, Meath, was incorporated into Leinster, with parts going to...
of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
. It is named after the village of Mayo
Mayo, County Mayo
Mayo or Mayo Abbey is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. Although it bears the same name as the county, it is not the county seat, which is Castlebar...
, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council
Mayo County Council
Mayo County council is the local authority which is responsible for County Mayo in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county council is governed by the Local Government...
is the local authority
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
for the county. The population of the county is 130,552 according to the 2011 census. The county was formed in 1585, and its boundaries reflect the Mac William Íochtar
Mac William Íochtar
Mac William Íochtar was a term meaning both a territory and a title in Ireland. The territory covered much of the northern part of the province of Connacht. The Mac William Íochtar functioned as a regional king and received the White Rod...
lordship at that time.
Geography and political subdivisions
Mayo is the third largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 15th largest in terms of population. It is the second largest of Connacht’s five counties in both size and population. The county's main towns are CastlebarCastlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
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...
, respectively located in the centre and in the northeast of the county. There is a distinct geological difference between the north and the south of the county. The north consists largely of poor subsoils, and is covered with large areas of extensive Atlantic blanket-bog, whereas the south is largely a limestone landscape. Agricultural land in the south is, therefore, more productive than that in the north.
- The highest point in Mayo and Connacht is MweelreaMweelreaMweelrea is a mountain in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. With a height of 814 metres , it is the highest point in County Mayo, the highest point in the province of Connacht and the 34th highest in Ireland...
, at 814 m (2,670.6 ft). - The river MoyRiver MoyThe River Moy rises at the foot of Knocknashee in the Northwest of Ireland.- Geography :The River Moy rises at the foot of Knocknashee in the Ox Mountains in County Sligo. It flows for 110 km...
in the northeast of the county is renowned for its salmonSalmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. - Ireland's largest island, Achill IslandAchill IslandAchill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
, lies off Mayo's west coast. - Mayo has Ireland's highest cliffs (second highest in Europe) at CroaghaunCroaghaunCroaghaun is a mountain in County Mayo, Ireland. At 688 metres , it has the highest cliffs in Ireland and the second highest sea cliffs in Europe ....
, Achill island while the Benwee HeadBenwee HeadBenwee Head Cliffs County MayoGaelic: An Bhinn BhuíHeight: 304 metres OS 1/50k Mapsheet: 22 for topGrid Ref: F816 443 Latitude: 54.333659 Longitude: -9.820924ITM: 481576 844301 Prominence: 230m Isolation: 5.4 km...
cliffs in KilcommonKilcommonKilcommon is a civil parish in Erris, north Mayo consisting of two large peninsulas; Dún Chaocháin and Dún Chiortáin. It consists of 37 townlands, some of which are so remote that they have no inhabitants...
ErrisErrisErris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
drop almost perpendicularly 900 feet (274.3 m) into the Atlantic OceanAtlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. There is a spectacular viewing point on the top of the cliffs opposite the entrance to the Céide FieldsCéide FieldsThe 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...
near BallycastleBallycastle, County MayoBallycastle 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....
in North Mayo. - The north-west areas of County Mayo have some of the best renewable energy resources in Europe, if not the world, in terms of wind resources, ocean wave, tidal and hydroelectric resources.
Baronies
There are nine historic baroniesBarony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
, four in the northern area and five in the south of the county:
North Mayo
- ErrisErrisErris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
(north west containing BelmulletBelmulletBelmullet is a coastal Gaeltacht town with a population of around 2,000 on the Mullet Peninsula in the barony of Erris, County Mayo, Ireland. Its name means the "mouth of the mullet"...
, Gweesalia, Bangor ErrisBangor ErrisBangor Erris is a town in Kiltane parish in Erris, County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 500. It is on the banks of the Owenmore River and is the gateway to the Erris Peninsula linking Belmullet with Ballina and Westport, nestled at the foot of the "Bangor Trail" a 22-mile mountain pass across...
, KilcommonKilcommonKilcommon is a civil parish in Erris, north Mayo consisting of two large peninsulas; Dún Chaocháin and Dún Chiortáin. It consists of 37 townlands, some of which are so remote that they have no inhabitants...
etc..) - BurrishooleBurrishooleBurrishoole is one of the nine baronies of County Mayo in Ireland.-Legal context:Baronies were created after the Norman invasion as subdivisions of counties and were used for administration. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they have been administratively obsolete since 1898...
(west Mayo containing AchillAchill IslandAchill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
, MulrannyMulrannyMallaranny —sometimes spelt as Malaranny, Mullaranny, Mullranny or Mulranny—is a seaside village on the isthmus between Clew Bay and Blacksod Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. Mallaranny is the home of colourful giant fuchsias and exotic plants...
and Newport, County MayoNewport, County MayoNewport, historically known as Ballyveaghan , is a small picturesque town in the Barony of Burrishoole County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 590 in 2006. It is located on the west coast of Ireland, along the shore of Clew Bay, north of Westport. The N59 road passes through the town. The...
) - GallenBarony of GallenThe Barony of Gallen is one of the nine baronies in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated in the eastern part of the county south of the town of Ballina, bordering County Sligo...
(east Mayo containing BonniconlonBonniconlon, County MayoBonniconlon, officially Bunnyconnellan , is a village in the Barony of Gallen in east County Mayo, Ireland. The village is on the R294 regional road to the east of Ballina, County Mayo, and close to the Ox Mountains.-History:...
, FoxfordFoxfordFoxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox...
) - Tyrawley (north east containing BallinaBallina, County MayoBallina 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...
, BallycastleBallycastle, County MayoBallycastle 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....
, KillalaKillalaKillala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
)
South Mayo
- ClanmorrisClanmorrisThe barony of Clanmorris is a barony in County Mayo, Ireland. It is also known as Crossboyne, and was formed from the ancient territories of the Conmaicne Cuile Toladh.The Baron Clanmorris title dates from 1800AD when it was created for John Bingham....
, (south east - ClaremorrisClaremorrisClaremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
and BallaBallaBalla is a village in County Mayo, Ireland on the N60 National secondary road, the main road between Castlebar and Claremorris. The economy of the village survives mainly on passing trade, from the busy N60 which carries over 7,000 vehicles through the village every day. The village is to be...
) - CostelloBarony of CostelloCostello was one of the baronies of County Mayo. In the pre-Norman times the area was called Sliabh Lugha and was ruled by the Ó Gadhra dynasty. In the 12th century, Milo de Angelo removed the O'Gadhra seat from in Airtech Mór to Costello...
(east south east containing KilkellyKilkellyKilkelly is a village in Kilmovee parish County Mayo, Ireland. It is just south of Knock International Airport, lying between the Airport and the town of Knock itself. The village is along the N17, a national primary road running between Galway and Sligo...
BallyhaunisBallyhaunisBallyhaunis is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina....
) etc.. - MurriskMurriskMurrisk is one of the Baronial divisions of County Mayo and also a village in County Mayo, Ireland, on the south side of Clew Bay, about 8 km west of Westport and 4 km east of Lecanvey....
south west containing WestportWestport, County MayoWestport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
, LouisburghLouisburgh, County MayoLouisburgh is a small town on the southwest corner of Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It is home to Sancta Maria College and the Gráinne O'Malley Interpretive Centre.-History:...
, Croagh PatrickCroagh PatrickCroagh Patrick , nicknamed the Reek, is a tall mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. It is from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. On "Reek Sunday", the last...
etc..) - KilmaineKilmaineKilmaine or Kilmain is a barony and village in County Mayo, Ireland.-History:The great cairns and other monuments in the country between Ballinchalla and Cross show it to have been of significance in prehistoric times. Around the time of St. Patrick in the 4th century AD, the tribe known as...
(south containing BallinrobeBallinrobe-Early history:Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in South Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose recently restored ruins are one of the historical landmarks of the town today...
, CongCong, County MayoCong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
etc.) - CarraCarra, County MayoCarra is one of the nine baronies of County Mayo in Ireland, located in the mid-south area of the county. It is sometimes known as Burriscarra and on the map of Mayo baronies below it is the portion shown in grey in the south of the county....
(south containing CastlebarCastlebarCastlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, PartryPartryPartry is a parish in County Mayo, Ireland. Partry is an ideal place for people with an interest in fishing to stay. It is located between Loughs Carra and Mask and is on the N84 between the towns of Castlebar and Ballinrobe....
etc..)
