County in Ireland
County in Connacht, Ireland
County Mayo
(
;
[4]
from
Irish
Maigh Eo, Contae Mhaigh Eo
, meaning 'Plain of the
yew trees
') is a
county
in
Ireland
. In the
West of Ireland
, in the
province
of
Connacht
, it is named after the village of
Mayo
, now generally known as Mayo Abbey.
Mayo County Council
is the
local authority
. The population was 137,231 at the
2022 census
.
[3]
The boundaries of the county, which was formed in 1585, reflect the
Mac William Iochtar
lordship at that time.
Geography
[
edit
]
It is bounded on the north and west by the
Atlantic Ocean
; on the south by
County Galway
; on the east by
County Roscommon
; and on the northeast by
County Sligo
. Mayo is the third-largest of Ireland's 32 counties in area and 18th largest in terms of population.
[5]
It is the second-largest of
Connacht
's five counties in both size and population. Mayo has 1,168 km (726 mi) of coastline, or approximately 21% of the total coastline of the State.
[6]
[7]
It is one of three counties which claims to have the
longest coastline
in Ireland, alongside
Cork
and
Donegal
. There is a distinct geological difference between the west and the east of the county. The west consists largely of poor subsoils and is covered with large areas of extensive Atlantic
blanket bog
, whereas the east is largely a
limestone
landscape. Agricultural land is therefore more productive in the east than in the west.
- The highest point in Mayo (and Connacht) is
Mweelrea
, at 814 m (2,671 ft)
- The
River Moy
in the northeast of the county is renowned for its
salmon
fishing
- Ireland's largest island,
Achill Island
, lies off Mayo's west coast
- Mayo has Ireland's highest cliffs at
Croaghaun
, Achill Island,
[8]
while the
Benwee Head
cliffs in
Kilcommon
Erris
drop almost perpendicularly 270 m (900 ft) into the
Atlantic Ocean
.
[9]
- The northwest 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
[10]
[11]
[12]
-
-
-
Burrishoole Bridge
-
Nephin
, found in central Mayo, is the largest freestanding mountain on the island of Ireland
-
The Cliffs at
Croaghaun
on
Achill Island
are the third highest in Europe
There are nine historic
baronies
, four in the northern area and five in the south of the county:
North Mayo
- Erris
(north-west, containing
Belmullet
,
Gweesalia
,
Bangor Erris
,
Kilcommon
,
Ballycroy
etc.)
- Burrishoole
(west, containing
Achill
,
Mulranny
and
Newport, County Mayo
)
- Gallen
(east, containing
Bonniconlon
,
Foxford
)
- Tyrawley
(north-east, containing
Ballina
,
Ballycastle
,
Killala
,
Moygownagh
)
South Mayo
- Clanmorris
, (south-east, containing
Claremorris
and
Balla
)
- Costello
(east-south-east, containing
Kilkelly
Ballyhaunis
etc.)
- Murrisk
(south-west, containing
Westport
,
Louisburgh
,
Croagh Patrick
etc.)
- Kilmaine
(south, containing
Ballinrobe
,
Cong
etc.)
- Carra
(south, containing
Castlebar
,
Partry
etc.)
Largest towns by population
[
edit
]
According to the 2022 census:
[13]
- Castlebar
13,054
- Ballina
10,556
- Westport
6,872
- Claremorris
3,857
- Ballinrobe
3,148
- Ballyhaunis
2,773
- Swinford
1,459
- Foxford
1,452
- Kiltimagh
1,232
- Crossmolina
1,134
Flora and fauna
[
edit
]
A survey of the terrestrial and freshwater algae of Clare Island was made between 1990 and 2005 and published in 2007. A record of
Gunnera
tinctoria
is also noted.
[14]
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 statements
2009 and 2010.
[15]
History
[
edit
]
Prehistory
[
edit
]
There is evidence of human occupation of what is now County Mayo going far back into prehistory.
[16]
At
Belderrig
on the north Mayo coast, there is evidence for
Mesolithic
(Middle Stone Age) communities around 4500 BC.
