Ireland.com

County Mayo

Genealogy is an important part of Mayo’s tourist offering – before the famine, the county had a population of half a million and every year descendents of emigrants who landed in US cities of New York, Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago return to Mayo to experience first-hand the heritage of their forefathers.

Mayo's people grasp opportunities from what others might call hardship – Knock International Airport was financed against all the odds and government opposition after a campaign by the local priest, Monsignor Horan successfully raised the funds. The Monsignor was also responsible for the building of a 10,000-capacity Basilica in the town.

Points of Interest

Westport
The tourist capital of the west. A beautiful riverside town packed with restaurants, pubs and shops, Westport is a great base for any holiday – whether a short-break or a longer tour of the west.

Ceide Fields and Downpatrick Head
Stone Age tombs are in abundance in Mayo, many of them preserved beneath the bog. Ceide Fields, discovered in the 1930s, are the oldest field systems in the world with a landscape of stone walls and megalithic tombs of over 5,000 years old. A trip here can be combined with a tour of the spectacular cliffs at Downpatrick Head.

The National Shrine of our Lady of Knock
Pilgrimage sites are Croagh Patrick and Basilica of Knock which has become a major attraction for the pious and those seeking cures for physical ailments. Some 25,000 pilgrims walk through the scree to the summit on Reek Sunday – the last Sunday in July - to celebrate St Patrick, who is said to have spent 40 days fasting there during Lent

The beaches
Mayo sports the longest coastline in Ireland and the beaches give unrivalled opportunities for peace and tranquility, particularly the unfrequented sands of around Belmullet and Blacksod Bay. Clew Bay and its 365 islands including the largest, Clare Island, where scuba-diving, yoga and bike rides help you while the time away. One of the smaller islands, Dorinish, was once owned by John Lennon.

The 13 Blue Flag beaches also include, Achill Island, Broadhaven Bay, Mullaghmore in the north west of the county and gems such as Old Head, Carrowmore, Carrowniskey and Mulranny to the south.

Angling
Mayo is one of Europe’s top angling destinations with specialist accommodation, equipment, boats and experienced ghillies readily available. Licences are required for salmon and sea-trout angling which can be purchased on the spot from tackle shops of tourist offices.

Ballina hosts an annual salmon festival every July. Loughs Conn, Cullin, Carra and Mask dominate the county and are renowned for trout. Larger stocked lakes managed by the fishery boards including Lough Brohly (Ballina), Ballin Lough (Westport) for rainbow trout while brown trout (wet fly and dry fly) is available on a number of tributaries to the River Moy and Robe.