Ballycastle County Mayo Ireland

Ballycastle, County Mayo is in the far western region of the Republic of Ireland.

It is not the Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.

It is a tiny town or a small village in the rolling green hills of the Northwest and has a small water outlet that leads to the sea.

(Irish: Baile an Chaisil, meaning “town of the castle”).

The climate is cool and there is a great art community that lives in the area.  Perfect scenery for painting a landscape or seascape.  Many come here for months.

You could drive down the hill and through Ballycastle in less than 30 seconds – most do, but there is a welcome waiting for you if you do stop.

There is a Catholic and a Church Of Ireland here in the town, and I think there may sadly be more bodies under the earth, than warming the pews on a Sunday.

There is a small walled area with tables and chairs here, and it gives shelter from the Irish winds.  Also, an old stone wall extends at the far end of the town.

The little village is cute. With 3 pubs, a butcher, and 2 little stores.

Each pub has a different clientele from what we worked out, with fishermen and farmers in some, and retirees in another, with families in yet another.

Mary’s Country Kitchen is probably the safest place to find someone on any day. Here is a smile, a warm fire, and food!

Many of the business have closed and have turned into homes.

This is partly due to the Government placing hefty insurance requirements on them – so I am told.

There is a small school.

Choose a road. Many lead from here to other small villages. There is a lot of history in these parts.

This includes Ceide fields – 5000 years old – definitely worth a visit.

More traffic zooms by and heads to Patrick Down. Past the old and closed down stores and barns.

Past the quaint stone homes of yesteryear with their broken glass windows, and weeds peeping through.

This is where St. Patrick was meant to have driven the snakes out to the Atlantic ocean.  When we visited it was a blustery and cold day.

Here the famous cliffs hit the Atlantic Ocean.

Come and visit the Ballycastle region.  It is remote. It is quiet. It is stunning!

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Questions and Comments

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