[17]
[18]
while throughout the county there is a wealth of archaeological remains from the
Neolithic
(New Stone Age) period (ca. 4,000 BC to 2,500 BC), 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, as far back as eleven thousand years ago.
[16]
Artefacts of
hunter/gatherers
are sometimes found in
middens
, rubbish pits around
hearths
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.
[19]
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. These 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
Ceide Fields
, centred on the northeast 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
.
Megalithic tombs
[
edit
]
There are four distinct types of
Irish megalithic tombs
?
court tombs
,
portal tombs
,
passage tombs
and
wedge tombs
?examples of all of which can be found in County Mayo.
[20]
Areas particularly rich in megalithic tombs include
Achill
,
Kilcommon
,
Ballyhaunis
,
Moygownagh
,
Killala
and the Behy/Glenurla area around the
Ceide Fields
.
Bronze Age (ca. 2,500 BC to 500 BC)
[
edit
]
Megalithic tomb building continued into the
Bronze Age
when metal began to be used for tools alongside the stone tools. The Bronze Age lasted approximately from 4,500 years ago to 2,500 years ago (2,500 BC to 500 BC). Archaeological remains from this period include
stone alignments
,
stone circles
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.
Iron Age (ca. 500 BC to AD 325)
[
edit
]
Around 2,500 years ago the
Iron Age
took over from the Bronze Age as more and more metalworking took place. This is thought to have coincided with the arrival of
Celtic
speaking peoples and the introduction of the ancestor of the
Irish language
. Towards the end of this period, the Roman Empire was at its height in Britain but it is not thought that the Roman Empire extended into Ireland. Remains from this period, which lasted until the
Early Christian
period began about AD 325 (with the arrival of
Saint Patrick
into Ireland, as a slave) include
crannogs
(Lake dwellings),
promontory forts
,
ringforts
and
souterrains
of which there are numerous examples across the county. The
Iron Age
was a time of tribal warfare and 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 mythological tales of the
Ulster Cycle
and sagas took place, as well as that of the
Tain Bo Flidhais
, whose narrative is set in mainly in
Erris
.
Early Christian period (ca. AD 325 to AD 800)
[
edit
]
Christianity came to Ireland around the start of the 5th century. It brought many changes including the introduction of the
Latin alphabet
. The tribal '
tuatha
' and new Christian 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) 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.
[21]
Some examples of well-known early monastic sites in Mayo include
Mayo Abbey
,
Aughagower
,
Ballintubber
,
Errew Abbey
,
Cong Abbey
,
Killala
, Turlough on the outskirts of Castlebar, and island settlements off the
Mullet Peninsula
like the
Inishkea Islands
,
Inishglora
and
Duvillaun
.
In 795 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 towers
to prevent their precious items from 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 that 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
admirals
of the
fleet
of
Connacht
, while families such as O'Lachtnan,
Mac Fhirbhisigh
, and O'Cleary were ecclesiastical and bardic clans.
Anglo-Normans (12th to 16th centuries)
[
edit
]
In AD 1169 when one of the warring kings in the east of Ireland,
Dermot MacMurrough
, appealed to the King of England for help in his fight with a neighbouring king, the response resulted in the Anglo-Norman colonisation of Ireland.
County Mayo came under Norman control in AD 1235. Norman control meant the eclipse of many Gaelic lords and chieftains, chiefly the O'Connors of Connacht.
[21]
During the 1230s, the
Anglo-Normans
and
Welsh
under
Richard Mor 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 are still common in County Mayo. 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 cousins,
Clanricarde
of
Galway
, and in alliance with or against various factions of the O'Conor's of Siol Muiredaig and
O'Kelly
's of
Ui 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 Abbey
,
Burrishoole Abbey
and
Mayo Abbey
.
[22]
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
Elizabeth I
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
Grace 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.
[23]
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.
17th and 18th centuries
[
edit
]
Pirate Queen
Grace O'Malley
is probably the best-known person from County Mayo between the mid-16th century and the turn of the 17th century.