Towns and villages
CastlebarCastlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
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...
are the two most populous towns in the county, with 17,891 and 10,146 residents respectively according to the 2006 census; Ballina being much larger by land area. These are followed by Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
, a popular tourist town, which has some 5,000 residents. The fourth largest town is Claremorris
Claremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
, a market town, with a population of 3,170 in the 2006 census returns.
|
Ballyhaunis Ballyhaunis is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina.... Ballyglass Ballyglass is a small village in central County Mayo in Ireland. It is situated about 10 miles from Castlebar, and closer to Claremorris and Ballinrobe... Bangor Erris Bangor Erris is a town in Kiltane parish in Erris, County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 500. It is on the banks of the Owenmore River and is the gateway to the Erris Peninsula linking Belmullet with Ballina and Westport, nestled at the foot of the "Bangor Trail" a 22-mile mountain pass across... Belcarra, County Mayo Belcarra is a village in Mayo, Ireland about south-east of the county town of Castlebar.It is a growing village, which recently benefited from the addition of a sewage treatment plant and has had many new houses built in its centre over the last few years.... Belmullet Belmullet is a coastal Gaeltacht town with a population of around 2,000 on the Mullet Peninsula in the barony of Erris, County Mayo, Ireland. Its name means the "mouth of the mullet"... |
Bohola Bohola is a fictional village which is in many irish legend stories Gallen, County Mayo, Ireland located along the N5 national primary road. It consists of 2 pubs, a post office and a Catholic Church. The village is located near Lough Conn.-People:... Bonniconlon, County Mayo Bonniconlon, officially Bunnyconnellan , is a village in the Barony of Gallen in east County Mayo, Ireland. The village is on the R294 regional road to the east of Ballina, County Mayo, and close to the Ox Mountains.-History:... Carnacon Carnacon is a small village in central County Mayo in Ireland. It is situated about 12 miles from Castlebar, and is about 8 miles from Claremorris and Ballinrobe. The population of Carnacon is estimated at 200 houses.-Background:... Carracastle Carracastle is a small, rural Roman Catholic parish in Counties Mayo, Roscommon and bordering County Sligo in Ireland . It is roughly half way between the Mayo town of Charlestown and the Roscommon town of Ballaghaderreen. The parish is made up of the main parish of Carracastle and the half parish... Carrowteige Ceathrú Thaidhg is a Gaeltacht village and townland on the Dún Chaocháin peninsula in northwestern County Mayo, Ireland. It is within Kilcommon parish in the barony of Erris... Charlestown, County Mayo Charlestown , once named Newtown-Dillon or Ballycattell, is a town in the Barony of Costello, County Mayo, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of two National Primary routes, the N17 and the N5. Until the N5 bypass opened in November 2007, traffic congestion was a problem in the town... |
Cong, County Mayo Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides... Corroy, County Mayo Corroy is a village in County Mayo in Ireland. It lies on the R310 regional road between the town of Ballina and the village of Knockmore in the Parish of Backs.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland... 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... Derrew Derrew is a village located near the Partry Mountains in County Mayo, Ireland.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland... Faulagh Faulagh is a townland in Kilcommon, Erris, County Mayo, Ireland, some in size. It's a remote spot on the main Ballycastle to Belmullet road. Faulagh and its neighbouring townland Muingerroon South are located on a mountain which skirts the townland of Bellanaboy where the contentious Corrib Gas... |
Foxford Foxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox... Glengad Glengad is a small Gaeltacht village in the parish of Kilcommon in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. The townland is also known as Dooncarton , a name which comes from an Iron Age tribal chieftain called Ciortan, a character who appears in the Ulster Cycle legend of the Táin Bó Flidhais.The village... Glenamoy Glenamoy is a village in the parish of Kilcommon, Erris in the northern part of County Mayo in Ireland.Glenamoy is a general term for the following townlands:* Bellagelly North... Islandeady Islandeady is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, about halfway between the towns of Castlebar and Westport.The parish of Islandeady meets Castlebar to the east, Westport and Newport to the west, and Aughagower and Killawalla to the south. There is a view of Croagh Patrick to the west and Nephin to... |
Irishtown, County Mayo Irishtown is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the southern county border with County Galway about halfway between Claremorris and Tuam on the R328 regional road... Keel, County Mayo Keel is a village on Achill Island in County Mayo, Ireland.... Kilkelly Kilkelly is a village in Kilmovee parish County Mayo, Ireland. It is just south of Knock International Airport, lying between the Airport and the town of Knock itself. The village is along the N17, a national primary road running between Galway and Sligo... Killala Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :... Kilmaine Kilmaine or Kilmain is a barony and village in County Mayo, Ireland.-History:The great cairns and other monuments in the country between Ballinchalla and Cross show it to have been of significance in prehistoric times. Around the time of St. Patrick in the 4th century AD, the tribe known as... Kiltimagh ' is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It was referred to in the popular Irish song 'Horse it into ya Cynthia' by Conal Gallen.-Transport:The rail link is closed, but is pending re-opening as part of the Western Railway Corridor. Kiltimagh railway station opened on 1 October 1895 and finally closed... |
Louisburgh, County Mayo Louisburgh is a small town on the southwest corner of Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It is home to Sancta Maria College and the Gráinne O'Malley Interpretive Centre.-History:... Mayo, County Mayo Mayo or Mayo Abbey is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. Although it bears the same name as the county, it is not the county seat, which is Castlebar... Mulranny Mallaranny —sometimes spelt as Malaranny, Mullaranny, Mullranny or Mulranny—is a seaside village on the isthmus between Clew Bay and Blacksod Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. Mallaranny is the home of colourful giant fuchsias and exotic plants... |
Newport, County Mayo Newport, historically known as Ballyveaghan , is a small picturesque town in the Barony of Burrishoole County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 590 in 2006. It is located on the west coast of Ireland, along the shore of Clew Bay, north of Westport. The N59 road passes through the town. The... Rossport Ros Dumhach is a Gaeltacht village and townland in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. It is within the barony of Erris and parish of Kilcommon... Shrule Shrule is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. The boundary between Mayo and County Galway lies on the edge of the village. The Black River divides Shrule between Galway and Mayo.... Swinford Swinford, historically called Swineford , is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is surrounded by the settlements of Midfield, Meelick, Culmore, Cloonaghboy, Killasser and other villages. It is on the N5 road, located 18 km from Ireland West Airport Knock... Tourmakeady Tuar Mhic Éadaigh is a small village in County Mayo, Ireland. It has a population of about 1000 people. It is located on the shores of Lough Mask. Part of Tourmakeady was originally in neighbouring County Galway, but was placed under the administration of County Mayo in 1898... Turlough, County Mayo Turlough, |a seasonal lake]]) is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, 6 km northeast of Castlebar. It is known for the presence of the Museum of Country Life , and for its well-preserved and unusually squat round tower, built between 900 and 1200.Turlough is also the name of the surrounding 241... |
Flora and fauna
A survey of the terrestrial and freshwater algae of Clare Island was made between 1990 and 2005 and published in 2007. Records of the algaeAlgae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
in Volume 6.
Consultants working for the Corrib gas project have carried out extensive surveys of wildlife flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
in Kilcommon
Kilcommon
Kilcommon is a civil parish in Erris, north Mayo consisting of two large peninsulas; Dún Chaocháin and Dún Chiortáin. It consists of 37 townlands, some of which are so remote that they have no inhabitants...
Parish, Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
between 2002 and 2009. This information is published in the Corrib Gas Proposal Environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
s 2009 and 2010
Prehistory
County Mayo has a long history and prehistory. Throughout the county there is a wealth of archaeological remains from the Neolithic period (approx 4,000BC to 2,500BC), particularly in terms of megalithic tombs and ritual stone-circles.The first people who came to Ireland – mainly to coastal areas as the interior was heavily forested – arrived during the Middle Stone Age
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
, as long as eleven thousand years ago.
Artefacts of hunter/gatherers
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
are sometimes found in midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s, rubbish pits around hearth
Hearth
In common historic and modern usage, a hearth is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace or oven often used for cooking and/or heating. For centuries, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature...
s where people would have rested and cooked over large open fires. Once cliffs erode, midden-remains become exposed as blackened areas containing charred stones, bones, and shells. They are usually found a metre below the surface. Mesolithic people did not have major rituals associated with burial, unlike those of the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period.
The Neolithic period followed the Mesolithic around 6,000 years ago. People began to farm the land, domesticate animals for food and milk, and settle in one place for longer periods. The people had skills such as making pottery, building houses from wood, weaving, and knapping (stone tool working). The first farmers cleared forestry to graze livestock and grow crops. In North Mayo, where the ground cover was fragile, thin soils washed away and blanket bog
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
covered the land farmed by the Neolithic people.
Extensive pre-bog field systems have been discovered under the blanket bog, particularly along the North Mayo coastline in Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
and north Tyrawley at sites such as 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...
, centred on the north east coast.
The Neolithic people developed rituals associated with burying their dead; this is why they built huge, elaborate, galleried stone tombs for their dead leaders, known nowadays as megalithic tombs. There are over 160 recorded megaliths in County Mayo, such as Faulagh
Faulagh
Faulagh is a townland in Kilcommon, Erris, County Mayo, Ireland, some in size. It's a remote spot on the main Ballycastle to Belmullet road. Faulagh and its neighbouring townland Muingerroon South are located on a mountain which skirts the townland of Bellanaboy where the contentious Corrib Gas...
, and many more which are unrecorded.
