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Castlebar

Coordinates: 53°51′39″N 9°17′56″W / 53.8608°N 9.29880°W / 53.8608; -9.29880
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Castlebar
Caisleán an Bharraigh
Town
A montage of Castlebar. From top:
  • The Mall
  • Market Street
  • The Peace Park
  • The Pikes Sculpture (dedicated to the Races of Castlebar) at Market Square)
Coat of arms of Castlebar
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Ar Aghaidh
(Meaning: Forward)
Castlebar is located in Ireland
Castlebar
Castlebar
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°51′39″N 9°17′56″W / 53.8608°N 9.29880°W / 53.8608; -9.29880
CountryIreland
ProvinceConnacht
CountyCounty Mayo
Founded1235
Incorporated1613
Elevation
49 m (161 ft)
Population
 (2022)[1]
13,054
Time zoneUTC±0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode routing key
F23
Telephone area code+353(0)94
Irish Grid ReferenceM146905
Websitewww.castlebar.ie

Castlebar (Irish: Caisleán an Bharraigh, meaning 'Barry's Castle') is the county town of County Mayo, Ireland. Developing around a 13th-century castle of the de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal point for the surrounding hinterland.[2] With a population of 13,054 in the 2022 census (up from 7,648 in the 1991 census),[1] Castlebar was one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland in the early 21st century.[3]

A campus of Atlantic Technological University and the Country Life section of the National Museum are two important facilities in the area. The town is linked by railway to Dublin, Westport and Ballina. The main route by road is the N5.

History

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Anquity

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The 5th century saw the construction of Turlough Abbey near Castlebar.

Medieval period

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In the early medieval period, the Castlebar area was dominated by Gaelic clans, notably the Quinns (Ó Coinn), who lent their name to the parish of Aglishcowane, meaning "Church of Ó Coinn". The area featured crannogs and ringforts, indicative of early settlement patterns.[4]

The Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century brought significant changes. By 1235, the invading de Barra (Barry) family had established a castle on the banks of the Castlebar River, around which the town developed. This castle, known as Caisleán an Bharraigh, gave the town its name. The de Barra's stronghold later came under the control of the de Burgo (Burke) family, who faced challenges from other clans and English forces.[5] The castle was located at the end of Castle Street, where the town river is thought to have originally flowed.[6]

In 1586, Sir John Bingham was granted the castle by his brother Sir Richard Bingham, the Governor of Connacht, marking the beginning of English administrative influence and the start of the Bingham baronets of Castlebar, who would rule Castlebar for generations.[5][7]

The town was granted a charter of incorporation in 1613 by James I of England. Under the charter the town had a portreeve (mayor) and a fifteen-member corporation and was entitled to elect two members to the Parliament of Ireland.[8]

18th Century

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The Linen Hall, established as a clearing house for local linen materials, was completed in 1790.[9]

Races of Castlebar

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Print depicting the "Castlebar Races" of 1798
Following the Races of Castlebar, Castlebar became apart of the short-lived "Republic of Connacht"

Armed conflict has been the centrepiece of the town's historical heritage. French forces under the command of General Jean Humbert aided in a rout of the British garrison in the town during the failed Irish Rebellion of 1798, which was so comprehensive it would later be known as "The Races of Castlebar".[10] A short-lived provisional Irish Republic had been declared upon General Humbert's arrival at Killala. Following the victory at Castlebar John Moore, head of the Mayo United Irishmen and the brother of a local landowner, was declared president of the Province of Connacht. His remains are today interred in a corner of the town green, known as the Mall[11]

19th century

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Castlebar, circa 1880

Castlebar Military Barracks was established in 1834:[12] it was finally closed in March 2012 and the buildings and grounds have been purchased by the local town and county councils.[13]

During the mid-19th Century (including the period of the Great Irish famine), George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan became known as "The Exterminator" for his ruthless actions against his tenants in the Castlebar area. The third Lord Lucan earned his nickname by carrying out mass evictions of tenants who were unable to pay rent. This period saw widespread starvation in the area, leading to the deaths of thousands and the emigration of many more. In contrast, the fourth Earl was a more favourable figure locally. He lowered rents, donated land for schools and the Catholic church, and his successor, George Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan, gifted the town centre park, known as the Mall, to the people of Castlebar in 1922.

The Irish National Land League was founded by Michael Davitt, of Straide in County Mayo, at the Imperial Hotel in Castlebar on 21 October 1879.[14] The Land League sought to directly challenge Anglo-Irish landlords such as the Binghams and fought for tenants rights.

