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Croagh Patrick, County Mayo
Photograph: Bart Horeman · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Province of Connacht

County Mayo

Maigh Eo

“my OH” · plain of the yew trees, from magh (plain) + eo (yew)

Known as The Yew County. The name says it. Maigh Eo is the plain of the yew trees, and the nickname is a translation of the county's own name rather than anything added to it. The Maritime County is also used, for the Atlantic coast.

Did you know? In 1798 a French army landed at Killala and a short-lived 'Republic of Connacht' was declared in Castlebar — the British rout there is still called the Races of Castlebar.
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Mayo by the numbers
Connacht province 137,231 people · 2022 census 5,588 km² · 3rd of 32 by size County town Castlebar -30% in the Famine · 388,887 people in 1841, 274,000 in 1851 (approx.) 9 baronies · 3,422 townlands 1930s folklore · the Schools' Collection ↗ 64 surnames 5 towns on the site 2,049 daily Irish speakers Highest point Mweelrea, 814 m 4 senior All-Irelands 30 notable people born here 1,470 historic buildings recorded Everything on the site about Mayo ↓
Carlow Cavan Cork Donegal Dublin Clare Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone

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The history of Mayo

There were people at Belderrig on the north Mayo coast by about 4500 BC, and the Neolithic farmers who followed laid out the walled fields now under the bog at the Céide Fields; the county has more than 160 recorded megalithic tombs, of all four Irish types. Croagh Patrick is where Patrick is believed to have prayed for forty days and nights, and monasteries followed at Mayo Abbey, Aughagower, Ballintubber, Cong, Killala, Turlough and on islands off the Mullet. Vikings raided from 795 but, unusually, founded no town here.

The Normans took Mayo in 1235 under Richard Mór de Burgh, bringing the Burkes, Gibbons, Stauntons, Prendergasts, Joyces, Walshes, Barretts and Costellos, whose names are still common; after the 1330s they went native, and the Mac William Burkes became the strongest family in the county. Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen, is the best-known Mayo figure of the late 16th century. Armada survivors who came ashore in 1588 were robbed, imprisoned and many killed. Between 1641 and 1653 a third of the population is reported to have died by war, famine and plague, and Cromwell's "to hell or to Connaught" sent displaced families west.

In 1798 the French under Humbert landed at Killala, won the Battle of Castlebar and set up a short-lived Republic of Connacht under John Moore; the reprisals earned the county's high sheriff, Denis Browne, the name "Donnchadh an Rópa". The Famine was especially bad in Mayo, where nearly ninety per cent of people lived on the potato. In 1879 fifteen people reported an apparition at Knock, and the same year Michael Davitt and James Daly began the Land League here; near Lough Mask the ostracism of Charles Boycott gave English a new word. Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland, and Enda Kenny, Taoiseach from 2011, are from Mayo.

Drawn from the History section of the Wikipedia article on County Mayo ↗, rewritten here and adding nothing it does not say; licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The chronology above is this site's own; where the two differ, the article is the one to check.

The land — from Wikipedia

It is bounded on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean; on the south by County Galway; on the east by County Roscommon; and on the northeast by County Sligo. Mayo is the third-largest of Ireland's 32 counties in area and 18th largest in terms of population. It is the second-largest of Connacht's five counties in both size and population. Mayo has of coastline, or approximately 21% of the total coastline of the State. It is one of three counties which claims to have the longest coastline in Ireland, alongside Cork and Donegal. There is a distinct geological difference between the west and the east of the county. The west consists largely of poor subsoils and is covered with large areas of extensive Atlantic blanket bog, whereas the east is largely a limestone landscape. Agricultural land is therefore more productive in the east than in the west. Clew Bay lies on the west coast of the county.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Clans & surnames of Mayo
Bannon Ó Banáin Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Banán, a diminutive of bán, ‘white’” Barrett Bairéid Norman · “possibly 'quarrelsome' (baraud)” Blake de Bláca Norman · “le blac — 'the black-haired'” Bradley Ó Brolcháin Gaelic sept / English place-name surname · “descendant of Brolachán, a diminutive of Brólach” Brogan Ó Brógáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Brógán — probably from bróg, 'shoe'” Burke de Búrca Norman dynasty · “from de Burgh — 'of the borough'” Cafferty Mac Eachmharcaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Eachmharcach, 'horse-rider'” Carey Ó Ciardha / Ó Cearaigh Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Ciardha, 'the dark one' — among several distinct roots” Conneely Mac Conghaile / Ó Conghaile Gaelic sept · “son of Conghal — 'hound' and 'valour'” Costello Mac Oisdealbhaigh Norman-Gaelic · “son of Oisdealbh — the first Norman family to take a 'Mac'” Coyne Ó Cadhain Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cadhan — a personal name from the barnacle goose” Dillon Diolún Norman · “from de Leon” Durcan Mac Dhuarcáin Gaelic sept · “son of Duarcán” Fitzgibbon Mac Giobúin Norman dynasty · “son of Gibbon — Norman French fitz, 'son of', and a pet form of Gilbert” Flannery Ó Flannabhra Gaelic sept · “descendant of Flannabhra, 'red-eyebrows'” Garvey Ó Gairbhith Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gairbhith, 'rough peace'” Gaughan Ó Gáibhtheacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gáibhtheachán, 'plaintive'” Gill Mac an Ghoill Norse-Gaelic · “son of the foreigner” Halligan Ó hAilleagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ailleagán, a diminutive of áille, ‘handsome, beautiful’” Hallinan Ó hAilgheanáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ailgheanán, 'noble offspring'” Harkin Ó hEarcáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Earcán, a diminutive of earc, ‘red, speckled’” Heneghan Ó hÉineacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Eidhneachán” Higgins Ó hUiginn Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Uige, 'knowledge, skill'” Jennings Mac Sheóinín Norman-Gaelic · “son of little John” Joyce Seoighe Norman-Welsh · “from Josse, a Breton saint's name” Kearney Ó Cearnaigh / Ó Catharnaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cearnach, 'victorious'” Kearns Ó Céirín Gaelic sept · “descendant of Céirín — from ciar, black” Keaveney Mac Géibheannaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Géibheannach, 'fettered'” Kerrigan Ó Ciaragáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ciaragán — from ciar, black” Killeen Ó Cillín Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Cillín, a pet form of Ceallach” Langan Ó Longáin Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Longán, a diminutive of long, ‘tall’” Lavin Ó Láimhín Gaelic sept · “a corruption of Ó Flaithimhín” Lennon Ó Leannáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Leannán, 'lover' or 'sweetheart'” Loftus Ó Lachtnáin Gaelic sept (renamed) · “descendant of Lachtnán, 'milk-white'” Lydon Ó Lodáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Lodán” Mangan Ó Mongáin Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Mongán, a diminutive of mongach, ‘hairy’” McAndrew Mac Aindriú Norman-Gaelic (Barretts) / Scots (Ross) · “son of Andrew” McDaid Mac Daibhéid Gaelic sept · “son of Davet, a diminutive of David” McDonnell Mac Dónaill Scots-Gaelic · “son of Dónall” McFadden Mac Pháidín Scots-Gaelic & Irish · “son of Páidín, 'little Patrick'” McNulty Mac an Ultaigh Gaelic sept · “son of the Ulsterman” Moran Ó Móráin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Mórán, 'the great one'” Mullaney Ó Maoileanaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolsheanaigh, ‘servant of St Seanach’” Mullarkey Ó Maoilearca Gaelic sept · “descendant of the servant of St Earc” Mulligan Ó Maolagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolagán, 'the little tonsured one'” Neary Ó Náradhaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Náradach, 'good, noble'” O'Dowd Ó Dubhda Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Dubhda, 'the dark'” O'Flaherty Ó Flaithbheartaigh Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Flaithbheartach, 'bright ruler'” O'Gara Ó Gadhra Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gadhra, perhaps from gadhar, ‘a mastiff’” O'Malley Ó Máille Gaelic sept · “descendant of Máille — 'noble chief'” Patterson Mac Páidín Scottish & English / Gaelic substitute · “son of Páidín, a pet form of Patrick” Philbin Mac Philbín Norman-Gaelic · “son of Philpin, a little Philip” Prendergast de Priondargás Norman-Flemish · “from Brontegeest in Flanders” Quigley Ó Coigligh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Coigleach” Raftery Ó Reachtabhra Gaelic sept · “descendant of Reachtabhra — 'law' and 'fringe'” Ronan Ó Rónáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Rónán, 'little seal'” Rooney Ó Ruanaidh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ruanadh, 'the champion'” Ruane Ó Ruadháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ruadhán, a diminutive of ruadh, ‘red’” Seery Ó Saoraidhe Gaelic sept (from a Norse personal name) · “a later form of Ó Síoghradha, descendant of Síoghraidh, the Norse Sigefrith” Sloyan Ó Sluaghadháin Gaelic sept / Scots (the Sloanes of Antrim and Down) · “descendant of Sluaghadhán, a diminutive of Sluaghadhach, ‘belonging to a host’” Tierney Ó Tighearnaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Tighearnach, 'lordly'” Tighe Ó Taidhg Gaelic sept · “descendant of Tadhg, 'poet'” Vaughan Ó Mocháin / Vaughan Gaelic sept & Welsh · “Welsh fychan, 'small' — adopted for Ó Mocháin” Walsh Breathnach Norman-Welsh · “'the Welshman' — soldiers who came with the Normans”

Tap a name for its full page — story, homeland map and neighbours. Or see all surnames from County Mayo, with the other counties each name is tied to.

Towns, saints and legends of Mayo

Towns. Castlebar Caisleán an Bharraigh (13,054, 2022), Ballina Béal an Átha (10,556, 2022), Ballinrobe Baile an Róba (3,148, 2022), Ballyhaunis Béal Átha hAmhnais (2,773, 2022), Westport Cathair na Mart. What every town name means →

Legends set here. Croagh Patrick — the forty days. On the atlas →

First names that belong here. Gráinne, Dearbhla.