Megalithic tombs
There are four distinct types of Irish megalithic tombsIrish Megalithic Tombs
Ireland has a wealth of impressive historical monuments. In Ireland there are four types of megalithic tombs: court cairns, passage tombs, wedge tombs and portal dolmens.-Court tombs:...
type--court tomb
Court cairn
The court cairn or court tomb is a megalithic type of chamber tomb and gallery grave, specifically a variant of the chambered cairn, found in western and northern Ireland, and in mostly southwest Scotland...
s, portal tomb
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
s, passage tomb
Passage grave
thumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
s and wedge tomb
Wedge-shaped gallery grave
A wedge-shaped gallery grave or wedge tomb is a type of Irish chamber tomb. They are so named because the burial chamber itself narrows at one end , producing a wedge shape in elevation. An antechamber is separated from the burial area by a simple jamb or sill, and the doorway generally faces west...
s--examples of all four types can be found in County Mayo. Areas particularly rich in megalithic tombs include Achill
Achill Island
Achill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
, Kilcommon
Kilcommon
Kilcommon is a civil parish in Erris, north Mayo consisting of two large peninsulas; Dún Chaocháin and Dún Chiortáin. It consists of 37 townlands, some of which are so remote that they have no inhabitants...
, Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina....
, Killala
Killala
Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
and the Behy/Glenurla area around 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...
.
Bronze Age (2,500 BC to approx 500 BC)
Megalithic tomb building continued into the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
when metal began to be worked for tools alongside the stone tools. The Bronze Age lasted from approx 4,500 years ago to 2,500 years ago (i.e. 2,500BC to 500BC)--archaeological remains from this period include stone alignments
Stone row
A stone row , is a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes, usually dating from the later Neolithic or Bronze Age. Rows may be individual or grouped, and three or more stones aligned can constitute a stone row...
, stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
s and fulachta fiadh
Fulacht fiadh
A fulacht fiadh is a type of archaeological site found in Ireland. In England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man they are known as burnt mounds. They commonly survive as a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat shattered stone with a slight depression at its centre showing...
(early cooking sites). They continued to bury their chieftains in megalithic tombs which changed design during this period, more being of the wedge tomb
Wedge-shaped gallery grave
A wedge-shaped gallery grave or wedge tomb is a type of Irish chamber tomb. They are so named because the burial chamber itself narrows at one end , producing a wedge shape in elevation. An antechamber is separated from the burial area by a simple jamb or sill, and the doorway generally faces west...
type and cist
Cist
A cist from ) is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle East....
burials.
Iron Age (500 BC to 500 AD approx)
Around 2,500 years ago the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
took over from the Bronze Age as more and more metalworking took place. At the same period the Roman Empire was at its height in Britain but it is not thought that the Roman Empire extended into Ireland to any large degree. Remains from this period, which lasted until the Early Christian
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
period began about 325AD (with the arrival of St. Patrick into Ireland, as a slave) include crannóg
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
s (Lake dwellings, promontory fort
Promontory fort
A promontory fort is a defensive structure located above a steep cliff, often only connected to the mainland by a small neck of land, thus utilizing the topography to reduce the ramparts needed. Although their dating is problematic, most seem to date to the Iron Age...
s, ringfort
Ringfort
Ringforts are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Iron Age , although some were built as late as the Early Middle Ages . They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland...
s and souterrain
Souterrain
Souterrain is a name given by archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the Atlantic Iron Age. These structures appear to have been brought northwards from Gaul during the late Iron Age. Regional names include earth houses, fogous and Pictish houses...
s of which there are numerous examples across the county.
The Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
was a time of tribal warfare with kingships, each fighting neighbouring kings, vying for control of territories and taking slaves. Territories were marked by tall stone markers, Ogham
Ogham
Ogham is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the Old Irish language, and occasionally the Brythonic language. Ogham is sometimes called the "Celtic Tree Alphabet", based on a High Medieval Bríatharogam tradition ascribing names of trees to the individual letters.There are roughly...
stones, using the first written down words using the Ogham alphabet. The Iron Age is the time period in which the tales of the Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
and sagas took place. The Táin Bó Flidhais
Táin Bó Flidhais
Táin Bó Flidhais, also known as the Mayo Táin, is a tale from the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature. It is one of a group of works known as Táin Bó, or "cattle raid" stories, the best known of which is Táin Bó Cúailnge...
which took place mainly in Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
sets the scene well.
Early Christian Period (325 AD - 800 AD approx)
From the middle of the 6th century hundreds of small monastic settlements were established around the county.
Some examples of well-known early monastic sites in Mayo include Mayo Abbey, Aughagower
Aughagower
Aughagower or Aghagower is a tiny village in rural County Mayo in western Ireland. It is located about 5 km from Westport. Modern Aughagower has only a few houses and pubs in a pastoral setting. It also forms the centre of a parish of the same name. The village is primarily known today for...
, Ballintubber, Errew
Errew
Errew is a small rural settlement, 8km from the county town of Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. The history of Errew follows the Franciscan monastery which was established in 1879 as a boys school which closed in 1975, the church in the monastery remained open until 1981 There are 22 Brothers...
, Cong
Cong, County Mayo
Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
, Killala
Killala
Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
, Turlough on the outskirts of Castlebar, and island settlements off the Mullet Peninsula like the Inishkea Islands
Inishkea Islands
The Inishkea Islands are situated off the coast of the Mullet peninsula in the Barony of Erris. There are two main islands - Inishkea North and Inishkea South...
, Inishglora
Inishglora
Inishglora is an island off the coast of the Mullet Peninsula in Erris, North Mayo. It has some small neighbouring islands, known as Inishkeeragh. As with its neighbouring Inishkea Islands, Inishglora's geological composition is that of gneiss and schist, similar to the rest of Erris. The island...
and Duvillaun
Duvillaun
Duvillaun is the name of a cluster of islands lying south to the Inishkea Islands and Inishglora in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Mayo. The main island is known as Duvillaun Mór...
.
In 795AD the first of the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raids took place. The Vikings came from Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
to raid the monasteries as they were places of wealth with precious metal working taking place in them. Some of the larger ecclesiastical settlements erected round tower
Irish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
s to prevent their precious items being plundered and also to show their status and strength against these pagan raiders from the north. There are round towers at Aughagower
Aughagower
Aughagower or Aghagower is a tiny village in rural County Mayo in western Ireland. It is located about 5 km from Westport. Modern Aughagower has only a few houses and pubs in a pastoral setting. It also forms the centre of a parish of the same name. The village is primarily known today for...
, Balla
Balla
Balla is a village in County Mayo, Ireland on the N60 National secondary road, the main road between Castlebar and Claremorris. The economy of the village survives mainly on passing trade, from the busy N60 which carries over 7,000 vehicles through the village every day. The village is to be...
, Killala
Killala
Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
, Turlough and Meelick. The Vikings established settlements which later developed into towns (Dublin, Cork, Wexford, Waterford etc..) but none were in County Mayo.
Between the reigns of Kings of Connacht
Kings of Connacht
The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD...
Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg
Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg
-Family tree: Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg, d. 1010. | |__________________________________________________________________________________________________...
(973
973
Year 973 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edgar of England is crowned king by Saint Dunstan.* Otto II becomes Holy Roman Emperor and King of Germany....
-1010) and Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1106-1156), various tribal territories were incorporated into the kingdom of Connacht and ruled by the Siol Muirdaig dynasty, based initially at Rathcroghan in County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon 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 town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and from c. 1050 at Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
. The families of O'Malley
O'Malley (surname)
O'Malley is a surname of Irish origin , later changed in some members when they emigrated to Malia, and may refer to:* Bryan Lee O'Malley , comic book creator* Catherine Curran O'Malley , Maryland state judge...
and O'Dowd
O'Dowd
O'Dowd is an uncommon Irish surname. Many modern variants of the O'Dowd surname exist. The prefix has been widely retained, O'Dowd being more usual than Dowd. Other modern variants are Dawdy, Dowdy, O'Dowda and Dowds, with Doody and Duddy, found around Killarney, where a branch of the Connacht...
of Mayo served as Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
's of the fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, while families such as O'Lachtnan, Mac Fhirbhisigh, O'Cleary were ecclesiastical and bardic clans.
Anglo-Normans (12th to 16th centuries)
From 1169 AD when one of the warring 'kings' (Dermot MacMurroughDermot MacMurrough
Diarmait Mac Murchada , anglicized as Dermot MacMurrough or Dermod MacMurrough , was a King of Leinster in Ireland. In 1167, he was deprived of his kingdom by the High King of Ireland - Turlough Mór O'Connor...
) in the east of Ireland appealed to the King of England for help in his fight with a neighbouring king, the response of which was the arrival of the Anglo-Norman colonisation of Ireland.
County Mayo came under Norman control in 1235AD. Norman control meant the eclipse of many Gaelic lords and chieftains, chiefly the O'Connors of Connacht.
During the 1230s, the Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
s and Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
under Richard Mór de Burgh
Richard Mor de Burgh
Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connaught , Justiciar of Ireland.-Background:De Burgh was the eldest son of William de Burgh and a daughter of Domnall Mór Ua Briain, King of Thomond. His principal estate was in the barony of Loughrea where he built a castle in 1236 and a town was founded. He also...
(c. 1194-1242 invaded and settled in the county, introducing new families such as Burke, Gibbons
Gibbons
Notable people named Gibbons include:* Alan Gibbons, a British author* Beth Gibbons , a British singer* Billy Gibbons, a guitarist for ZZ Top* Carroll Gibbons , an American-born British bandleader...