20th century

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Western Hat Factory and Little Jerusalem

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In 1939, Castlebar became a refuge for Jews escaping Central Europe.[15][16][17][18] Members of that community established the Western Hat Factory, officially opened on 1 May 1940[19] under the direction of Franz Schmolka, a Slovakian Jewish industrialist. The factory became one of the most significant employers in the town, at its height providing work for up to 270 people. It operated entirely on turf-generated steam and was considered a pioneering model of sustainable, locally-powered industry for its time.[15] The Bishop of Galway Michael Browne blessed the factory and encouraged local Catholic women to purchase hats from the factory to wear to mass instead of headscarves.[16]

The factory was part of a broader effort by the Irish government, led by then-Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass, to attract Jewish refugees with industrial expertise to revitalise Ireland's underdeveloped western counties. Schmolka and Irish Jewish businessman Marcus Witztum, along with other Jewish entrepreneurs from Austria, France, and Czechoslovakia, were granted permission to relocate both personnel and equipment to Ireland.[19] Witztum used the oppertunity to helps Jews escape Nazi persecultion.[18] Around thirty Jewish families came to Castlebar during this period, many of whom settled in the Blackfort area on the Newport Road. This neighbourhood became informally known as “Little Jerusalem”.[15][16][19]

Following the end of World War II, the Jewish population in Castlebar began to decline. Some families returned to continental Europe, while others moved to Dublin or emigrated elsewhere.[16]

The hat factory continued to operate until the 1980s, remaining a central part of Castlebar’s industrial landscape for over four decades. The Factory provided stable employment for local families and was a major contributor to the town’s post-war economy. The factory produced a range of high-quality felt hats, many of which were exported abroad. During its peak years in the 1940s and 1950s, the factory employed up to 270 workers. The technical expertise of the founders, combined with local labour and raw materials such as turf and wool, made the factory a rare success story in a region otherwise beset by emigration and limited industrial development.[15][16]

By the 1970s, however, changing fashion trends, global competition, and the decline of the felt hat industry led to a gradual downturn in business.[17] In 1981 the Western Hat Factory closed its doors.[20]

Coat of arms

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The name of the town comes from the castle built in about 1235 (see above).[21][22] This castle is depicted as part of the town's coat of arms, with two yew trees on either side because Castlebar is the county town of Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo, meaning 'plain of the yew trees'). The crosses represent the parish of Aglish (the official name of the parish of Castlebar). The 1798 'Races of Castlebar' is commemorated by pikes. Underneath are the words 'Ar Aghaidh', meaning 'forward'.

Demographics

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Castlebar has experienced significant demographic changes over the past two centuries, with population figures showing notable fluctuations from 5,404 in 1821 to a low of 3,022 in 1861 in the wake of the Great Irish famine. There was a gradual recovery through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After steady but modest growth for much of the 20th century, Castlebar expanded rapidly during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The population grew by one-third in the six years between the 1996 and 2002 census, reflecting a broader trend of urbanisation and economic development in Ireland during the Celtic Tiger period. According to the 2016 census,[29] the town's population reached 12,068, representing a threefold increase from the 1926 figure of 4,256.[30] By 2022, this figure had risen again to 13,054, marking Castlebar's continuing role as a key urban centre in County Mayo.[31]

Culture

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Linenhall Arts Centre
Museum of Country Life

Castlebar is the location for important festivals and traditions, among which is the International Four Days' Walk.[32] A well-established blues music festival in venues across the town took place for many years on the weekend before the first Monday in June, but has not taken place since 2011.[33] During the 1970s and 1980s the town hosted the International Castlebar Song Contest which was televised nationally on RTÉ.[34] In 1981 and 1982, the town played host to the Occasion at the Castle music festival.[35][36]

The Museum of Country Life is located on the outskirts of Castlebar, and is the only branch of the National Museum of Ireland located outside Dublin.[37]

Castlebar is home to the Linenhall Arts Centre, which exhibits visual art throughout the year, as well as hosting live drama and music performances.[38] The Royal Theatre and Event Centre has capacity of 2,200 people fully seated or 4,000 people standing.[39] hosts larger-scale productions and popular music concerts.

