Ballina (County Mayo) Voyage Tips and guide

Ballina is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, on the banks of the River Moy near its estuary. Known in Irish as Béal an Átha, "mouth of the ford", it's a small market town, with a population in 2022 of 10,500. There's not much to see here but it has a good range of accommodation and other amenities. So Ballina is the main base for sights in the north end of Mayo, around the villages of Killala, Ballycastle, Foxford and Crossmolina.

The tourist information centre^{[dead link]} is within the Chamber of Commerce on Pearse St, open M-Sa 10AM-5PM.

In 1798 the United Irishmen sought to reform and free Ireland along the lines of revolutionary America and France. Rebellion broke out in May, with the promise of French military backing, but promptly flopped. It only took hold in County Wexford, but the rebels could never break out of that enclave, and after six weeks they were crushed. So it was already too little, too late when a French expeditionary force landed at Killala in August - but they caught the British off guard, captured Ballina and Castlebar, and marched on across Mayo for eleven days before being encircled. The French surrendered while the Irish were hacked down where they stood. So although this was just a brief coda to the main rebellion, 1798 has passed into legend as "The Year of the French".

There was a final landing attempt in Donegal in November, but the Royal Navy captured them, including the rebel leader Wolfe Tone. A rattled London government sought a tighter grip and in 1801 created the United Kingdom, henceforth ruling Ireland and Scotland as simply a collection of counties with no pretensions to be nations. So this unlikely corner of Ireland was the starting place of the UK.

Thousands of Irish emigrated in the aftermath, even before the famine years. Among them were the Blewitt family, ancestors of US President Joe Biden, who visited Ballina in 2023.

54°7′48″N 9°9′0″W

Map of Ballina (County Mayo)

Knock Airport (NOC ^IATA) is 60 km southwest. Its limited flights are from the UK: you might prefer to fly into Dublin and hire a car.

Trains run to Ballina along a branch line. There are five services a day from Dublin Heuston, taking 3 hr 30 min with changes at Athlone and Manulla Junction. There are also six connections from Westport and Castlebar, change at Manulla Junction. See Irish Rail for timetables, fares and tickets.

54.1093-9.16051 Ballina railway station is 500 m south of town centre on N26. Buy tickets from the machines.

Expressway 22 runs six times a day from Dublin Busáras via Dublin Airport, Lucan, Maynooth, Mullingar, Longford, Tulsk, Charlestown and Foxford, taking 4 hr 20 min to Ballina.

Expressway 52 runs six times daily from Galway, taking 3 hours via Tuam, Claremorris, Balla, Castlebar and Foxford to Ballina.

Bus Éireann 458 runs every couple of hours daily from Enniskillen in County Fermanagh to Sligo, then west along the coast to Enniscrone and Ballina. Sligo to Ballina takes 80 min.

Bus 420 runs four times daily from Castlebar, taking 50 min via Pontoon to Ballina. From Westport change at Castlebar.

The bus station is north side of the railway station.

You need your own wheels, the sights of most interest are out in the countryside with a sparse bus service.

Bus 445 runs three times M-F from Ballina along the coast to Killala, Carrowmore and Ballycastle.

Bus 446 runs four times a day from Ballina to Killala, Bangor Erris and Belmullet on the peninsula, and some continue to Blacksod lighthouse.

McGrath's Coach R1 runs once M-Sa from Glenamoy via Ballycastle and Killala to Ballina, heading back in the afternoon. R2 is an extra afternoon run M-F between Ballycastle, Killala and Ballina.

Taxi firms are Arrow Cabs (+353 96 77777) and Bohara (+353 89 952 3962).

• Town centre has many Georgian and Victorian buildings. The monument along Circular Road is to General Humbert, who led the French invasion of 1798. The two river bridges were built 1835-36; traffic flows clockwise round town and over them, and is often backed up. A little way upstream, Salmon Weir footbridge resembles a fishing rod bent by a catch; Ridge Pool behind the weir is a famous fishing spot.
• Jackie Clarke Collection is a small museum and gallery open Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, enter from Walsh St.
• St Muredach's Cathedral (RC) on the east river bank was built from 1827.
• Dolmen of the Four Maols is on the lane up Primrose Hill, just west of the railway tracks into Ballina station. It's a burial cist from 2000 BC but in legend the four maols (meaning "bald ones", tonsured monks) slew the rightful king of Connacht; they were chopped into quarters and buried here, all 16 bits.