, Staunton, Prendergast, Morris
Morris (surname)
Morris is a surname of various origins though mostly of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh origin. The name in some cases can be of German origin and even an Americanisation of several Jewish surnames...
, Joyce, Walsh
Walsh (surname)
Walsh is an Irish surname, meaning "Breton," or "foreigner," literally "Welshman," taken to Ireland by the Welsh during the Norman Invasion of Ireland. It is most common in County Mayo and County Kilkenny. It is the fourth most common surname in Ireland, and the 325th most common in the United...
, Barrett
Barrett (surname)
Barrett is a surname that has been associated with several different people, places and organisations. It is a popular Anglo-Irish surname, both in Southeast England, and Southwest Ireland. It is most common in the Irish counties of Mayo and Galway but particularly County Cork, and within England,...
, Lynott, Costello
Costello
Costello is a surname in the English language. The name is an Anglicised form of the Irish Mac Oisdealbhaigh, meaning "son of Oisdealbhach". The Irish Oisdealbhach is derived from two elements: the first, os, means "deer"; the second element, dealbhach, means "in the form of", "resembling"...
, Padden
Padden
Padden is a surname, and may refer to:*Carol Padden , American professor*Dave Padden , Canadian musician*Dick Padden , American professional baseball player*Mike Padden, American district court judge...
and Price
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...
, Norman names still common in County Mayo today. Following the collapse of the lordship in the 1330s, all these families became estranged
Estranged
-Personnel:* Axl Rose – lead vocals, piano, production* Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, production* Slash – lead guitar, production* Duff McKagan – bass, production* Matt Sorum – drums, production-External links:*...
from the Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
administration based in Dublin and assimilated with the Gaelic-Irish, adopting their language,religion, dress, laws, customs and culture and marrying into Irish families. They "became more Irish than the Irish themselves".
The most powerful clan to emerge during this era were the Mac William Burkes, also known as the Mac William Iochtar (see Burke Civil War 1333-1338, descended from Sir William Liath de Burgh, who defeated the Gaelic-Irish at the Second Battle of Athenry
Second Battle of Athenry
The Second Battle of Athenry took place at Athenry in Ireland on 10 August 1316 during the Bruce campaign in Ireland.-Overview:The collective number of both armies are unknown, and can only be estimated. Martyn believes the royal army to have been as much as or more than a thousand, while that of...
in August 1316. They were frequently at war with their cousions, Clanricarde
Clanricarde
Clanricarde was a term meaning both a territory and a title in Ireland between the 13th and early 20th centuries.-Territory:The territory, in what is now County Galway, Ireland, stretched from the barony of County Clare in the north-west along the borders of County Mayo, to the River Shannon in the...
of Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, and in alliance with or against various factions of the O'Conor's of Siol Muiredaig and O'Kelly
Kelly (name)
Kelly is a surname in the English language. The name has numerous origins. In some cases it is derived from toponyms located in Wales, Scotland and England, in other cases it is derived from patronyms in the Irish language.-Etymology:...
's of Uí Maine. The O'Donnell
O'Donnell dynasty
O'Donnell , which is derived from the forename Domhnaill were an ancient and powerful Irish family, kings, princes, and lords of Tír Chonaill in early times, and the chief allies and sometimes...
's of Tyrconnell regularly invaded in an attempt to secure their right to rule.
The Anglo Normans encouraged and established many religious orders from continental Europe to settle in Ireland. Mendicant orders—Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans and Franciscans began new settlements across Ireland and built large churches, many under the patronage of prominent Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
families. Some of these sites include Cong
Cong, County Mayo
Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
, Strade
Strade
-See also:*List of towns and villages in Ireland...
, Ballintubber, Errew
Errew
Errew is a small rural settlement, 8km from the county town of Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. The history of Errew follows the Franciscan monastery which was established in 1879 as a boys school which closed in 1975, the church in the monastery remained open until 1981 There are 22 Brothers...
, Burrishoole Abbey
Burrishoole Friary
Burrishoole Friary was a Dominican friary in County Mayo, Ireland. Its ruin is a National Monument.Burrishoole Friary was founded in 1470 by Richard de Burgo of Turlough, Lord MacWilliam Oughter. It was built without the permission of the Pope. In 1486, the Pope instructed the Archbishop of Tuam...
and Mayo Abbey.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, despite regular conflicts between them as England chopped and changed between religious beliefs, the Irish usually regarded the King of England as their King. When Queen Elizabeth 1 came to the throne in the mid-16th century, the English people, as was customary at that time, followed the religious practices of the reigning Monarch and became Protestant. Many Irish people such as Gráínne O'Malley, the famous pirate queen had close relationships with the English monarchy and the English kings and queens were welcome visitors to Irish shores. The Irish however, generally held onto their Catholic religious practices and beliefs. The early plantations of settlers in Ireland began during the reign of Queen Mary in the mid-16th century and continued throughout the long reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
until 1603. By then the term County Mayo had come into use. In the summer of 1588 the galleons of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
were wrecked by storms along the west coast
Brian Rua U'Cearbhain
- Brian Rua O’Cearbhain :Brian Rua is a well-known 17th century Errisman. He is remembered as the prophet of Erris, a large Barony in the north west of County Mayo...
of Ireland. Some of the hapless Spaniards came ashore in Mayo, only to be robbed and imprisoned, and in many cases slaughtered. Almost all the religious foundations set up by the Anglo Normans were suppressed in the wake of the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
in the 16th century.
Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
settlers from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and elsewhere in Ireland, settled in the County in the early 17th century. Many would be killed or forced to flee because of the 1641 Rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
, during which a number of massacres were committed by the Catholic Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
Irish, most notably at Shrule
Shrule
Shrule is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. The boundary between Mayo and County Galway lies on the edge of the village. The Black River divides Shrule between Galway and Mayo....
in 1642. A third of the overall population was reported to have perished due to warfare, famine and plague between 1641 and 1653, with several areas remaining disturbed and frequented by Reparees
Whiteboys
The Whiteboys were a secret Irish agrarian organization in 18th-century Ireland which used violent tactics to defend tenant farmer land rights for subsistence farming...
into the 1670s.
17th and 18th centuries
Pirate Queen Gráinne O'Malley is probably the best known person from County Mayo from the mid-16th to the turn of the 17th century. In the 1640s when Oliver Cromwell overthrew the English monarchy and set up a parliamentarian government, Ireland suffered severely. With a stern regime in absolute control needing to pay its armies and friends, the need to pay them with grants of land in Ireland led to the 'to hell or to Connaught' policies. Displaced native Irish families from other (eastern and southern mostly) parts of the country were either forced to leave the country, often as slaves, or (if they had been well behaved and compliant with the orders of the parliamentarians) awarded grants of land 'west of the Shannon' and put off their own lands in the east. The land in the west was divided and sub-divided between more and more people as huge estates were granted on the best land in the east to those who best pleased the English. Mayo does not seem to have been affected much during the Williamite War in IrelandWilliamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
, though many natives were outlawed and exiled.
For the vast majority of people in County Mayo the 18th century was a period of unrelieved misery. Because of 'the penal laws', Catholics had no hope of social advancement while they remained in their native land. Some, like William Brown (admiral)
William Brown (admiral)
Admiral William Brown was an Irish-born Argentine Admiral. Brown's victories in the Independence War, the Argentina-Brazil War, and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata earned the respect and appreciation of the Argentine people, and today he is regarded as one of Argentina's national...
(1777–1857), left Foxford with his family at the age of nine and thirty years later was an admiral in the fledgling Argentine Navy. Today he is a national hero in that country.
The general unrest in Ireland was felt just as keenly across Mayo and as the 18th century approached and news reached Ireland about the American War of Independence and the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the downtrodden Irish, constantly suppressed by Government policies and decisions from Dublin and London, began to rally themselves for their own stand against English rule in their country. By 1798 the Irish were ready for rebellion. The French came to help the Irish cause. General Humbert
Jean Joseph Amable Humbert
General Jean Joseph Amable Humbert was a French soldier, a participant in the French Revolution, who led a failed invasion of Ireland to assist Irish rebels in 1798....
, from France landed in Killala
Killala
Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
with over 1,000 officers where they started to march across the county towards Castlebar
Battle of Castlebar
The Battle of Castlebar occurred on 27 August near the town of Castlebar, County Mayo, during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. A combined force of 2,000 French and Irish routed a force of 6,000 British militia in what would later became known as the "Castlebar Races", or Races of...
where there was an English garrison. Taking them by surprise Humbert's army was victorious. He established a 'Republic of Connacht' with one of the Moore family from Moore Hall
Moore Hall, County Mayo
Moore Hall, or Moorehall, the house and estate of George Henry Moore and family, is situated in the barony of Carra, County Mayo in a karst limestone landscape. The Moores were an aristocratic Irish family who built Moore Hall between 1792 and 1795. The first Moore of Moore Hall was George Moore,...
near Partry. Humbert's army marched on towards Sligo, Leitrim and Longford where they were suddenly faced with a massive English army and were forced to surrender in less than half an hour. The French soldiers were treated honourably, but for the Irish the surrender meant slaughter. Many died on the scaffold in towns like Castlebar and Claremorris, where the high sheriff for County Mayo, the Honourable Denis Browne, M.P., brother of Lord Altamont, wreaked a terrible vengeance - thus earning for himself the nickname which has survived in folk-memory to the present day, 'Donnchadh an Rópa' (Denis of the Rope).
