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You’ll be racing to visit Castlebar
 Otherwise
known as: Caisleán an Bharraigh (Barry’s Castle).
Where in the world: In the centre of Co. Mayo (it’s the county
town) just to the north of Castlebar Lough.
Description: Busy country town, with a fine tree-lined green called the
Mall.
History: Notable for the Franco-Irish victory in 1798 against the British.
General Humbert defeated a stronger force led by General Lake.
The battle has gone down in history as the Castlebar Races because of
the speed of the British retreat.
A brief provisional Republic of Connacht was declared following the victory
and John Moore, head of the Mayo United Irishmen and the brother of a
local landowner, was declared its president.
His remains are today interred in a corner of the Mall.
Prior to that, James I granted a charter to the town in 1613 and the community
was captured by the Confederate Irish in 1641.
Places of Interest: The Country Life Section of the National Museum of
Ireland is situated just outside the town.
Exhibitions portray the lives of ordinary people who lived in rural Ireland
in the period 1850-1950.
Emphasis is placed on the continuity of lifestyles, which were established
for several hundred years and which lasted well into the 20th century.
The museum is home to the Irish Folklife Division.
This is responsible for the care of the National Folklife Collection which
comprises of over 50,000 objects.
These collections reflect Irish traditional life, largely of a rural nature
and include objects dealing with agriculture, fishing and hunting, clothing,
architecture, vernacular furniture, trades and crafts, transport, sports
and leisure and religion.
The National Museum of Ireland: Country Life is located just outside Turlough
Village on the N5 just four miles east of Castlebar.
Tel: 00 353 94 9031773 or +353 1 6486 392
e-mail: tpark@museum.ie
Seven miles south of Castlebar on the Ballinrobe Road stands Ballintubber
Abbey.
Founded by King Cathal O’Conor in 1216, the circumstances are shrouded
in legend.
Grace O’Malley’s son Tioad na Long is buried here. Tóchar
Phádraig, a 22-mile pilgrim route to Croagh Patrick, begins here.
Mass has been said here continuously for 750 years. Today it is fully
restored, with retreats regularly held.
Tel: 00 353 949030934; e-mail btubabbey1@eircom.net
Activities: Castlebar Lough offers first-class coarse fishing for free.
There are also everal smaller loughs to the south west where salmon and
trout can be fished for.
Walking is also a big activity in the rough moorland which leads to the
Ox Mountains to the north and the Plains of Mayo to the south east.
The tourist information office in the Old Linen Hall is particularly good
on hiking in the area.
Tel: 00 353 (0) 94 21207
Famous Castlebar people: The Mayo town was the birthplace of an extraordinary
number of famous people including inventor Louis Brennan, opera singer
Margaret Burke-Sheridan, former EU commissioner Padraig Flynn, sixth Taoiseach
of Ireland Charles Haughey and Enda Kenny, leader of Fine Gael. |
