County Mayo
 The county stretches from Lough Corrib and the long
narrow fjord of Killary Harbour in the
south to the barony of Erris and Killala
Bay in the north, and from the Atlantic ocean
on the west coast to the counties of Sligo
and Roscommon on the east.
Mayo's
attractions include delightful uncongested
holiday resorts, excellent angling or fishing
waters, exciting walking and mountain climbing
trails, a good choice of golf courses, opportunities
for many other types of activity-holidays,
as well as some of the most interesting archaeological
and historical sites in Ireland.
 Some of the main attractions include Croagh
Patrick and the Marian Shrine of Knock.
County
Mayo got its name from the diocese of that
name which evolved from a 7th century monastery
established by Saint Colmán and some English
monks on 'the plain of yews', about 3km.
south of Balla. Mayo became a diocese in
the 12th century, but it was amalgamated
with Tuam about 500 years later
When the county was established around 1570, it was called
'Mayo'after the famous monastery and diocese. The Irish name
for Mayo is Maigh Eo , which means 'plain of yew-trees'.
|
Main Tourist Attractions
Quiet Man Film Locations
County Mayo has several locations which were used in the
making of the file
The Quiet Man. Visit the main film locations in an organised
tour or join the
Quiet Man Fan Club.
Museum of Country Life, Turlough
Park, Castlebar.
Almost 200,000 visitors in first year of business.
Complete with restaurant.
Here you can immerse yourself in the lives of our rural ancestors
from the mid - 19th to the mid - 20th centuries. Lifestyles
which were established for several hundred years came to
an end well into living memory, and here amidst furniture
and fittings, the tools they used to work the land and the
clothes and textiles they wore, you can reach out and touch
those vanished lives.
Turlough Park is the site of the first de Burgo castle and
the impressive High Victorian Gothic style house was built
in 1865 by the Fitzgeralds, who farmed the surrounding land.
Today the museum offers guided tours, an audio - visual exhibition,
lectures, workshops, special events, family days, a museum
shop & cafe.
The Marian Shrine - Knock.
Our Lady's Shrine Knock, is one of the great Marian
shrines of the world, attracting over 1,500,000
visitors annually. It is an oasis of peace,
tranquility and deep spirituality where many
who come to see, remain to pray and find reconciliation.
Knock is the scene of the apparition of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John
on 21 August 1879, witnessed by fifteen local
people.
Michael Davitt Museum -
Foxford.
The Michael Davitt Museum and the adjoining community
centre were opened at Straide on 23 April 1984 to
honour its native son, 'the father of the Land League'
and one of Ireland's greatest patriots. Michael Davitt
(1846-1906) was the founder, chief organiser and
inspiring genius of the Land League, the biggest
mass movement in modern Irish history, which transformed
tenant-farmers into owner-occupiers by constitutional
means.
Kiltimagh Museum
In the 1980s the Historical Society acquired
the old Goods Store of Kiltimagh Railway Station
and turned it into a Museum. Two old Railway
Carriages were acquired to commemorate the thousands
of our people who had had to emigrate, and these
were incorporated into the Museum. Now the Museum
houses many artifacts from our past, such as
the Land League Banner, buried for safety in
a bog for forty years, the instruments of the
19th century town band, items from Kiltimagh
Lace School, Railway artifacts and many other
items reflecting different aspects of our past.
Doon - Archaeological Nature
Peninsula
A designated Area of Scienific Interest, Accredited a National
Heritage Area.
Doon Promontory Fort, on Lough Carra, with sites from Late
Bronze Age, enclosed in a spectacular landscape of mountain,
lake and woodland, is one of the largest identified site
of its type in Ireland.
A self-guided Tour along a woodland trail from our earliest
ancestors, through Bronze Age (2,000 B.C.), Iron Age (300
B.C.), Early Christian and Norman Times. A town noted for
the filming of the Quiet Man, with John Wayne and Maureen
O'Hara. Many connections with the Quiet Man are on show.
Also the location of Ashford Castle, a high quality hotel
with private golf course.
Croagh
Patrick - Westport
The Pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick is located close
to Wesport town.
In 441 AD St. Patrick reached the summit of Croagh Patrick
and fasted for 40 day.
St. Patrick is also noted for banishing the snakes from Ireland.
A wonderful experience and challenge on a fine day. Spectacular
view of County Mayo. For info on Guided
Tours of Croagh Partick
Ballintubber Abbey
This 13th century abbey
is unique, not only is it the only church in Ireland
still in use which was founded by an Irish King,
but it is also the one Irish church where for over
781 years Mass has been offered without a break.
Its story is graphically told in a video documentary
on show at the abbey. Founded in 1216 by the last
King of Connaught, Cathal Crovdearg O'Connor, for
the Canons Regular of St. Augustine order, the Abbey
had large tracts of land in the district until the
dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VII.
Retreats, pilgrimages and tours are available today.
The Celtic Furrow Visitors Centre provides guided
tours of the region, tracing 5,000 years of Irish
culture.
The Tóchar Valley
A beautiful area of rural communities
stretching from Balla to Murrisk, at the foot
of Croagh Patrick, "Ireland's Holy Mountain".
Steeped in antiquity, the unspoiled countryside
is liberally sprinkled with churches, Celtic
artifacts and historical sites. The Tóchar
Phádraig pilgrim route, which links these townlands
and villages for a distance of 55km., is the
ancient pilgrim pathway to Croagh Patrick.
Westport
Zoo
Westport, a tourist town with wildlife park and zoological
gardens.
Heritage Sites
Céide
Fields - Ballycastle - 8 miles from Ballina
Beneath the wild boglands of North Mayo lies Ceide Fields,
the most extensive stone age monument in the world; field
systems, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs of 5,000 years
ago. In addition, the wild flora of the bog is of international
importance and is bounded by some of the most spectacular
rock formations and cliffs in Ireland. The Visitor Centre
houses displays and exhibitions in English and Irish.
