On the page below, you'll find all the information that we hold about this county that applies county-wide.
For information about specific places within the county (e.g a town or a civil parish) click on the link below the map.
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"MAYO a county of Ireland, province of Connaught, 62 m. long and 52 broad, bounded E by Roscommon, S by Galway, W and N by the Atlantic, and NE by Sligo, 54 m. long, and 48 broad, and containing 796,000 acres, divided into 68 parishes. It sends 2 members to parliament. The W coast is mountainous, and thinly inhabited; but the interior produces excellent pasturage, and is watered by several lakes and rivers. Pop. 297,538. Chief town, Castlebar." [From The New London Gazetteer (1826)]
"COUNTY MAYO, a maritime county of the province of Connaught, Ireland. It is situated in the N.W. part of the island, and is bounded by the counties of Sligo and Roscommon on the E., the ocean on the N. and W., and county Galway on the S. It lies between 53° 28' to 54° 21' N. lat., and 8° 25' to 10° 5' W. long., and extends over an area of 2,131 square miles, or 1,363,882 statute acres, of which 497,687 are arable, 56,976 are under water, 8,360 in plantation, 800,111 uncultivated, and 848 are occupied by the sites of towns, roads, &c. Its length from N. to S. is 58 miles, and its extreme breadth from E. to W. is 72 miles. The coast is rugged and forbidding, but is broken by numerous indentations, the principal of which are, the Bay of Killala, with its extensive fisheries, Broadhaven, Blacksod, Tulloghane Bay, Clew Bay, an expanse of water with numerous islands, Bullan Bay, Westport, &c. The principal promontories of the coast are, Belmullet, Benwee Head, with the Stag's rocks, Eagle island, with its lighthouse, Erris Head, Mullet peninsula, Achill Head, with its lofty cliffs, Achillbeg, Clare island, with lighthouse, Innisgort, with light, Runa Head, Innisturk, Bofin Bank, where cod are taken, the Killeries, and Inistegil.......More " [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
"MAYO, a county, of the province of CONNAUGHT, bounded on the east by the counties of Sligo and Roscommon, on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by the county of Galway. It extends from 53° 28' to 54° 21' (N. Lat.), and from 8° 25' to 10° 5' (W. Lon.); and comprises an area, according to the Ordnance survey, of 1,355,048 statute acres, of which 871,984 are cultivated land, 425,124 are unprofitable mountain and bog, and 57,940 are under water. The population, in 1821, amounted to 293,112; and in 1831, to 367,956.....More" [Transcription from A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland - Samuel Lewis - 1837 Mel Lockie ©2013]
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“This county is divided into nine baronies, viz: Burrishoole, in the W.; Carra, in the midst; Clanmorris, in the S.E.; Costello, in the E.; Erris and Tirawley, in the N. and N.W.; Gallen, in the N. E.; Kilmaine, in the S.; and Murrisk, in the S.W. These baronies include 73 parishes. The principal towns are, Castlebar, the county town, Westport, Ballinrobe, Ballina, Ballaghadirreen, Swinford, Claremorris, Crossmolina, Newport, Killala, and Foxford. The first four, with Swinford, are Poor-law Unions. The assizes are held at Castlebar, and quarter sessions are held at six of the above-named towns.” [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
‘The chief communications of the county are the Athlone and Castlebar section of the Great Northern and Western railway, and the coach roads, from Castlebar to Minola, Kilcolman, Ballyhaunis, Castlerea, Roscommon, and Dublin; to Lough Conn, Foxford, Ballina, Killala, and Sligo; to Lough Beltra in Glenhest, Owen Inny river, Bangor, Belmullet, and Erris Head; to Newport and Clew Bay, Bunown, Curran, Achill, and Achill Head to Clonkeen, Westport, Croaghpatrick, Killeries, and Clifden; and lastly to Balcarra, Burriscarra Abbey, Ballinrobe Cross, Rossduff; and Galway.“ [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
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“The inhabitants of the county are chiefly employed in agriculture and in the fisheries. The salmon fishery of the Moy and other streams is an important branch of industry, and on the coast ling, sole, turbot, herring, cod, oysters, lobsters, and seals, are taken. Greater attention is paid to pasturage and the rearing of cattle than to agriculture, which is in a backward state. The arable soils are mostly fertile, and much enriched by plentiful manurings of sea-weed. The cotton trade has greatly declined of late years, but there are still some manufacturers, chiefly at Ballyclare, who produce goods for domestic use” [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
“Owing to the scarcity of wood, the peasants occupy huts of a wretched description. The farm labourer is paid at the rate of about 8d. a day, without rations of any kind.’ [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
For information about Wills & Probate covering Ireland as a wholel, see the main Ireland page.