[24]
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 allies, the need to pay them with grants of land in Ireland led to the '
to hell or to Connaught
' policies.
[25]
Displaced native Irish families from other (eastern and southern mostly) parts of the country were either forced to leave the country or were 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.
[26]
Mayo does not seem to have been affected much during the
Williamite War in 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
(1777?1857), left Foxford with his family at the age of nine and thirty years later was an admiral in the fledgeling Argentine Navy. Today he is a national hero in that country.
[27]
The general unrest in Ireland was felt just as keenly across Mayo, and as the 19th 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 British rule in their country. 1798 saw Mayo become a central part of the
United Irishmen Rebellion
when
General Humbert
from France landed in
Killala
with over 1,000 soldiers playing to support the main uprising. They marched across the county towards the administrative centre of Castlebar, leading to the
Battle of Castlebar
. Taking the garrison by surprise Humbert's army was victorious. He established a
' Republic of Connacht'
with
John Moore
of the Moore family from
Moore Hall
near Partry as its head. Humbert's army marched on towards Sligo, Leitrim and Longford where they were suddenly faced with a massive British 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 Ropa' (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
.
[28]
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
[
edit
]
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
(or Great Famine) of 1845?47. 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 of 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.
[29]
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.
[30]
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.
[31]
A national movement was initiated in County Mayo during 1879 by
Michael Davitt
,
James Daly
, and others, which brought about a major social change 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.
[32]
The organisation became known as the
Irish National Land League
, and its struggle to win rights for poor farmers in Ireland was known as the
Land War
.
It was in this era of agrarian unrest that a new verb was introduced to the English language by Mayo - "to
boycott
".
Charles Boycott
was an English landlord deeply unpopular with his tenants. When Charles Steward Parnell made a speech in
Ennis
,
County Clare
, urging
nonviolent resistance
against landlords, his tactics were enthusiastically taken in Mayo against Boycott. The entire Catholic community around
Lough Mask
in South Mayo where Boycott had his estate became a campaign of total social ostracisation against Boycott, a tactic that would one day come to bear his name. The campaign against Boycott became a
cause celebre
in the British press after he wrote a letter to
The Times
. The British elite rallied to his cause and Fifty
Orangemen
from
County Cavan
and
County Monaghan
travelled to his estate to harvest the crops, while a regiment of the
19th Royal Hussars
and more than 1,000 men of the
Royal Irish Constabulary
were deployed to protect the harvesters. However, the cost of doing this was completely uneconomic: It cost the British government somewhere in the region of £10,000 to simply harvest £500 worth of crops. Boycott sold off the estate and the British government's resolve to try to break boycotts in this completely dissolved, resulting in victory for the tenants.
[33]
Mayo figures such as
Mary Robinson
and
Enda Kenny
were influential both nationally and internationally in the modern era.
The "Land Question" was gradually resolved by a scheme of state-aided land purchase schemes.
[34]
The tenants became the owners of their lands under the newly set-up
Land Commission
.
A Mayo nun, Mother
Agnes Morrogh-Bernard
, set up the Foxford Woollen Mill in 1892. She made Foxford synonymous throughout the world with high-quality tweeds, rugs and blankets.
[35]
[36]
Mayo, as all parts of what became the
Irish Free State
, was affected by the events of the
Irish revolutionary period
, including the
Irish War of Independence
and the subsequent
Irish Civil War
. Major
John MacBride
of Westport was amongst those who took part in the 1916
Easter Rising
and was subsequently executed by the British for his participation. His death served as a rallying call for Republicans in Mayo and led to Mayo men such as
P. J. Ruttledge
,
Ernie O'Malley
,
Michael Kilroy
and
Thomas Derrig
to rise up during the War of Independence. In the ensuing Civil War, many of these leading figures chose the
Anti-treaty side
and fought in bitter battles such as those in Ballina, which changed hands between pro and anti-treaty forces a number of times.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, there was a consolidation of many of those with anti-treaty feelings into the new political party
Fianna Fail
. PJ Ruttledge and Thomas Derrig would become founding members of the party and served in
Eamon de Valera
's first-ever Fianna Fail government as ministers. Mayo politicians would continue to contribute to the national political scene over the decades. In 1990
Mary Robinson
, from County Mayo, became the first-ever female
President of Ireland
, and is widely credited with revitalising the position with importance and focus it had never possessed before. During her tenure she unveiled Ireland's
National Famine Memorial
which is situated in the village of
Murrisk
, County Mayo.