In the 18th century and early 19th century, sectarian tensions arose as evangelical Protestant missionaries sought to 'redeem the Irish poor from the errors of Popery'. One of the best known was the Rev. Edward Nangle's mission at Dugort in Achill
Achill Island
Achill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
. These too were the years of the campaign for Catholic Emancipation and, later, for the abolition of the tithes, which a predominately Catholic population was forced to pay for the upkeep of the clergy of the Established (Protestant) Church.
19th and 20th centuries
During the early years of the 19th century, famine was a common occurrence, particularly where population pressure was a problem. The population of Ireland grew to over eight million people prior to the Irish Famine of 1845/47The Irish people depended on the potato crop for their sustenance. Disaster struck in August 1845, when a killer fungus (later diagnosed as Phytophthora infestans) started to destroy the potato crop. When widespread famine struck, about a million people died and a further million left the country. People died in the fields from starvation and disease. The catastrophe was particularly bad in County Mayo, where nearly ninety per cent of the population depended on the potato as their staple food. By 1848, Mayo was a county of total misery and despair, with any attempts at alleviating measures in complete disarray.
A small poverty-stricken place called Knock
Knock Shrine
Knock Shrine is a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site and National Shrine in the village of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, where it is claimed there was an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint John the Evangelist and Jesus Christ in 1879.-Details of the apparition:On the...
, County Mayo, made headlines when it was announced that an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John had taken place there on 21 August 1879, witnessed by fifteen local people.
Michael Davitt
Michael Davitt was an Irish republican and nationalist agrarian agitator, a social campaigner, labour leader, journalist, Home Rule constitutional politician and Member of Parliament , who founded the Irish National Land League.- Early years :Michael Davitt was born in Straide, County Mayo,...
, James Daly
James Daly (Irish Land League)
"James Daly, a forgotten founder of the irish land league"James Daly was an Irish nationalist activist best known for his work in support of tenant farmers' rights and the formation of the Irish National Land League.-Beginnings:Daly was a conservative Catholic from a...
, and others, which brought about the greatest social change ever witnessed in Ireland. Michael Davitt, a labourer whose family had moved to England joined forces with Charles Stewart Parnell to win back the land for the people from the landlords and stop evictions for non payment of rents.
A new word came into the English language through an incident that occurred in Mayo. An English landlord called Captain Charles Cunningham Boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
could get no workers to do anything for him, so unpleasant as he was to them, so he brought in Protestant workers from elsewhere. He spent so much on security and protection for them that his harvest cost him a fortune and also nobody in the area would serve him in shops, or deal with him. This ostracisation became known as 'boycotting' and Captain Boycott was left with no option but to leave Mayo and take his family with him to England.
The 'Land Question' was gradually resolved by a scheme of state-aided land purchase schemes. The tenants became the owners of their lands under the newly set-up Land Commission
Irish Land Commission
The Irish Land Commission was created in 1881 as a rent fixing commission by the Land Law Act 1881, also known as the second Irish Land Act...
.
A Mayo nun, Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard (1842–1932), set up the Foxford Woollen Mill in 1892. She made Foxford synonymous throughout the world with high quality tweeds, rugs and blankets.
Mayo has remained an essentially rural community to the present day.
Mayo in the Annals of Lough Cé
- 1458. Mac William Burk, i.e. Edmond, died.
- 1469. A hosting by O'Domhnaill, i.e. Aedh Ruadh, into Lower Connacht, and their hostages were received by him; and he took the army of Lower Connacht with him towards Mac William Burk; and they all went from thence to Clann-Rickard, and the Machaire riabhach, and Baile-an chláir, i.e. Mac William's town, were burned by them. Mac William and O'Briain came with them, and the son of O'Conchobhair of Corcumruaidh was slain by them; and O'Domhnaill went home with triumph.
- 1476. O'hUiginn, i.e. Brian, son of Ferghal Ruadh, head of the schools of Erinn and Alba, died this year.
- 1478. Great wind in this year, soon after Christmas.
- 1485. The defeat of the Muaidh was given by O'Domhnaill, i.e. Aedh Ruadh, to the Foreigners and Gaeidhel of the province of Connacht.
- 1487. Mac Goisdelbh, i.e. John, died. (in Annals of the Four MastersAnnals of the Four MastersThe Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
John Duv Mac CostelloSean Dubh Mac CoisdealbhaighSean Dubh Mac Coisdealbhaigh, Lord of Sliabh Lugha and Chief of the Name, died 1487.Under the year 1487, the Annals of Lough Cé state that "Mac Goisdelbh, i.e...
, Lord of Sliabh-Lugha, died; and two lords were set up in his place, namely, William, the son of Edmond of the Plain, his own brother, and Jordan, the son of Philip Mac Costello.) - 1488. Maelmuire, son of Tadhg Og O'hUiginn, an eminent poet, died this year.
- 1494. The son of Mac William Burk was slain this year near the castle of Sligech, i.e. William, son of Rickard, son of Edmond, son of Thomas Burk.
- 1496. O'Dubhda, Dubh, i.e. William, the son of Domhnall Ballach, died.
- 1497. Great famine throughout Erinn in hoc anno.
- 1499. Cormac, son of Domhnall, son of Brian O'hUiginn, was violently killed with one shot of an arrow by the Clann-Feorais this year. Richard Og, son of Richard O'Cuairsceith, was killed on the same day, i.e. the Wednesday after Whitsuntide.
- 1502. Domhnall, son of Brian O'hUiginn, tutor of the schools of Erinn in poetry, died in hoc anno.
- 1503. The defeat of Bel-atha-na-ngarbhán was given by Rickard Burk and his kinsmen to Mac William Iochtair and the Mainechs, in which Ruaidhri Mor Mac Suibhne was slain.
- 1512. A great war between O'Domhnaill, i.e. Aedh, and O'Neill, i.e. Art, son of Aedh; and a war between O' Domhnaill and Mac William Burk, i.e. Edmond, son of Rickard. O'Domhnaill retains fifteen hundred axes in Tir-Conaill, and in the province of Connacht, and in Feara-Manach. O'Domhnaill proceeds from Doire with a small band, and takes the castle of Bel-in-chláir on the borders of Luighne and Gaileng; and he leaves warders in it, and goes back into Tir-Fhiachrach. Mac William Burk musters his army, and lays siege to the town. And on hearing this O' Domhnaill advances again towards the town, and Mac William leaves the place, and goes to put provisions and warders into the castle of Eiscir-abhann in Tir-Fhiachrach.
- 1513. Eoghan O'Maille was slain this year in Tir-Boghaine, with the crews of three ships.
- 1514. Great depredations were committed by O'Domhnaill in Gailenga, on which occasion he burned and plundered the country as far as Cruachan-Gaileng; and Ó Ruadháin is killed there by him, and a great many more along with him.
- 1519. A rainy, truly wet, summer and harvest this year; it was a hard, tormenting year, and a year of suffering and sickness.
- 1520. A great plague in the beginning of this year in Erinn. Mac William Burk, i.e. Meiler the son of Tibbot, was killed per dolum by the sons of Seoinín Mor, son of Mac Seoinín.William, son of William Mac Siurtán, mortuus est.
- 1523. O'Maille, i.e. Cormac, son of Eoghan O'Maille, general supporter of the hospitality and nobility of the west of Connacht, mortuus est. Domhnall, son of Thomas O'Maille, assumed his place.
- 1524. Great inclemency of weather, and mortality of cattle, in the beginning of the year.
- 1528. Great wind in this year, the Friday before Christmas, which threw down a great many wooden and stone buildings, and several trees; and it broke down, in particular, the monastery of Dún-na-nGall; and it shattered and blew away a great number of boats on sea and land.
- 1532. The castle of Ard-na-riadh was taken by the sons of O'Dubhda against the son of John Burk; and a war broke out between themselves and the descendants of Rickard Burk, and many depredations and homicides were committed between them, in hoc anno.
- 1533. The castle of Ard-na-riadh was taken by the sons of Thomas Burk from the sons of O'Dubhda, in the night, in like manner.
- 1536. This year was a sickly, unhealthy year, in which numerous diseases, viz., a general plague, and small-pox, and a flux-plague, and the bed-distemper, prevailed excessively. Mac David, i.e. Thomas, son of David, son of Edmond, died in hoc anno. Mac Goisdelbh, i.e. John Dubh, died in hoc anno.
- 1536. Thomas O'hUiginn, i.e. the tutor of the men of Erinn and Alba in poetry, died this year. The chieftains of Lower Connacht, viz., Tadhg Og, the son of Tadhg, son of Aedh, and Tadhg the son of Cathal Og O'Conchobhair, and the Clann-Donnchadha, and the sons of O'Dubhda, went against the descendants of Richard Burk, at the instigation of the Bishop Barrett. And the herds of the country went before them to the termon of Oiremh, and the bishop followed them upon the termon, and brought the herds to the army; and restitution was not given by them in honour of saint or sanctuary.
