County Mayo Totally Explained

Everything about County Mayo totally explained

County Mayo (after Mayo Abbey) is a county in the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of Ireland. The county town of Mayo is Castlebar. Mayo is bordered to the south by Galway, to the east by Roscommon, and to the north-east by Sligo. Castlebar and Ballina are by far the two most populous towns in the county, with 10,729 and 10,146 residents respectively according to the 2006 census; with Castlebar being much larger by land area. These are followed by Westport, a popular tourist town, which has 5,140 residents. The fourth largest town is Claremorris with a population of 3,170. Other towns include Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis, Belmullet and Swinford.

Geography

The highest point in Mayo and Connacht is Mweelrea . The river Moy in the northeast of the county is renowned for its salmon fishing. Ireland's largest island, Achill, lies off Mayo's west coast.

Towns and villages

Achill Island
Balla, Ballina, Ballinrobe, Ballintober, Ballycastle, Ballyhaunis, Ballyglass, Ballyvary, Bangor, Belmullet, Bohola, Boytown
Castlebar, Charlestown, Claremorris, Cong, Crossmolina
Derrew, Drumganagh East, Drumganagh West
Foxford
Geesala
Keel, Kilkelly, Killala, Kiltimagh, Knock
Louisburgh
Mayo, Mulrany
Newport
Swinford
Tourmakeady
Westport

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. This can still be seen today with communities in Preston, Birmingham, north London and Middlesbrough openly proud of their Mayo roots, reflected in songs and the use of Gaelic football shirts.

Places of interest

The Knock Shrine is in Mayo, close to the border with County Roscommon. Mayo is also home to Croagh Patrick, a mountain where St Patrick is said to have fasted for forty days and nights, although worship connected with the mountain is believed to have preceded the arrival of Christianity.

Ireland West Airport Knock

Lough Mask

Mullet Peninsula

Nephin Beg Mountains

Partry Mountains

Rockfleet Castle

Famous People from Mayo

Michael Davitt, founder of the Land League, was born in Mayo, the bridge to Achill is named after him.

Patrick Browne (1720–1790), Doctor and botanist of Jamaica.

Admiral William Brown (1777 to 1857), Born in Foxford, founder of the Argentine Navy

Seán Flanagan (1922– 1993) was a senior Fianna Fáil politician and Gaelic footballer in Ireland. He served under Taoiseach Jack Lynch as Minister for Health (1966-1969) and Minister for Lands (1969-1973).

William O'Dwyer, mayor of New York City from 1946-1950.

Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen and chieftain of the clan O’Malley.

John McDonnell (born July 2, 1938), coach. He has won more national championships (42) than any coach in any sport in the history of American collegiate athletics.

Mary Robinson, First Female President of the Irish Republic (1997-2002), born in Ballina, Co.Mayo in 1944.Robinson became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 12 September 1997, resigning the Presidency a few weeks early with the approval of Irish political parties in order to take up the post.

Energy resources controversy

For over two years in Erris in the northwest of the county, the Shell to Sea campaign has organised protests at the decision of the Shell oil company to refine raw gas from the Corrib Gas Field onshore. This would entail piping the gas through inhabited areas at an abnormally high pressure and without the chemical that allows people to smell the gas when there's a leak. This has never been tried before anywhere, as gas has always been processed offshore. Five men were jailed in 2005 for refusing to allow the pipeline through their lands, and protests at the refinery site continue daily. There is strong feeling locally against some of the Garda Siochana tactics surrounding the protests, which has resulted in Mayo Gardai having a higher per capita rate of complaints against them than any other part of the state, despite the county having one of the lowest levels of criminal activity.

Sport

Mayo is also noted for its Gaelic football team, and their struggle to capture the All-Ireland Football Title in recent years. They last won the Sam Maguire Cup in 1951, when the team was captained by Seán Flanagan. Mayo's most recent All-Ireland final losses have been in 1989, 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2006. They defeated a hotly tipped Dublin team in the 2006 All Ireland Semi Final; In what match commentators said was one of the best games ever in Croke Park, Mayo won by one point.

Further Information

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