In 2011
Enda Kenny
became the first politician from a Mayo constituency and the second Mayo native to serve as
Taoiseach
, the head of government of Ireland. Kenny went on to become the longest-serving Fine Gael Taoiseach in Irish history.
[37]
Clans and families
[
edit
]
In the early historic period, what is now County Mayo consisted of a number of large kingdoms, minor lordships and
tribes of obscure origins
. They included:
- Calraige
? pre-historic tribe found in the parishes of
Attymass
,
Kilgarvan
,
Crossmolina
and the
River Moy
- Ciarraige
? settlers from
Munster
found in south-east Mayo around
Kiltimagh
and west
County Roscommon
- Conmaicne
? a people located in the
barony
of
Kilmaine
, alleged descendants of
Fergus mac Roich
- Fir Domnann
? branch of the
Laigin
, originally from
Britain
, located in
Erris
- Gamanraige
? pre-historic
kings of Connacht
, famous for battle with
Medb
&
Ailill
of
Cruachan
in
Tain Bo Flidhais
. Based in
Erris
,
Carrowmore Lake
,
Killala Bay
,
Lough Conn
- Gailenga
? kingdom extending east from
Castlebar
to adjoining parts of Mayo
- Ui Fiachrach
Muidhe ? a sept of the
Connachta
, based around
Ballina
, some of whom were
kings of Connacht
- Partraige
? a pre-
Gaelic
people of
Lough Mask
and
Lough Carra
, namesakes of
Partry
- Umaill
? kingdom surrounding
Clew Bay
, east towards
Castlebar
, its rulers adopted the surname
O'Malley
Politics
[
edit
]
Mayo's four
Teachtai Dala
as of 2020. The TDs represent the county on a national level.
Local government and political subdivisions
[
edit
]
Mayo County Council
is the authority responsible for
local government
. As a
county council
, it is governed by the
Local Government Act 2001
. The county is divided into four municipal districts of Ballina, Castlebar, Claremorris and Westport?Belmullet, each with a population of roughly 32,000 to 34,000 people. The council is responsible for
housing
and community, roads and
transportation
,
urban planning
and development, amenity and
culture
, and
environment
.
County Mayo is divided into six
local electoral areas
(LEAs). Councillors are elected for a five-year term.
[38]
The
county town
is at
Aras an Contae
in
Castlebar
, the main population centre located in the centre of the county.
National politics
[
edit
]
Since 2016, Mayo has been represented on a national political level by four
TDs
who represent the constituency of Mayo in
Dail Eireann
. Previous to 2016 the constituency had five TDs but this was reduced based on the county's current population in line with
proportional representation
.
[39]
The
electoral divisions
of Cong, Dalgan, Houndswood, Kilmaine, Neale, Shrule, in the former Rural District of Ballinrobe, are in
Galway West
.
Voting patterns and political history
[
edit
]
Historically, Mayo has tended to vote
Fianna Fail
, as Fianna Fail managed to position themselves in the 20th century as the party best fit to represent farmers with small holdings, who were plentiful in Mayo. With so many of Mayo's electorate being small farmers, the county became a base for the emergence of
Clann na Talmhan
, an agrarian party in the 1940s and 1950s. Clann an Talmhan's second leader,
Joseph Blowick
came from South Mayo and that is where his seat was. The party was not able to last in the long run though as it was unable to hold together its voting bloc of both small farmers in the west of Ireland and large farmers in the east.