There are Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland (Anglican), Elim Pentecostal, and evangelical (Calvary Church Castlebar) churches in the town. An Islamic mosque was opened in October 2023.[40][41]

Economy

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Aerial view of Castlebar

Castlebar is home to the health care company Baxter Healthcare and manufacturer Fort Wayne Metals. [42]

Transport

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Road

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Castlebar is served by the N5 national primary road and the N60 and N84 national secondary roads. In 1990 a relief road was built around Castlebar, removing through traffic on the N5 from the main street. This road is a basic two-lane road. It suffers from chronic congestion, particularly in the summer months when thousands of tourists have to negotiate the bottleneck en route to neighbouring Westport and Achill Island. A bypass of Castlebar of dual-carriageway standard was approved by An Bórd Pleanala in July 2014,[43] and construction began in late 2019. It was completed in 2023.[44]

Rail

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Castlebar railway station is a station on the Dublin to Westport service. Passengers can travel to Ballina and Foxford by travelling to Manulla Junction and changing trains[45]

The station opened on 17 December 1862.[46]

Old airport

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Castlebar used to have a commercial airport; the site where it once stood is now occupied by Castlebar Retail Park.[47] The airport's IATA code was CLB and its ICAO code was EICB.[48]

Education

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Atlantic TU campus in Castlebar

In addition to a number of national (primary) schools, Castlebar's secondary schools include St Gerald's College (a De La Salle boys school), St Joseph's Secondary School (a girls school), and Davitt College (a mixed vocational school).[citation needed]

Third level and further education colleges in the town include Atlantic TU's Mayo campus (formerly Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology), the Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim Education and Training Board, and Castlebar College of Further Education.[49]

Sport

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GAA

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MacHale Park

The local Gaelic football and hurling team is the Castlebar Mitchels GAA club. Throughout its history, the club has won over 30 Mayo Senior Football Championship titles and two Mayo Senior Hurling Championship titles. The club reached the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final in 2014 and 2016.[50][51] Other nearby GAA clubs include Breaffy GAA, Parke GAA, Islandeady GAA and Ballyvary Hurling Club.

MacHale Park in Castlebar is one of the larger GAA grounds in Ireland, with a capacity of approximately 28,000.[52] In the early 21st century, the Mayo county board oversaw the building of a new stand with dressing rooms and offices underneath.[citation needed]

Soccer

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Local soccer teams include Castlebar Celtic F.C., which was established in 1924. As of 2014, it had a team playing in the Mayo Super League and a senior women's side playing in the Continental Women's National League.[53] There is also a youth program which provides teams from under 10s to under 18s for boys and under 14 to under 17 for girls, as well as an under 8 academy. They play their home games in Celtic Park, in the centre of the town. Castlebar Town FC were formed in the 1970s (as Castlebar United) as an alternative to Celtic. Other local teams include Snugboro United, Ballyheane FC, Manulla FC and Ballyvary Blue Bombers.[citation needed]

Rugby

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Castlebar RFC, a rugby union club and one of the original founding members of the Connacht branch of the IRFU in 1885, reformed 1928 and again revived in the 1970s. Its grounds are located at Cloondeash on the outskirts of the town, with two pitches and a club house. The club, which plays in a navy and light blue strip, participates in provincial (Connacht Junior League Div.1B) and national league competitions. Castlebar won the Cawley Cup in 2009 and reached the final in 2017. The ladies team, which was formed in 2012, won the Connacht Development League Final in November 2013.[citation needed]

Other sports

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There is an 18-hole golf club in the town, as well as athletics, basketball, racquetball, tennis and other clubs. The council provides an indoor heated swimming pool and there are numerous gyms.

There are also several martial arts clubs in the area,[citation needed] and Castlebar hosted the WOMAA World Martial Games in both 2007 and 2008.[54][better source needed]

Notable people

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See also: Category:People from Castlebar and List of Mayo people
Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach (2011–2017)

Twin towns – sister cities

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See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland

Castlebar is twinned with:

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Castlebar (Ireland) Agglomeration". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Castlebar And Environs Development Plan 2008-2014" (PDF). mayo.ie. Mayo County Council. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Booming Castlebar grows and grows". The Irish Times. Irish Times. 8 January 2001. Retrieved 29 June 2022. Castlebar is now the second fastest growing town in the State
  4. ^ "The Normans". Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b Hoban, Brian. "Castlebar Town A Brief History". Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Castle Street". The Street Names of Castlebar. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  7. ^ "History of Castlebar, Co. Mayo". Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  8. ^ Hoban, Brian. "A Summary of the History of Castlebar in Co. Mayo". Mayo Ireland. Mayo Ireland. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  9. ^ "The Linen Hall, Linenhall Street, Knockthomas, Castlebar, County Mayo". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  10. ^ "The Rising in the West". www.irishidentity.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  11. ^ Comerford, Patrick. "Remembering 1798 in Castlebar". Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Historical tour of Castlebar". Mayo, Ireland. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  13. ^ "Barracks closures will see 500 redeployed". Irish Times. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Council should purchase Land League hotel". www.mayonews.ie. The Mayo News. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d Gillespie, Tom (1 May 2023). "Castlebar's hat factory 80 years on". Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e Cawley Weintraub, Elaine (23 February 2017). "The Secret Jewish History of Penicillin". Forward.com. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  17. ^ a b Kenny, Tom (20 July 2023). "The Hat Factory". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b Katz, Deborah (25 July 2019). "Little-Known Holocaust History: Marcus Witztum: 'The Irish Schindler'". Jewish Press. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  19. ^ a b c "John Eddie McEllin was driving force behind Western Hats factory". Connaught Telegraph. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  20. ^ McGovern, Oisin (30 October 2023). "Calls to take Castlebar hat factory into state ownership". Mayo News. Retrieved 21 May 2025. The now-derelict factory operated for 42 years on the Newport Road before closing in 1981.
  21. ^ "Castlebar, Co. Mayo West of Ireland | mayo-ireland.ie". www.mayo-ireland.ie. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  22. ^ "The Castlebar Coat of Arms". www.castlebar.ie.
  23. ^ Histpop.org for post 1821 figures
  24. ^ 1813 estimate from Mason's Statistical Survey
  25. ^ For a discussion on the accuracy of pre-famine census returns see JJ Lee “On the accuracy of the Pre-famine Irish censuses Irish Population, Economy and Society edited by JM Goldstrom and LA Clarkson (1981) p54
  26. ^ New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700–1850 by Joel Mokyr and Cormac O Grada in The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Nov., 1984), pp. 473–488
  27. ^ "Cso.ie - Census". Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  28. ^ "City Population – Castlebar (Mayo)". Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  29. ^ a b "Sapmap Area - Settlements - Castlebar". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. April 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  30. ^ "Castlebar,", Encyclopædia Britannica, 14th ed., vol. 5 (London and New York, 1929).
  31. ^ "Press Statement Census 2022 Results Profile 1 - Population Distribution and Movements Mayo". CSO.ie. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025. Looking at Mayo, we can see that Castlebar was the largest town, with a population of 13,054 in April 2022.
  32. ^ "Castlebar International Four Days Walking Festival". Archived from the original on 27 October 2012.
  33. ^ Castlebar Blues Archived 15 February 2013 at archive.today
  34. ^ "The Mayo News". www.mayonews.ie. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  35. ^ "Occasion, Occasion: Castlebar, 1981". 27 April 2022.
  36. ^ Gillespie, Tom (11 February 2023). "Rock festival days in Mayo's county town". Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  37. ^ "Find Us | Directions | Maps | Country Life | National Museum | Mayo". Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  38. ^ Centre, The Linenhall Arts. "Theatre, music, dance, cinema and art in Mayo, Linenhall Arts Centre". www.thelinenhall.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2005.
  39. ^ "The Royal - Perfect Tips and Ideas for Life". The Royal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  40. ^ "New Mosque Opening Today in Castlebar".
  41. ^ Kelly, Tom (14 October 2023). "Opening of new mosque in Mayo is clearly a symbolic moment". Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  42. ^ "West - IDA Ireland Investment Promotion Agency". Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  43. ^ "Bord Pleanála gives 'green light' to new N5". Mayonews.ie. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  44. ^ "Castlebar Bypass Section Of The New N5 Westport To Turlough Road To Open". MayoCoCo. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  45. ^ "Irish Rail Printable Timetables". Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  46. ^ "Castlebar station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  47. ^ "Airport". Castlebar.ie. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  48. ^ "Castlebar - Ireland". World-airport-codes.com. 25 July 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  49. ^ "Castlebar College of Further Education". www.ccfe.ie. Archived from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  50. ^ "St. Vincent's crowned champions courtesy of Connolly masterclass". Irish Independent. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  51. ^ "Ballyboden dominate Castlebar to win first ever All Ireland title". Irish Examiner. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  52. ^ "Re-surfacing Of Hastings Insurance Machale Park". mayogaa.com. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  53. ^ "Clubs: Castlebar Celtic FC". Women's National League. FAI. Retrieved 27 February 2014.[permanent dead link]
  54. ^ "womaa". www.womaa1.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  55. ^ Hand, Lise (29 November 2011). "Enda bids sad farewell to mother". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  56. ^ Evening Journal Almanac, 1883. 1883. p. 146. Retrieved 3 December 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  57. ^ Armitstead, Claire (2 December 2018). "Sally Rooney: 'I don't respond to authority very well'". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  58. ^ "Sister Cities". dixongov.com. City of Dixon Illinois. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  59. ^ "20th anniversary of Castlebar twinning with German town to be marked". con-telegraph.ie. The Connaught Telegraph. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  60. ^ "Featured Irish Cities In the Valley: Peekskill". hvmag.com. Hudson Valley Magazine. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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