Ireland Travel Search: Connacht: County Mayo Tourism Information Directory for Visitors to Ireland


	Home \| Team \| Contact Us \| Maps \| Visas & Immigration \| Specials \| Add Your Listing \| UK Time

	UK & IRELAND MAPS
Search Travel Services
	ACCOMMODATION
	MEETINGS/CONFERENCES
	THEATRE BOOKINGS
	TRANSPORT
	TUBE MAP
	TOURS
	Custom Itineraries
	UK Information Links
	UK Information Guides
Search Special Travel
	Myths, Magic & Legends
	Battlefields Remembered
Search Destinations
	ENGLAND
	LONDON
	LONDON 2012 GAMES
	IRELAND
	SCOTLAND
	WALES
	CHANNEL ISLANDS
	ISLE OF MAN
	PARIS
Odds n' Ends..!
	American English!
	Famous People & Places
Administration
	ABOUT US
	Terms & Conditions
	Secure Payment Options
	Privacy Statement
	Currency Converter

Ireland > Connacht > County Mayo

County Mayo is a large and beautiful county, which in the east is made up of limestone plains, peat bogs, the sandstone hills of the Curlews and further north, by the Slieve Gamph (Ox mountains).

It has a stunning coastline and inland, the breathtaking beauty of the Loughs of Furnace and Feeagh and the wild Nephin mountain range. It has an abundance of ancient archaeological remains as well as being rich in legends, the battle of Moytura said to have been fought on the plains of Mayo between the Tuatha De' Danaan and the Fomorians in 303AD.

The term 'boycott' emanated here in 1880 in the huge struggle for land rights, as a Captain Boycott representing Lord Erne (a wealth landowner) was `boycotted' by the locals at harvest time, for although the crops were ready to harvest, the local people refused to do so. County Mayo was a land of sorrow also, both in its fierce resistance of English rule and the Potato Famine, and people died here in the tens of thousands. Today it is a peaceful tranquil land, much visited by tourists and with a thriving fishing and sheep industry, as well as being part of the new Ireland economic transformation.

Croagh Patrick is in western Mayo and is Ireland's most holy mountain, named after the national saint St Patrick, where he is alleged to have spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting, for which he extracted a promise from God that the Irish would never lose the Christian faith he had brought to them. It offers fantastic views of Clew Bay below if you happen to be just along for the view.

Knock located on the plains of Mayo, 7 miles from the freshwater fishing centre of Claremorris is one of Ireland's holiest shrines, visited by over a million pilgrims a year. Its fame springs from 1879, when two women saw a vision of the Virgin Mary, St Joseph and St John the Evangelist by the Church of St John the Baptist, 13 more onlookers witnessed the vision. Knock is fairly full on and very commercialised these days, and even has its own airport.

The Barnacahogue Stone Fort is located close to the runway at Knock International Airport. Situated within a ring of hills, this is a good example of small fortified enclosures, which were used from the late Iron Age (500AD). The remains of a wall, some 5ft thick and 50ft in diameter, encircle the flat summit. These walls would have contained thatched dwellings of mud and wattle and pens to safely herd livestock when there was danger from raiders.

Castlebar is the administrative centre of Country Mayo and also has its own airport. Famous as the scene for the inglorious routing of the British garrison in 1798 by the locals armed with pitchforks along with the French General Humbert's motley troops.

Ceide Fields is Europe's largest Stone Age land enclosure. Over 4 square miles (10 sq km) were enclosed by Neolithic farmers to keep their cattle from eating their wheat and barley crops.

The lovely village of Cong was the setting for the 1950s movie The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne. It lies on the isthmus of land between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. Long before the boots of John Wayne, the sandals of Augustinian monks trod the hallowed halls of Cong Abbey. Ingenious monks rigged up a system of automatic fishing lines, so a fish being hooked rang a small bell in the kitchen. Later, the fish moved out of the frying pan into the friar. And, maybe this is where the joke originated - "Are you the fish Friar? - No, I'm the 'chip monk!'

"Life is too short for men to take it seriously."
- George Bernard Shaw

The islands of Clare, Inishturk and Caher are a must visit. Clare also has an exquisite Abbey, which is about a mile west of the harbour. As you come along side the small stone pier on Clare (population about 140 - give or take a couple of new arrivals and departures) you will notice the coastguard station, which was the home of the Pirate Queen and warrior Grace O'Malley (Granuaile).

Grace was a very seriously tough number. A real life pirate queen and a fierce warrior, her family had been `Lord of the Isles' for over 200 years. At the ripe old age of 45 she gave birth at sea to her first child Toby, and an hour later was on deck to personally blow the head off the captain of an invading Turkish pirate boat, hang the crew and capture their boat. She slept in her castle with a line from her moored boats attached to her wrist so as to be ready for instant action. She gave Queen Lizzie the 1st hell for 40 years until the Tudors finally got the upper hand, and she was 'invited' to London by Lizzie at age 63 to parley. At the meeting, Grace is reputed to have replied to the Queen when she was offered a title - words to the effect of; 'thanks - but no thanks - I'm already a Queen!' Great stuff! She did however end up relenting and in return for her to keep the land a `pirate no-go zone' she would retain much of her old land, including Clare. She died in 1603. What a gal!

Inishturk has a lovely beach on its south side and lots of picturesque little farms that in the spring and summer are full of wild flowers. Caher Island is an uninhabited lovely little island, again very picturesque, with a melange of dominant greenish grey colours with local donkeys, green fields, and low grey walls. The ruined church has 12 stone crosses, the most recent over 1000 years old. St Patrick himself supposedly left his feet and hand prints in the church graveyard, which is called `St Patrick's Bed' - Once covered with 'wall to wall' pilgrims who arrived here seeking a miraculous cure.

Covering 53 square miles, Achill Island is the largest of the Irish islands, and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Quite touristy, it is easily accessible, quite beautiful and has a number of interesting sights and sandy beaches. Keel is the largest town and has a number of good restaurants and craft shops.

Inishglora ('Island of the Voice') is in northern County Mayo. Here legend has it the children of Lir regained their true form after being turned into swans by their jealous stepmother, and came ashore after St Patrick's bell rang out over Ireland. Alas, their immortality only lasted whilst they were swans, and they came ashore as blind and feeble humans, and died immediately. Inishglora has been a sacred island for thousands of years. Only a mile from the Mullet Peninsula, its building remains are associated with St Brendan the Navigator, with the 12th century St Brendans chapel the best preserved. Southwest is the deserted island of Inishkea (Isle of the lonely Heron), which has remains of ancient churches and remnants of prehistoric civilization.





Send this page to a friend Add page to favourites

VIEW AREA MAP

DOWNLOAD OLD MAP

VISITOR INFORMATION

GALLERY