- 1536. Mac Goisdelbh, i.e. John, son of the Gilla-dubh, a generous, humane man, and a good captain, was killed by Piers Mac Goisdelbh, and by some of the people of Airtech, in hoc anno.
- 1537. A hosting by O'Domhnaill, i.e. Maghnus, into Lower Connacht, in the middle month of Autumn, on which occasion he destroyed much corn, and burned and traversed Lower Connacht, viz., Tir-Fiachrach, and Cairbre, and the two Luighne, and the Corann, and Tir-Oilella, on his way northwards. And O'hEghra Riabhach's town is taken by him on this occasion; and he gave protection to O'hEghra himself, on condition of submitting to his power, and carried him off in captivity.
Clans and families
In the early historic period, what is now County Mayo consisted of a number of large kingdoms, minor lordships and tribes of obscure originsFaulagh
Faulagh is a townland in Kilcommon, Erris, County Mayo, Ireland, some in size. It's a remote spot on the main Ballycastle to Belmullet road. Faulagh and its neighbouring townland Muingerroon South are located on a mountain which skirts the townland of Bellanaboy where the contentious Corrib Gas...
. They included:
- CalraigeCalraigeThe Calraige were a population-group found mostly in northern Connacht as well as County Westmeath and County Longford. They were purported descendants of Lugaid Cal mac Daire Sirchrechtaig, who was himself a supposed descendant of Lugaid mac Itha, a first cousion of Mil Espainne.Daire is stated as...
- pre-historic tribe found in the parishes of AttymassAttymass-People:It is the birthplace of Fr Patrick Peyton , the founder of the Family Rosary Crusade In 1998, the Fr Patrick Peyton Memorial Centre was officially opened by Bishop Thomas Flynn.-Moy Villa Football Club:...
, KilgarvanKilgarvan-History:Kilgarvan was the site of the Battle of Callan in 1261 which reduced Norman power in Ireland for almost 300 years. The battle site is located in the townland of Callan ....
, CrossmolinaCrossmolinaCrossmolina 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 the River MoyRiver MoyThe River Moy rises at the foot of Knocknashee in the Northwest of Ireland.- Geography :The River Moy rises at the foot of Knocknashee in the Ox Mountains in County Sligo. It flows for 110 km... - CiarraigeCiarraige-Origins:The word Ciarraige means the people of Ciar, and denoted descent from Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich.-Branches of the Ciarraige:Branches of the Ciarraighe were located all over Ireland:...
- settlers from MunsterMunsterMunster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
found in south-east Mayo around KiltimaghKiltimagh' is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It was referred to in the popular Irish song 'Horse it into ya Cynthia' by Conal Gallen.-Transport:The rail link is closed, but is pending re-opening as part of the Western Railway Corridor. Kiltimagh railway station opened on 1 October 1895 and finally closed...
and west County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon 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 town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county... - Conmaicne - a people located in the barony of KilmaineKilmaineKilmaine or Kilmain is a barony and village in County Mayo, Ireland.-History:The great cairns and other monuments in the country between Ballinchalla and Cross show it to have been of significance in prehistoric times. Around the time of St. Patrick in the 4th century AD, the tribe known as...
, alleged descendants of Fergus mac RóichFergus mac RóichFergus mac Róich is a character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology... - Fir DomnannFir DomnannThe Fir Domnann were an ancient Irish people located in the west and north of Connacht, in Irrus Domnann, from which Erris in County Mayo now takes it's name. In Irish mythology they make up one third of the Fir Bolg. They are probably related to the British Dumnonii, and to the Irish Laigin...
- branch of the LaiginLaiginThe Laigin, modern spelling Laighin , were a population group of early Ireland who gave their name to the province of Leinster...
, originally from BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, located in ErrisErrisErris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western... - GamanraigeGamanraigeThe Gamanraige were the main branch of the Fir Ol nEchmacht, a people who ruled much of Ireland west of the Shannon in the pre-historic era.The Gamanraige ruled the territory between the Gallimhe or Galway river, to the Drowes and Duff rivers in the north-east. Their capital was Rath Eochaidh,...
- pre-historic kings of ConnachtKings of ConnachtThe Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD...
, famous for battle with MedbMedbMedb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
& AilillAilill mac MátaAilill mac Máta is the king of the Connachta and the husband of queen Medb in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Cruachan .-Family background, marriage and offspring:...
of Cruachan in Táin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó Flidhais, also known as the Mayo Táin, is a tale from the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature. It is one of a group of works known as Táin Bó, or "cattle raid" stories, the best known of which is Táin Bó Cúailnge...
. Based in ErrisErrisErris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
, Carrowmore LakeCarrowmore LakeCarrowmore Lake is situated in the parishes of Kiltane and Kilcommon Erris, County Mayo between the villages of Bangor Erris and Barnatra at the southern end of Broadhaven Bay. The freshwater lake is over four miles long and almost 3 miles wide at its widest point...
, Killala BayKillala BayKillala Bay is a bay on the west coast of Ireland between County Mayo and County Sligo. It is situated between Lenadoon Point and Downpatrick Head and is the estuary for the River Moy....
, Lough ConnLough ConnLough Conn is a lake in County Mayo in the province of Connacht in Ireland and covers about 14,000 acres . With its immediate neighbour to the south, Lough Cullin, it is connected to the Atlantic by the River Moy...
. - GailengaGailengaGailenga was the name of two related peoples and kingdoms found in medieval Ireland in Brega and Connacht.-Origins:Along with the Luighne, Delbhna, Saitne and Ciannachta, the Gailenga claimed descent from Tadc mac Cein mac Ailill Aulom. Francis John Byrne, in agreement with Eoin MacNeill, believes...
- kingdom extending east from CastlebarCastlebarCastlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
to adjoining parts of Mayo - Uí FiachrachUí FiachrachThe Uí Fiachrach were a dynasty who originated in, and whose descendants later ruled, the coicead or fifth of Connacht at different times from the mid-first millennium onwards. They claimed descent from Fiachrae, an older half-brother of Niall Noigiallach or Niall of the Nine Hostages...
Muidhe - a septSeptA sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...
of the ConnachtaConnachtaThe Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach...
, based around BallinaBallina, County MayoBallina 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...
, some of whom were kings of ConnachtKings of ConnachtThe Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD... - PartraigePartraigeThe Partraige were a people of early historic Ireland.Several attested branches were found in Ireland, including the following:* Partraige Cera - based around the northern end of Lough Mask and near Lough Carra , County Mayo....
- apparently a pre-GaelicGaelsThe Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
people of Lough MaskLough MaskLough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
and Lough CarraLough CarraLough Carra is a limestone lake of , located in the Barony of Carra, County Mayo, Ireland, approximate 8 miles south of Castlebar. It is approximately long and varies in width from to one mile . The average depth is , with a maximum of 60. Lough Carra was part of the estate of the well-known...
, namesakes of PartryPartryPartry is a parish in County Mayo, Ireland. Partry is an ideal place for people with an interest in fishing to stay. It is located between Loughs Carra and Mask and is on the N84 between the towns of Castlebar and Ballinrobe.... - Ui Mail - kingdom surrounding Clew BayClew BayClew Bay is a natural ocean bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It contains Ireland's best example of sunken drumlins. According to tradition, there is an island in the bay for every day of the year. The bay is overlooked by Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain, and the mountains of North Mayo. Clare...
, east towards CastlebarCastlebarCastlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, its rulers adopted the surname O'MalleyO'Malley (surname)O'Malley is a surname of Irish origin , later changed in some members when they emigrated to Malia, and may refer to:* Bryan Lee O'Malley , comic book creator* Catherine Curran O'Malley , Maryland state judge...
Surnames
The principal surnames of Mayo, according to figures taken from the register of civil births index of 1890, were:Of these, Walsh (Breathnach), Gibbons, Joyce, Burke/Bourke are of Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
origin. Gallagher and Sweeney/Mac Sweeney were Galloglass clans. Kelly, Duffy, Connor/O'Connor, Durkan, Doherty, Conway, Lyons, Higgins, McHugh, are native to other parts of Ireland. Malley/O'Malley, Moran, McHale, Murphy, are all native to Mayo.
Other surnames found in Mayo include:
Ainsworth, Barrett, Basquille, Bourke, Bowman, Breathnach (Walsh), Cafferkey, Carney/Kearney, Cawley, Chambers, Coleman, Costello, Coyle, Dean, Devilly, Derrig, Devir, Diamond, Donnelly, Flynn, Garvin, Gildea, Gillard, Gilmartin, Grealish, Healy, Heneghan, Horan, Jennings, Jordan, Lavelle, Lawless, Loftus, Lydon, Lynott, Macken, Maughan, Morley/O'Muraile, Mortimer, Moyles, Moylette, McDonnell, McEvilly, McGing, McLoughlin, McManamon, McManus, McNally/Nally, McPhilbin, McTige, Nolan, Ormsby, O'Boyle, O'Cleary, O'Donnell, O'Dowd, Padden, Ruàne, Rutlidge, Sammon, Staunton, Sullivan, Thornton, Tierney, Waldron.
