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Mayo
Mhaigh Eó Plain of the Yew
Welcome to Mayo, a county of wild beauty, a Patrick himself climbed to the top of “The Reek” as it is
special peace and deep tranquility – like no known locally, and fasted there for the forty days of Lent.
other. Mayo is rich with history, culture and spirituality. During that time he is said to have cast out all snakes or
From the charm of Westport to the rugged wilds of poisonous things away from Ireland, into the sea. It takes
the Erris region, Mayo is a treat for the senses where two and a half hours to climb to the summit. On the
unstoppable atlantic gales can shake the soul awake! plateau at the top of Croagh Patrick you can visit a stone
Approaching from Clew bay the road winds through oratory, a sanctuary dating back to the fifth or sixth
Louisburgh where you can choose to access Clare Island century. Here it is easy to see why this has been a place
and Inishturk. Traveling onwards you will approach the of worship since before the advent of Christianity. The
picturesque Norman town of Westport, the mystical holy views are simply breathtaking. Apparitions of the Virgin
mountain of Croagh Patrick rising behind it. Further Mary, John the Evangelist and St. Joseph in Knock in
west you will come to the wilds of Achill, Ireland's 1879 brought international attention to the region.
largest island. With Ballycroy National Park on your Today Knock is accepted by the Church as a Marian
right the road eventually winds its way along beautiful Shrine and both Pope John Paul and Mother Teresa
countryside towards the Belmullet peninsula and the have made their pilgrimages to this special place. Despite
Erris region. From Westport you will travel more than the thousands who flock to visit the Marian Shrine here
200 km before you arrive at Mayo's county town of every year, the town still retains it's quiet peace and
Ballina – through fabulous unspoiled and breathtaking dignity. Co. Mayo is a remarkable county - it is the heart
scenery. of Ireland's true wild west. No strangers themselves to
Erris in the north west of Mayo was voted the best place the wild west, both John Wayne and Richard Harris have
to “Go Wild”. For those who enjoy the great outdoors graced Mayo's silver shores. The village of Leenaun, was
there are many opportunities to take in the pristine and the location for “The Field”, a film that starred Harris,
unpolluted air. With it's ten fabulous blue flag beaches, on the southern shore of Mayo's Killary harbour. With
and nine green coast beaches, loop walks and of course Maureen 'O Hara, John Wayne filmed “The Quiet Man”
the famous Great Western Greenway - Mayo offers here in the quiet Mayo village of Cong. Two miles east of
unlimited access to the vast and unspoiled beauty of Cong you can visit Moytura House where the infamous
nature. In fact, it is recommended that you avail of every Irish writer and wit, Oscar Wilde spent many a happy
opportunity to enjoy the outdoors when in Mayo be it summer of his childhood .
on land or sea! Mayo is Ireland's third largest county with an area of
Clare Island was the sixteenth century stronghold of 5,585 square Kilometers. Only Leitrim has less people
Gráinne Mhaol, “Grace the Bald” the “Pirate Queen”. per square kilometer. The human is certainly dwarfed
Her influence is clear all along the Mayo coast as far in this archetypal Irish landscape, from rolling hills
as Galway- she once ruled the waves on Ireland's west and bogs of heather, to the mighty cliffs of north
coast. One of her favorite castles is Rockfleet which Mayo's spectacular coastline. Such low population is
can be seen on the northern shore of Clew Bay. Grace a legacy of famine times. You can find traces of times
is buried in the Cistercian Abbey on Clare Island under long past in the grassy drills and ruined homesteads
her family motto : Terra Marique Potens –“Invincible on that dot the beautiful Mayo countryside. Sadly, Mayo
land or sea”. like much of rural Ireland, continues to be affected by
Croagh Patrick, standing 2,510ft high just outside mass emigration. Today's population of 24,000 is but an
Westport, is Ireland's holy mountain. Named after echo of the 400,000 people who once called this scenic
Ireland's Patron Saint, it is said that, in 441A.D. St. region of Ireland, “home”. When the potato crop failed
in 1845, people died in their 1,000's. The lazy-beds that
The Mayo Energy Audit can be seen today are all that remain of once-bustling
farmsteads and the families that once lived here. Their
An assessment of the chances of a rural county absence is particularly felt in North West Mayo where,
surviving “Peak Oil” was the first of it's kind in the along valleys and hillsides, children once played. Sixteen
world. You can visit the Sustainability Institute kilometers south of Castlebar town you will find Moore
where this research was conducted. Located not Hall, once the residence of George Moore(1852-1933).
far from Westport town. www.sustainability.ie Moore was friend of W.B. Yeats and a writer in his own
right. Here you can enjoy a place alive with atmosphere
and evocative of history.
