Mayo is the 3rd largest county in Ireland and Castlebar is the county town and administrative seat for the county. It has a population of about 10,000 and is one of the fastest growing towns in the Republic.
Present-day Castlebar is a town with a good infrastructure and with businesses covering a wide spectrum of products and services. The County Library has a wealth of information and resources on matters of local, historical and genealogical interest. One of the oldest buildings now is Christchurch whose foundation stones were laid in 1739.
Arts, Sports and Leisure are also well catered for with numerous facilities, exhibitions, competitions and festivals which include the world famous International Four Days Walks and the Guinness sponsored Blues Music Festival.
The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) opened its doors in September 1994 and now has an attendance of around 1,200 students from every corner of Ireland. There are also numerous courses and facilities available for adults wishing to get back into education both full-time and part-time.
A Guided Walking tour around the heart of the old town, conducted by Brian Hoban, local historian & Failte Ireland approved tour guide takes place each Saturday morning during July and August. The tour departs from The 1798 Memorial in The Mall, (Opposite Church of Ireland) at 10am and lasts between 1.5 and 2 hours.
Caisleán an Bharraigh, translates as 'Barry's Castle'. The modern town grew up as a settlement around the de Barry Castle, which was built by a Norman adventurer in 1235 and was later the site of an English garrison. The town received its charter from King James I in 1613. The castle was located at the end of Castle Street, where the town river is thought to have originally flowed. A military barracks operates in the town to this day.
Another major attraction is The Museum of Country Life, housed in Turlough House, located on the outskirts of the town.
It is the only branch of the National Museum of Ireland located outside Dublin.
Castlebar is home to The Linenhall Arts Centre, which exhibits visual art throughout the year, as well as hosting live drama and music performances.
The Royal Theatre and Event Centre, (The TF), with a capacity of 2,200 fully seated or 4,000 standing stages larger-scale productions and popular music concerts.
