Foxford
Encyclopedia
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 Mountains
, Foxford lies on the River Moy
, a salmon
-fishing river, and close to Loughs Conn
and Cullin
, which have some brown trout
fishing. The Foxford Way is an 86-km waymarked
tourist trail that circles Foxford, taking in the Ox Mountains, roads, bogland, archeological sites, lakeshores, and river banks.
Foxford developed around the eponymous Woollen Mills which have been producing the famous Foxford blankets since 1892.
The busy N26 road passes through the village and the bridge over the River Moy is a bottleneck. Over 10,000 vehicles cross the bridge everyday, on route to Ballina and north Mayo. It is proposed to bypass the village by dual-carriageway when the proposed Ballina to Bohola road commences construction. However, this major piece of infrastructure is now on hold due to government cutbacks in public spending, despite several million euro of preparation work and compulsory purchase order
s.
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...
in County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The village stands on the N26
N26 road
The N26 road is a national primary road in Ireland linking Ballina and Foxford to the N5 Dublin – Westport road. This route was previously a national secondary road known as the N57...
national primary route
Roads in Ireland
The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to...
from Swinford
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...
to 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...
and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.
Situated between the Nephin
Nephin
Nephin or Nefin , at 806 metres , is the second highest peak in County Mayo and the second highest in Connacht, in Ireland...
and Ox Mountains
Ox Mountains
The Ox Mountains are a mountain range in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. They are also known as 'St Patrick's Mountain after St. Patrick, as he laboured much on it, raised churches on its slopes, and left his name to some of its wells, as for instance that of Dromard' . The highest peak...
, Foxford lies on the River Moy
River Moy
The 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...
, a salmon
Salmon
Salmon 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...
-fishing river, and close to Loughs Conn
Lough Conn
Lough 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...
and Cullin
Lough Cullin
Lough Cullin is a lake in County Mayo in Ireland. With its immediate neighbour to the north, Lough Conn, it is connected to the Atlantic by the River Moy. Lough Cullin is noted for its trout and salmon fishing....
, which have some brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
fishing. The Foxford Way is an 86-km waymarked
Waymarking
Waymarking is an activity where people locate and log interesting locations around the world, usually with a GPS receiver and a digital camera. Waymarking differs from geocaching in that there is no physical container to locate at the given coordinates. Waymarking identifies points of interest for...
tourist trail that circles Foxford, taking in the Ox Mountains, roads, bogland, archeological sites, lakeshores, and river banks.
Foxford developed around the eponymous Woollen Mills which have been producing the famous Foxford blankets since 1892.
Transport
- Foxford railway stationFoxford railway stationFoxford railway station serves the town of Foxford in County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 1 May 1868. It was closed in 1963. It reopened in 1988 and is now served by the Ballina-Manulla Junction train. The line is owned by the state company Córas Iompair Éireann , and previously by the...
opened on 1 May 1868. In 1963, despite local opposition, it was closed. It reopened in 1988 and is now served by the Ballina-Manulla Junction train. The line is owned by the state company Iarnród ÉireannIarnród ÉireannIarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
, and was previously owned by the Midland Great Western RailwayMidland Great Western RailwayThe Midland Great Western Railway was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railway in 1924. It served part of Leinster, County Cavan in Ulster and much of Connaught...
.
The busy N26 road passes through the village and the bridge over the River Moy is a bottleneck. Over 10,000 vehicles cross the bridge everyday, on route to Ballina and north Mayo. It is proposed to bypass the village by dual-carriageway when the proposed Ballina to Bohola road commences construction. However, this major piece of infrastructure is now on hold due to government cutbacks in public spending, despite several million euro of preparation work and compulsory purchase order
Compulsory purchase order
A compulsory purchase order is a legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment - for...
s.
Notable people
- The poet and theatre director F. R. HigginsF. R. HigginsFrederick Robert Higgins was an Irish poet and theatre director.-Early years:Higgins was born on the west coast of Ireland in Foxford, which is located in County Mayo...
was born in Foxford. - The village is the birthplace of 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...
, father 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....
, hero of the Argentine War of IndependenceArgentine War of IndependenceThe Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
, and defender of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
during the Argentina-Brazil WarArgentina-Brazil WarThe Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
. Statues and monuments to him are found throughout ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and his name is honoured with several streets, squares, towns, and associations. Busts of Admiral Brown have also been erected in Foxford and Dublin.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland.