‘Amongst Our Own’ is a book about the Inishkea Islands by Tomás Bán O’Raghallaigh, whose parents were among the last inhabitants of the islands, located a few miles off the Mullet Peninsula in North West Mayo.
Category: History
local history
It’s hard to believe that Palmerstown Bridge, the main artery linking Mayo’s remote north-west corner to the rest of the county, dates back to the decade before the 1798 Rebellion.
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Mayo’s deserted villages
The ferns, nettles, bushes, and briars now hide much of what was once a 19th-century village on the slopes of the Ox Mountains. The crumbling ruins of the small stone cottages and outhouses in the deserted village or clachán at Byhalla (Boyhollagh) are all that remains to remind us of the families who lived there. We can only […]
Scotchport, a small and beautiful sheltered cove near Corclough on the Mullet, has an interesting history and today is a popular location for scuba diving in Mayo.
On arrival at the Michael Davitt Museum, you are greeted by the imposing bronze statue of the Land League founder in front of the restored 17th century Straide Church which houses the magnificent museum in honour of the man who helped free rural communities from the yoke of landlordism.
The first ever Remembrance Day ceremony at Ballina’s War Memorial at Green Park on the Killala Road took place on a wet and windy Sunday morning, November 8th, before a large and representative gathering of the local community.
Lying largely in ruins, the ancient Augustinian Abbey in Ballina has never attracted the same attention as the other abbeys of the Moy, at Rosserk, Moyne and Rathfran – all of which are mostly intact. Nonetheless, Ballina’s Abbey has an interesting story to tell – stretching all the way back to a golden age in our Celtic past.
One of the most interesting aspects of my travels around Mayo is discovering the history behind some of the historic buildings that dot the landscape.
It’s always a great pleasure to visit the Jackie Clarke Collection in Ballina and browse the rare and valuable artifacts, including books, maps, newspapers, and other historical memorabilia, that is a treasure trove of Irish history, stretching back over 400 years.
One of my great pleasures when walking in Belleek Wood is seeing the red squirrels at play – just one of the many attractions of the recreational forest park that has brought pleasure to generations of Ballina people.