Irish in Mayo today

At the 2022 census, 56,346 people in Mayo said they could speak Irish. 2,049 speak it every day outside school, and 3,831 weekly.

13 primary schools here teach entirely through Irish (2025/26, 1,152 pupils), and 2 secondary schools.

Mayo's Gaeltacht had 10,515 people in 2022, 727 of them daily Irish speakers. The Gaeltacht in numbers →

CSO, Census 2022, table SAP2022T3T2CTY. Every county compared →

The top of Mayo

Mweelrea (Cnoc Maol Réidh), 814 metres, in the Mweelrea Mountains.

National park: Wild Nephin (1998). All the national parks →

Wrecks on its coast: HMS Lee (1909). Shipwrecks of Ireland →

Rivers and loughs: River Moy, River Clare, Boyle River, River Robe, Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Conn, Lough Carra.

MountainViews, via Wikipedia. Every county's highest point → · Rivers and loughs →

Mayo in the All-Ireland

Hurling: no senior title.
Football: 4 senior titles (1936, 1950, 1951, 2026); 15 finals lost.

Every county's All-Ireland titles →

Born in Mayo

From Wikidata: people whose recorded birthplace is in the county, who have a Wikipedia article and are no longer living, with dates shown only where the article confirms them, ordered by how many languages Wikipedia covers them in. Traditional birthplaces of early saints are as Wikidata records them. Dates are left off where the sources disagree.

People in Mayo, census by census

Mayo had 388,887 people in 1841 and has 137,231 now (-65%). Its peak was 388,887 in 1841; its low point 109,525 in 1971, -72% of 1841. It has never regained the population it had before the Famine.

1821183118411851186118711881189119011911192619361946195119561961196619711979198119861991199620022006201120162022
293,112366,328388,887274,499254,796246,030245,212219,034199,166192,177172,690161,349148,120141,867133,052123,330115,547109,525114,019114,766115,184110,713111,524117,446123,839130,638130,507137,231

Census returns as tabulated in the county's Wikipedia article. All 32 counties, 1821 to today →

Hidden Mayo — the places the buses miss
  • Céide Fields
    The oldest known field system on Earth — 5,700-year-old stone walls preserved under blanket bog, discovered by a schoolteacher probing the turf with an iron bar.
  • Cong Abbey
    Where Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, died a monk in 1198 — his kingdom already gone to the Normans.
  • Ballintubber Abbey
    Founded by a king of Connacht in 1216, Mass has been said here every week since — roofless for 250 years through Cromwell and the Penal Laws, never abandoned.
  • Doolough Valley
    In March 1849 starving people walked 12 miles here to be inspected for relief, were refused, and died on the road home. A simple stone cross marks the walk.
  • Slievemore deserted village
    Eighty stone cottages in a line along the mountain on Achill, emptied by famine and 'booleying' — the summer cattle migration that lasted here into the 1940s.
  • Blacksod Lighthouse
    Where a weather reading on 3 June 1944 made Eisenhower delay D-Day by a day — and saved the invasion from a Channel storm.
On the ground in Mayo

Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →

Everything on the site about County Mayo

The county

History

Monuments and heritage

Coast and country

People and culture

Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Mayo?

Maigh Eo. Mayo is one of the 5 counties of Connacht (Cúige Chonnacht).

Who ruled County Mayo in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Kingdom of Connacht (O'Connor); by 1450, Mac William Bourke (Mayo). The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Mayo?

Names historically associated with Mayo include Bannon, Barrett, Blake, Bradley, Brogan, Burke, Cafferty, Carey, among others.

What does Maigh Eo mean?

Maigh Eo, said “my OH”, means plain of the yew trees — from magh (plain) + eo (yew). Named for the village of Mayo, now Mayo Abbey — once a monastery famous enough to be called Mayo of the Saxons.

What is the population of County Mayo?

137,231 at the 2022 census, against 388,887 in 1841, before the Famine.

What is the county town of Mayo?

Castlebar. County Mayo covers about 5,588 km², which makes it the 3rd largest of the 32 counties.

Who are famous people from County Mayo?

Among the best-known people born in Mayo are Grace O'Malley, Charles Haughey, George Moore, William Brown, Martin Sheridan, Michael Davitt. The full list, with their birthplaces, is on this page.

What did the Famine do to County Mayo?

The census counted 388,887 people in Mayo in 1841 and 274,000 in 1851 (the 1851 figure is approximate): a change of -30% in ten years, through death and emigration.

Sources for this page

A clean copy for school projects or the family file; collapsed sections print in full.

The chronology of who held the county is this site's own reading of the standard histories onto today's county borders, and says so where the fit is rough. Quoted passages are marked and licensed. Spotted an error? Say so — corrections are credited.

Trace your ancestors in Mayo

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