Demographics
The county has experienced perhaps the highest emigration out of Ireland. In the 1840s-1880s, waves of emigrants left the rural townlands of the county. Initially triggered by the Great Famine and then in search of work in the newly industrialising England, Scotland and the United States, the population fell considerably. From 388,887 in 1841, the population fell to 199,166 in 1901. The population reached a low of 109,525 in 1971 as emigration continued.Irish language
9% of the population of County Mayo live in the GaeltachtGaeltacht
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...
. The Gaeltacht Irish-speaking region in County Mayo is the third largest in Ireland with 10,868 inhabitants. Tourmakeady is the largest town in this area. All schools in the area use Irish as the language of instruction.
Amenities
- Paul Phelan 2011, 'Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide, Collins Press
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Lough Mask Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing... Knock Shrine Knock Shrine is a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site and National Shrine in the village of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, where it is claimed there was an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint John the Evangelist and Jesus Christ in 1879.-Details of the apparition:On the... Moore Hall, County Mayo Moore Hall, or Moorehall, the house and estate of George Henry Moore and family, is situated in the barony of Carra, County Mayo in a karst limestone landscape. The Moores were an aristocratic Irish family who built Moore Hall between 1792 and 1795. The first Moore of Moore Hall was George Moore,... Museum of Country Life The Museum of Country Life is located in Turlough Village, 8 km northeast of Castlebar, County Mayo in Ireland. Established in 2001, the museum is part of the National Museum of Ireland. The museum exhibits the way of life of rural Irish people between 1850 and 1950, and it is in the grounds... Nephin Nephin or Nefin , at 806 metres , is the second highest peak in County Mayo and the second highest in Connacht, in Ireland... Newport, County Mayo Newport, historically known as Ballyveaghan , is a small picturesque town in the Barony of Burrishoole County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 590 in 2006. It is located on the west coast of Ireland, along the shore of Clew Bay, north of Westport. The N59 road passes through the town. The... Partry Mountains The Partry Mountains is a mountain range in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. The highest peak in the Partry Mountains is Maumtrasna which rises to . The mountain range overlooks Lough Mask and the area is often referred to as Joyce Country.- References :*... Rockfleet Castle Rockfleet Castle, or Carraigahowley Castle , is a tower house near Newport in County Mayo, Ireland. It was built in the mid sixteenth century, and is most famously associated with Gráinne O'Malley, the pirate queen and chieftain of the clan O’Malley.Rockfleet Castle has four floors and is over... Sruwaddacon Bay Sruwaddacon Bay is a tidal estuary which runs through the middle of the Gaeltacht Kilcommon Parish, Erris, North County Mayo; it is of historical importance in Irish legend, an important marine habitat, an E.U. Special Area of Conservation and an E.U... Tourmakeady Tuar Mhic Éadaigh is a small village in County Mayo, Ireland. It has a population of about 1000 people. It is located on the shores of Lough Mask. Part of Tourmakeady was originally in neighbouring County Galway, but was placed under the administration of County Mayo in 1898... Westport House Westport House in Westport, Ireland is the stately home of Lord Altamont the Marquess of Sligo. It was built by the Browne family in the 18th Century, on the site of an O'Malley castle whose dungeons are still present today... |
Media
Newspapers in the county include the Mayo NewsMayo News
The Mayo News is a weekly local newspaper published in Westport in the Republic of Ireland. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the paper had an average weekly circulation of 10,315 during 2005...
, the Connaught Telegraph
Connaught Telegraph
The Connaught Telegraph is a weekly local newspaper published in Castlebar, County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland. The paper is in broadsheet format , and published every Wednesday. It has the second highest circulation of the paid for Mayo newspapers...
, the Connacht Tribune
Connacht Tribune
The Connacht Tribune is a newspaper circulating chiefly in County Galway, Ireland and is currently the most popular and successful regional newspaper in Ireland....
, Western People
Western People
The Western People is a weekly local newspaper published in Ballina, County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland, it was first published in 1883. The paper is now owned by Cork-based Thomas Crosbie Holdings...
, and Mayo Advertiser, which is Mayo's only free newspaper. Mayo has its own online TV channel Mayo TV which was launched in 2011. It covers news and events from around the county and regularly broadcasts live to a worldwide audience. Local radio stations include Community Radio Castlebar and M.W.R. (Mid West Radio). The documentary Pipe Down, which won best feature documentary at the 2009 Waterford Film Festival, was made in Mayo.
Energy controversy
There is local resistance to Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
's decision to refine raw gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
from the Corrib gas field
Corrib Gas Field
The Corrib gas project entails the extraction of a natural gas deposit off the northwest coast of Ireland. The project includes a development of the Corrib gas field, and constructions of the natural gas pipeline and a gas processing plant. The project has attracted considerable...
at an onshore refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
. In 2005, five local men were jailed for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
after refusing to facilitate Shell's work. Subsequent protests against the project led to the Shell to Sea
Shell to Sea
Shell to Sea is a campaign based in Cill Chomáin parish, Erris, County Mayo, Ireland which opposes the proposed construction of a natural gas pipeline through the parish and the ongoing construction by Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Vermilion Energy Trust of a refinery at Bellanaboy intended to...
and related campaigns.
Energy Audit
The Mayo Energy Audit 2009-2020 is an investigation into the implications of peak oilPeak oil
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This concept is based on the observed production rates of individual oil wells, projected reserves and the combined production rate of a field...
and subsequent fossil fuel depletion
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
for a rural county in west of Ireland. The study draws together many different strands to examine current energy supply
Energy supply
Energy supply is the delivery of fuels or transformed fuels to point of consumption. It potentially encompasses the extraction, transmission, generation, distribution and storage of fuels...
and demand within the area of study, and assesses these demands in
the face of the challenges posed by the declining production of fossil fuels and expected disruptions to supply chains, and by long term economic recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
.
Sport
The Mayo GAAMayo 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:...
team last won the Sam Maguire Cup
Sam Maguire Cup
The Sam Maguire Cup, often called The Sam , is the name of the cup that is awarded to winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
in 1951, when the team was captained by Seán Flanagan
Seán Flanagan
Seán Flanagan was an Fianna Fáil politician and Gaelic footballer in Ireland. He served under Taoiseach Jack Lynch as Minister for Health and Minister for Lands .-Early life and education:...
. Their All-Ireland Final appearances since have been in 1989, 1996, 1997, 2004, and 2006.
People
- Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of MayoRichard Bourke, 6th Earl of MayoRichard Southwell Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo KP, GMSI, PC , styled Lord Naas between 1842 and 1867, was a statesman and prominent member of the British Conservative Party from Dublin, Ireland....
- Viceroy of IndiaGovernor-General of IndiaThe Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
1869-72. - Browne familyBrowneBrowne is a surname from the French le Brun which becomes de Brun in Gaelic in Ireland or a variant of the English surname Brown . The Mac an Bhreithamhnaigh clan of Co...
- Admiral William BrownWilliam Brown (admiral)Admiral William Brown was an Irish-born Argentine Admiral. Brown's victories in the Independence War, the Argentina-Brazil War, and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata earned the respect and appreciation of the Argentine people, and today he is regarded as one of Argentina's national...
(1777 to 1857) - born in Foxford, founder of the Argentine NavyArgentine NavyThe Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
. - Patrick BrownePatrick BrownePatrick Browne was an Irish physician and botanist.-Career:Browne was born in Woodstock, County Mayo, sent to relatives on Antigua in 1737 and returned to Europe due to ill health after two years. He studied medicine, natural history and especially botany at Reims, Paris and Leyden, qualifying...
(1720–1790) - doctor and botanist of JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. - Brian Rua U'CearbhainBrian Rua U'Cearbhain- Brian Rua O’Cearbhain :Brian Rua is a well-known 17th century Errisman. He is remembered as the prophet of Erris, a large Barony in the north west of County Mayo...
- 17th century prophet from Erris. - Willie CorduffWillie CorduffWillie Corduff is an Irish environmental activist from the farming community of Rossport, parish of Kilcommon, Erris. Corduff's parents first arrived in Rossport in 1947, and reclaimed a farm by hand out of bogland. He became a campaigner against Shells' activities in his local area...
- Winner of Goldman Environmental PrizeGoldman Environmental PrizeThe Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists, one from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The prize includes a no-strings-attached award of...
2007. - Jerry CowleyJerry CowleyJerry Cowley is an Irish barrister, medical doctor and politician.Originally from Ballina, he is now resident in Mulranny, County Mayo. He was an Independent Teachta Dála for the Mayo constituency after being elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election...
- GP of note. - Michael DavittMichael DavittMichael Davitt was an Irish republican and nationalist agrarian agitator, a social campaigner, labour leader, journalist, Home Rule constitutional politician and Member of Parliament , who founded the Irish National Land League.- Early years :Michael Davitt was born in Straide, County Mayo,...
- founder of the Land LeagueIrish National Land LeagueThe Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
, born in Mayo. The bridge to AchillAchill IslandAchill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
is named after him as well as Castlebar's local secondary school (Davitt College). - Richard DouthwaiteRichard DouthwaiteRichard Douthwaite was a British economist, ecologist, campaigner and writer living in Ireland. He died of cancer at his home in Cloona, near Westport, Co. Mayo....