Towards the start of the 21st century, the balance of power in Mayo began to shift towards Fine Gael, thanks in part to the emergence of
Enda Kenny
and
Michael Ring
. Kenny, who became
Taoiseach
in 2011, led Fine Gael to a historic victory in the
2011 Irish general election
which included securing four out of five available seats for his party in Mayo.
In 2020, Rose Conway-Walsh came within 200 votes of topping the poll and became the first Sinn Fein TD for Mayo since 1927, riding a nationwide surge for Sinn Fein that year.
[40]
Despite being historically the third-largest party in Ireland,
Labour
has struggled to ever make inroads into Mayo. The party has only ever had one TD for Mayo, former party leader
Thomas J. O'Connell
, who represented South Mayo between 1927 and 1932. While Labour has not proven itself electorally successful in Mayo, Mayo has provided important members to the Labour Party. Mary Robinson from Ballina became the first-ever female President of Ireland as a Labour candidate while
Pat Rabbitte
, originally from Claremorris, served as
leader of the Labour Party
from 2002 to 2007. Serving alongside Rabbitte was
Emmet Stagg
, one of the longest-standing Labour TDs of the modern era, himself from
Hollymount
not far from Claremorris.
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Year
| Pop.
| ±%
|
---|
1580
| 22,080
| ?
|
---|
1585
| 23,920
| +8.3%
|
---|
1600
| 24,950
| +4.3%
|
---|
1610
| 25,799
| +3.4%
|
---|
1653
| 27,211
| +5.5%
|
---|
1659
| 29,967
| +10.1%
|
---|
1668
| 38,991
| +30.1%
|
---|
1672
| 55,202
| +41.6%
|
---|
1680
| 59,886
| +8.5%
|
---|
1690
| 63,445
| +5.9%
|
---|
1700
| 71,224
| +12.3%
|
---|
1710
| 78,555
| +10.3%
|
---|
1725
| 90,557
| +15.3%
|
---|
1781
| 123,207
| +36.1%
|
---|
1788
| 155,768
| +26.4%
|
---|
1790
| 195,668
| +25.6%
|
---|
1801
| 225,799
| +15.4%
|
---|
1811
| 231,798
| +2.7%
|
---|
1813
| 267,668
| +15.5%
|
---|
1816
| 251,334
| ?6.1%
|
---|
1821
| 293,112
| +16.6%
|
---|
1831
| 366,328
| +25.0%
|
---|
1841
| 388,887
| +6.2%
|
---|
1851
| 274,499
| ?29.4%
|
---|
1861
| 254,796
| ?7.2%
|
---|
1871
| 246,030
| ?3.4%
|
---|
1881
| 245,212
| ?0.3%
|
---|
1891
| 219,034
| ?10.7%
|
---|
1901
| 199,166
| ?9.1%
|
---|
1911
| 192,177
| ?3.5%
|
---|
1926
| 172,690
| ?10.1%
|
---|
1936
| 161,349
| ?6.6%
|
---|
1946
| 148,120
| ?8.2%
|
---|
1951
| 141,867
| ?4.2%
|
---|
1956
| 133,052
| ?6.2%
|
---|
1961
| 123,330
| ?7.3%
|
---|
1966
| 115,547
| ?6.3%
|
---|
1971
| 109,525
| ?5.2%
|
---|
1979
| 114,019
| +4.1%
|
---|
1981
| 114,766
| +0.7%
|
---|
1986
| 115,184
| +0.4%
|
---|
1991
| 110,713
| ?3.9%
|
---|
1996
| 111,524
| +0.7%
|
---|
2002
| 117,446
| +5.3%
|
---|
2006
| 123,839
| +5.4%
|
---|
2011
| 130,638
| +5.5%
|
---|
2016
| 130,507
| ?0.1%
|
---|
2022
| 137,231
| +5.2%
|
---|
[3]
[41]
[42]
[43]
[44]
[45]
[46]
[47]
|
The county has experienced perhaps the highest emigration out of Ireland.