198
Mhaigh Eó Plain of the Yew
Welcome to Mayo, a county of wild beauty, a Patrick himself climbed to the top of “The Reek” as it is
special peace and deep tranquility – like no known locally, and fasted there for the forty days of Lent.
other. Mayo is rich with history, culture and spirituality. During that time he is said to have cast out all snakes or
From the charm of Westport to the rugged wilds of poisonous things away from Ireland, into the sea. It takes
the Erris region, Mayo is a treat for the senses where two and a half hours to climb to the summit. On the
unstoppable atlantic gales can shake the soul awake! plateau at the top of Croagh Patrick you can visit a stone
Approaching from Clew bay the road winds through oratory, a sanctuary dating back to the fifth or sixth
Louisburgh where you can choose to access Clare Island century. Here it is easy to see why this has been a place
and Inishturk. Traveling onwards you will approach the of worship since before the advent of Christianity. The
picturesque Norman town of Westport, the mystical holy views are simply breathtaking. Apparitions of the Virgin
mountain of Croagh Patrick rising behind it. Further Mary, John the Evangelist and St. Joseph in Knock in
west you will come to the wilds of Achill, Ireland's 1879 brought international attention to the region.
largest island. With Ballycroy National Park on your Today Knock is accepted by the Church as a Marian
right the road eventually winds its way along beautiful Shrine and both Pope John Paul and Mother Teresa
countryside towards the Belmullet peninsula and the have made their pilgrimages to this special place. Despite
Erris region. From Westport you will travel more than the thousands who flock to visit the Marian Shrine here
200 km before you arrive at Mayo's county town of every year, the town still retains it's quiet peace and
Ballina – through fabulous unspoiled and breathtaking dignity. Co. Mayo is a remarkable county - it is the heart
scenery. of Ireland's true wild west. No strangers themselves to
Erris in the north west of Mayo was voted the best place the wild west, both John Wayne and Richard Harris have
to “Go Wild”. For those who enjoy the great outdoors graced Mayo's silver shores. The village of Leenaun, was
there are many opportunities to take in the pristine and the location for “The Field”, a film that starred Harris,
unpolluted air. With it's ten fabulous blue flag beaches, on the southern shore of Mayo's Killary harbour. With
and nine green coast beaches, loop walks and of course Maureen 'O Hara, John Wayne filmed “The Quiet Man”
the famous Great Western Greenway - Mayo offers here in the quiet Mayo village of Cong. Two miles east of
unlimited access to the vast and unspoiled beauty of Cong you can visit Moytura House where the infamous
nature. In fact, it is recommended that you avail of every Irish writer and wit, Oscar Wilde spent many a happy
opportunity to enjoy the outdoors when in Mayo be it summer of his childhood .
on land or sea! Mayo is Ireland's third largest county with an area of
Clare Island was the sixteenth century stronghold of 5,585 square Kilometers. Only Leitrim has less people
Gráinne Mhaol, “Grace the Bald” the “Pirate Queen”. per square kilometer. The human is certainly dwarfed
Her influence is clear all along the Mayo coast as far in this archetypal Irish landscape, from rolling hills
as Galway- she once ruled the waves on Ireland's west and bogs of heather, to the mighty cliffs of north
coast. One of her favorite castles is Rockfleet which Mayo's spectacular coastline. Such low population is
can be seen on the northern shore of Clew Bay. Grace a legacy of famine times. You can find traces of times
is buried in the Cistercian Abbey on Clare Island under long past in the grassy drills and ruined homesteads
her family motto : Terra Marique Potens –“Invincible on that dot the beautiful Mayo countryside. Sadly, Mayo
land or sea”. like much of rural Ireland, continues to be affected by
Croagh Patrick, standing 2,510ft high just outside mass emigration. Today's population of 24,000 is but an
Westport, is Ireland's holy mountain. Named after echo of the 400,000 people who once called this scenic
Ireland's Patron Saint, it is said that, in 441A.D. St. region of Ireland, “home”. When the potato crop failed
in 1845, people died in their 1,000's. The lazy-beds that
The Mayo Energy Audit can be seen today are all that remain of once-bustling
farmsteads and the families that once lived here. Their
An assessment of the chances of a rural county absence is particularly felt in North West Mayo where,
surviving “Peak Oil” was the first of it's kind in the along valleys and hillsides, children once played. Sixteen
world. You can visit the Sustainability Institute kilometers south of Castlebar town you will find Moore
where this research was conducted. Located not Hall, once the residence of George Moore(1852-1933).
far from Westport town. www.sustainability.ie Moore was friend of W.B. Yeats and a writer in his own
right. Here you can enjoy a place alive with atmosphere
and evocative of history.
198