- economist and campaigner from Westport - Frank DurkanFrank DurkanFrank Durkan was an Irish-American attorney best known for having represented numerous members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army , including avowed gun-runner and pivotal North American member of the IRA George Harrison, who stood trial, and was acquitted, in 1982.In another prominent case,...
- New York City human rights attorney best known for having represented numerous members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), including avowed gun-runner and pivotal North American member of the IRA George Harrison, who stood trial, and was acquitted, in 1982 and Desmond Mackin - accused of shooting a British soldier. - Earl of MayoEarl of MayoEarl of the County of Mayo, usually known simply as Earl of Mayo, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1785 for John Bourke, 1st Viscount Mayo, for many years First Commissioner of Revenue in Ireland...
(Bourke) - Michael Feeney, MBEMichael Feeney, MBEMichael Feeney, MBE, was the founder of the Mayo Peace Park. A dual citizen of Ireland and the UK, he was awarded the MBE due to his services in promoting UK-Ireland relations.-Early life:...
- Chairman and Founder of Mayo Peace Park. - Seán FlanaganSeán FlanaganSeán Flanagan was an Fianna Fáil politician and Gaelic footballer in Ireland. He served under Taoiseach Jack Lynch as Minister for Health and Minister for Lands .-Early life and education:...
(1922– 1993) - senior Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician and Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. He served under TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Jack LynchJack LynchJohn Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
as Minister for HealthMinister for Health and Children (Ireland)The Minister for Health is the senior minister at the Department of Health in the Government of Ireland and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.The current Minister for Health is James Reilly, TD...
(1966–1969) and Minister for Lands (1969–1973). - Adrian Flannelly - Irish Radio Network host from 1970.
- FlidaisFlidaisFlidais is a female mythological figure in early Irish literature, including the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Metrical Dindsenchas and the Ulster Cycle...
- the heroine of the Ulster CycleUlster CycleThe Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
ErrisErrisErris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
legend of the Táin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó Flidhais, also known as the Mayo Táin, is a tale from the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature. It is one of a group of works known as Táin Bó, or "cattle raid" stories, the best known of which is Táin Bó Cúailnge...
. - James Owen Hannay aka George A. BirminghamGeorge A. BirminghamGeorge A. Birmingham was the pen name of James Owen Hannay , Irish clergyman and prolific novelist.-Life and career:...
- author of such novels about County Mayo as The Seething PotThe Seething PotThe Seething Pot is a roman à clef written by George A. Birmingham which negatively portrays various individuals and organizations of County Mayo. It was first published in 1905. The novel has been called an "excellent stud[y] of life in the west."...
(1905) and Hyacinth (1906). - John HealyJohn Healy (Irish journalist)John Healy was an Irish journalist from Charlestown, County Mayo, who wrote for Western People and The Irish Times.-Career:...
- author and journalist (1930–1991). - Enda KennyEnda KennyEnda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
- politician, leader of Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
since 2002 and TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(2011–present). - Marquess of SligoMarquess of SligoMarquess of Sligo is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for John Browne, 3rd Earl of Altamont. The Marquess holds the subsidiary titles of Baron Mount Eagle, of Westport in the County of Mayo , Viscount Westport, of Westport in the County of Mayo , Earl of Altamont, in the...
(Browne) - Ciarán McDonaldCiarán McDonaldCiarán McDonald is a former Irish Gaelic football player for Mayo and plays his club football for Crossmolina.-Playing career:McDonald has been among the most consistent forwards in Gaelic football for the last ten years. He is yet to lift the All-Ireland title with Mayo, having lost to Kerry in...
- Gaelic football player. - John McDonnellJohn McDonnell (coach)John McDonnell is the retired head coach for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks track team. He began as the cross country track coach for the University in 1972 and became head track coach in 1978...
(born July 2, 1938) - athletics coach. He has won more national championships (42) than any coach in any sport in the history of American collegiate athletics. - Paul O'DwyerPaul O'DwyerPaul O'Dwyer was an American politician and lawyer, brother of Mayor William O'Dwyer and father to New York City lawyer Brian O'Dwyer .-Life:...
- President of New York City Council, prominent New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
human rights attorney, supporter of Irish nationalism, and defender of several Irish Republican Army gunmen from deportation, including "The Fort Worth Five" and Vincent Conlon. - William O'DwyerWilliam O'DwyerWilliam O'Dwyer was the 100th Mayor of New York City, holding that office from 1946 to 1950.-Biography:O'Dwyer was born in County Mayo, Ireland and migrated to the United States in 1910, after abandoning studies for the priesthood...
- mayor of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1946–1950. - Bernard O'HaraBernard O'HaraBernard O'Hara, Irish historian, born c. 1945.Bernard O'Hara, a native of County Mayo, Ireland, is a historian and a former Registrar of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology . One of the original members of staff when the GMIT opened in September 1972, Mr...
(b. 1945) - Irish historian. - Gráinne O'Malley - 16th century pirate queen and chieftain of the clan O’Malley, also known as Granuaile.
- Michael RingMichael RingMichael Ring is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Mayo constituency since June 1994, and is the current Minister of State for Tourism and Sport....
- Fine Gael politician. - Mary RobinsonMary RobinsonMary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
(born in Ballina, 1944) — first female President of IrelandPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
(1990–1997), and United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
High Commissioner for Human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. - Aoibhinn Ní ShúilleabháinAoibhinn Ní ShúilleabháinAoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin is an Irish schoolteacher, television personality, and singer from County Mayo, who won the 2005 Rose of Tralee contest. Ní Shúilleabháin graduated with a first-class honours degree in theoretical physics from University College Dublin in 2005 and won the Mayo Rose...
(born in Carnacon in 1983) - winner of the 2005 Rose of TraleeRose of Tralee (festival)The Rose of Tralee festival is an international competition which is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world. The festival takes its inspiration from a nineteenth century ballad of the same name about a woman called Mary, who because of her beauty was called The Rose of Tralee. The...
contest. She is the 47th Rose and the first from County Mayo. - Frank StaggFrank StaggFrank Stagg -Background:Stagg was the seventh child in a family of thirteen children, born at Hollymount near Ballinrobe, County Mayo,...
- IRA Hunger striker. - Louis WalshLouis WalshLouis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
(born 5 August 1952) - pop music manager.
See also
- AchillAchill IslandAchill Island in County Mayo is the largest island off the coast of Ireland, and is situated off the west coast. It has a population of 2,700. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Bridge, between the villages of Gob an Choire and Poll Raithní . A bridge was first...
- Castlebar transmitterCastlebar transmitterThe Castlebar transmitter is a relay station used to broadcast television and radio to a large part of County Mayo, Ireland, located at Croaghmoyle. The site is part of the RTÉ Network Limited transmission network....
- Connacht IrishConnacht IrishConnacht Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Connacht. Gaeltacht regions in Connacht are found in Counties Mayo and Galway...
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Mayo)
- List of loughs of County Mayo
- List of mountains and hills of County Mayo
- List of rivers of County Mayo
- List of roads of County Mayo
- Louis WalshLouis WalshLouis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
- Mayo CollegeMayo CollegeMayo College is a public school founded by the 6th Earl of Mayo, who was Viceroy of India from 1869 to 1872.The school is located in Ajmer, in the state of Rajasthan, India....
- Mayo County CouncilMayo County CouncilMayo County council is the local authority which is responsible for County Mayo in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county council is governed by the Local Government...
- Táin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó FlidhaisTáin Bó Flidhais, also known as the Mayo Táin, is a tale from the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature. It is one of a group of works known as Táin Bó, or "cattle raid" stories, the best known of which is Táin Bó Cúailnge...
- Westport HouseWestport HouseWestport House in Westport, Ireland is the stately home of Lord Altamont the Marquess of Sligo. It was built by the Browne family in the 18th Century, on the site of an O'Malley castle whose dungeons are still present today...
- WestportWestport, County MayoWestport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
- Lord Lieutenant of MayoLord Lieutenant of MayoThis is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Mayo. The office was created on 23 August 1831.* Howe Browne, 2nd Marquess of Sligo 7 October 1831 – 26 January 1845* George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan 25 February 1845 – 10 November 1888...
- High Sheriff of MayoHigh Sheriff of MayoThe High Sheriff of Mayo was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Mayo, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Mayo County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and...
External links
- Mayo TV website
- Corrib Gas Pipeline ABP Application
- Mayo.ie
- Mayo County Council's website
- Mayo News
- County Mayo: An Outline History by Bernard O'Hara and Nollaig Ó'Muraíle
- Connaught Telegraph
- Western People
- Family History in Ballycastle and North East County Mayo
- MidWest Radio
- MayoToday.ie - Online News for County Mayo
- Podcasts.i.e. Mayos Heritage
- PureMayo - Pocket guide to mayo highlights
- Mayo Peace Park and Garden of Remembrance
- aboutmayo.com - News Aggregator for County Mayo
- Trailer for 'The Pipe' released 8 July 2010 - Galway Film Festival
- Pipe Down, prize winning documentary from Ireland (Vimeo, Flash 10)
- Mayo Peace Park