[48]
[
citation needed
]
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 United Kingdom and the United States, the population plummeted from 388,887 in 1841 to 199,166 in 1901. It reached a low of 109,525 in 1971. Emigration slowed dramatically as the Irish economy began to expand in the 1990s and early 2000s, and the population of Mayo increased from 110,713 in 1991 to 130,638 in 2011.
Religion
[
edit
]
In the 2006 National Census, the religious demographic breakdown for County Mayo was 114,215 Roman Catholics, 2,476 Church of Ireland, 733 Muslims, 409 other Christians, 280 Presbyterians, 250 Orthodox Christians, 204 Methodists, 853 other stated religions, 3,267 no religion and 1,152 no stated religion.
Irish language
[
edit
]
9% of the population of County Mayo live in the
Gaeltacht
. The Gaeltacht Irish-speaking region in County Mayo is the third-largest in Ireland with 10,886 inhabitants.
Tourmakeady
is the largest village in this area. All schools in the area use Irish as the language of instruction. Mayo has four gaelscoileanna in its four major towns,
[
which?
]
providing primary education to students through Irish.
[49]
[
failed verification
]
Transport
[
edit
]
Rail
[
edit
]
Westport railway station
is the terminus station on the
Dublin to Westport Rail service
. Railway stations are also located at
Ballyhaunis
,
Claremorris
,
Castlebar
,
Manulla
,
Ballina
and
Foxford
. All railway stations are located on the same railway line, with the exception of
Ballina
and
Foxford
which requires passengers to change at
Manulla Junction
. There are currently four services each way every day on the line.
There are also proposals to reopen the currently disused
Western Railway Corridor
connecting
Limerick
with
Sligo
.
Road
[
edit
]
There are a number of
national primary roads
in the county including the
N5 road
connecting
Westport
with
Dublin
, the
N17 road
connecting the county with
Galway
and
Sligo
and the
N26 road
connecting
Ballina
with
Dublin
via the N5. There are a number of
national secondary roads
in the county also including the
N58 road
,
N59 road
,
N60 road
,
N83 road
&
N84 road
. As of 2021, a new road running from northwest of Westport to east of Castlebar is under construction. The road is a dual carriageway with junctions at the N59, N84 and N60 and will open in late 2022.
[50]
[
failed verification
]
Ireland West Airport Knock
is an international airport located in the county. The name is derived from the nearby village of
Knock
. Recent years have seen the airport's passenger numbers grow to over 650,000 yearly with a number of UK and European destinations. August 2014 saw the airport have its busiest month on record with 102,774 passengers using the airport.
Places of interest
[
edit
]
Media
[
edit
]
Newspapers in County Mayo include
The Mayo News
, the
Connaught Telegraph
, the
Connacht Tribune
,
Western People
, and
Mayo Advertiser
, which is Mayo's only free newspaper.
[51]
Mayo Now
is a monthly entertainment and culture magazine for the towns of Ballina, Foxford, Killala, Crossmolina and surrounding areas ? this is out on the first Friday of each month.
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 Erris FM, Community Radio Castlebar, Westport Community Radio, BCR FM (Ballina Community Radio) 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.
[52]
Energy
[
edit
]
Energy controversy
[
edit
]
There is local resistance to
Shell
's decision to process raw
gas
from the
Corrib gas field
at an onshore terminal. In 2005, five local men were jailed for
contempt of court
after refusing to follow an Irish court order. Subsequent protests against the project led to the
Shell to Sea
and related campaigns.
Energy audit
[
edit
]
The Mayo Energy Audit 2009?2020 is an investigation into the implications of
peak oil
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
.
[53]
[54]
[55]
Sport
[
edit
]
The
Mayo GAA
senior team last won the
Sam Maguire Cup
in 1951, when the team was captained by
Sean Flanagan
. The team's third title followed victories in 1936 and the previous year, 1950. Since 1951, the team have made numerous
All-Ireland Final
appearances (in 1989, twice in 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, twice again in 2016 against Dublin, 2017, 2020, with their latest appearance being against Tyrone in the 2021 final), though the team have failed on all occasions to achieve victory over their opponents.
The team's unofficial supporters club are Mayo Club '51, named after the last team who won the Sam Maguire. The county colours of Mayo GAA are traditionally green and red.
[56]
The county's most popular association football teams are
Westport United
and
Castlebar Celtic
.
Although
Gaelic football
and
association football
are the most popular sport in the county, other sports are popular in the county as well such as rugby, basketball, hurling, swimming, tennis, badminton, athletics, handball and racquetball.
Notable people
[
edit
]
- Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo
(1822?1872) ?
Viceroy of India
(1869?1872)
- Patrick Browne
(1720?1790) ? physician and botanist
- Michael Davitt
(1846?1906) ?
Irish republican
,
agrarian
campaigner,
labour leader
,
Home Rule
politician and Member of Parliament (MP) who founded the
Irish National Land League
.
- Grace O'Malley
(circa 1530 ? circa 1603) ? Lord of the
O'Malley
dynasty in the 16th century
- Admiral William Brown
(1777?1857) ? Founder of the
Argentine Navy
- Charles Haughey
(1925?2006) ?
Taoiseach
of Ireland (1979?1982; 1987?1992)
- Enda Kenny
(born 1951) ? Politician, leader of
Fine Gael
(2002?2017), and
Taoiseach
of Ireland (2011?2017)
- John MacBride
(1868?1916) ? Republican and military leader, executed by the British for his participation in the 1916
Easter Rising
- William O'Dwyer
(1890?1964) ? 100th mayor of
New York City
(1946?1950)
- Mary Robinson
(born 1944) ? First female
President of Ireland
(1990?1997), and
United Nations
High Commissioner for
Human rights
.
- Millie Robinson
(1924?1994) ? Cyclist: first winner of
women's Tour de France
(1955) and holder of women's world
hour record
(1958)
[57]
- Sally Rooney
(born 1991) ? Author (
Conversations with Friends
,
Normal People
), and screenwriter
- John Ruane
(1936?2006) ? American jockey, born County Mayo
[58]
- Martin Sheridan
,
Olympic Games
gold medalist representing the United States
- Louis Walsh
(born 1952) ? Entertainment manager and judge on
The X Factor
(UK), and
Ireland's Got Talent
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
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.
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.
Archived
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2019
.
- ^
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Archived
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. Retrieved
2 June
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Census of Population 2022 - Preliminary Results"
.
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. 23 June 2022
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22 May
2023
.
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.
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. Archived from
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on 6 December 2021
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2021
.
- ^
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- ^
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.
heritagecouncil.ie
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. Retrieved
6 May
2020
.
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.
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9 May
2020
.
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.
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2013
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2013
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.
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.
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ISBN
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b
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.
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.
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"
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.
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- ^
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- ^
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.
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.
Archived
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.
- ^
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.
www.libraryireland.com
.
Archived
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.
- ^
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on 28 May 2010
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2010
.
- ^
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- ^
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.
www.irishidentity.com
.
Archived
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- ^
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.
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- ^
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.
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.
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- ^
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.
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.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
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.
www.museumsofmayo.com
.
Archived
from the original on 23 January 2011
. Retrieved
5 July
2010
.
- ^
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. RTE. 20 April 2017.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
Enda Kenny has become Fine Gael's longest-serving Taoiseach, having equalled the record of John A Costello yesterday. Today is Mr Kenny's 2,234th day in office.
- ^
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.
Mayo News
.
Archived
from the original on 30 January 2020
. Retrieved
18 April
2020
.
- ^
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.
midwestradio.ie
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. Retrieved
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[
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]
- ^
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.
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.
- ^
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.
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.
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.
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- ^
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.
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.
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2024
.
External links
[
edit
]
Places adjacent to County Mayo
|
---|
|
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Geographic
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|
53°54′N
9°15′W
/
53.900°N 9.250°W
/
53.900; -9.250