• 54.1713-9.14341 Rosserk Friary is the substantial ruin of a Franciscan Friary established in the 1440s. It's open 24 hours, the access lane is paved but narrow.
• 54.2022-9.17712 Moyne Abbey is an even more substantial ruin. It too was Franciscan, completed in 1462 in Irish Gothic style. Open 24 hours.
• 54.212-9.2213 Killala is a fishing village north along the coast. It was an ecclesiastic centre, as shown by its nearby monasteries, and has a Round Tower. St Patrick's Cathedral (Church of Ireland) is from the 1670s and in its graveyard is a 9th century souterrain. But Killala is best known for the French invasion of 1798 - they landed at Kilcummin a few km north then swiftly captured Killala and Ballina. But they came too late to support the main rebellion, and after 11 days they were encircled.
• 54.238-9.24444 Rathfran Friary or "Priory of the Holy Cross" was Dominican, founded 1274. It's open 24 hours.
• Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb is on the lane west of the Friary, just south of the turn-off. Built circa 2500-2000 BC, it's a 3-m grave passage oriented to the rising sun. Until the 1950s there was a stone circle nearby, but it was uprooted and the stones dumped onto the tomb.
• Breastagh Ogham Stone is just north of that turn-off. It's probably of similar age to the tomb, with the inscription added much later, say 550-900 AD. This is very faint but reads: : ᚛ᚂᚓᚌᚌ[--]ᚄᚇ[--]ᚂᚓᚌᚓᚄᚉᚐᚇ᚜ / ᚛ᚋᚐᚊ ᚉᚑᚏᚏᚁᚏᚔ ᚋᚐᚊ ᚐᚋᚋᚂᚂᚑᚌᚔᚈᚈ᚜ which (to save searching for an online Ogham translator) means "Legescad, son of Corrbrias, son of Ammllogitt" — he was probably the grandson of a king of Connacht.
• Kilcummin north of the Friary was where the French came ashore: there's a sculpture but that's all. Sheltered in the bay round the headland, Carrowmore Beach and Lacken Strand have fine beaches. On a hilltop west of the bay, Lacken Gazebo is probably a late 18th century folly.
• 54.323-9.3455 Downpatrick Head is the rugged headland further north, with Dun Briste the chunky offshore sea-stack. There's also a church founded by St Patrick, and Pul Na Sean Tinne a collapsed sea cavern which in rough weather becomes a large blowhole. To aircrew the headland is better known as "Eire 64" for the aviation marker - one of 83 etched around the Republic's coast, this one has been preserved.
• 54.28-9.3726 Ballycastle is a small village which has been described as "on the periphery of the periphery". Ballinglen arts centre is open M-F noon-5PM but the castle is gone. The village lacks accommodation, but see Sleep for Stella Maris on the coast nearby. The main thing to do here is avoid confusing this village with Ballycastle in County Antrim.
• 54.307222-9.4577787 Céide Fields, Glenurla F26 PF66 (8 km west of Ballycastle on R314), ☏ +353 46 940 7250. Mid-Mar - Oct daily 10AM-5PM. Field system dating to 3500 BC, when the region was warmer and forested. Stones were cleared from the fields into walls, and the land was tilled with ox-drawn wooden ploughs with stone culters. There wasn't a village centre, but a scattering of round-house dwellings with herb and vegetable gardens and their own fields. At some point the climate became colder and wetter (which forest clearance may have exacerbated), the area became boggy and the fields were abandoned. They became engulfed by bog until the 1970s discovery of the extensive walls. The site is on the coast above 100 m cliffs. The visitor centre is a pyramid, presumably to indicate that it was built much later than the field walls. Adult €5, conc €4, child €3.  (updated Feb 2026)
• A wild coast stretches west: follow R314 then the winding lane through Geeveraune, eventually to Benwee Head and the Stags of Broadhaven.

• North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe House (see Sleep), ☏ +353 96 31809. Apr-Oct Tu-Th 10AM-4PM, F 10AM-2:30PM. Small museum and heritage centre. (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.1082-9.2548 Deel Castle is the ruin of two buildings. The original tower house is from the 16th century; in the 18th century a new wing was added and a country house "Castle Gore" built alongside. This was burned down by the IRA in 1922 while the old castle subsided into ruin. It's fenced off, but you see enough from the farm lane.

• 54.0532-9.26349 Errew Abbey was Augustinian, founded in the 6th century but rebuilt in 1413. It was probably a priory outpost of Crossmolina not an independent abbey. The ruin is on a peninsula in Lough Conn, and just north is Templenagalliaghdoois, a medieval oratory or nunnery.
• 54.031-9.32310 Addergoole on R315 has a memorial to the 14 villagers who emigrated aboard Titanic: eleven were lost in the sinking. See also the commemorative stained glass window in the village church just south.
• 53.98-9.11511 Foxford is best-known for its woollen mills, and for salmon-fishing on the River Moy. The Foxford Way is an 86 km hiking circuit.
• 54.012-9.36812 Nephin is the isolated peak rising west of Lough Conn. See Castlebar for walking trails.
• See Newport for points further west, including Ballycroy National Park and Belmullet Peninsula. They're easily reached by car from Ballina.

• Ballina Arts Centre puts on theatre, music, films and exhibitions. It's on Barrett St, open M-Sa 10:00-18:00.
• IMC Cinema is on Mercy Rd in Ballina at the corner of McDermott St.
• Ballina Sports Centre on Cathedral Rd has a sports hall and gym. The swimming pool is next door.
• Ballina Golf Club is 1 km east of town on R294. It's 6175 yards, par 71.
• Belleek Woods are a good area for strolling, on the riverbank 2 km north of town.
• Surf at Enniscrone 15 km north. The waves are bigger further along the Sligo coast at Strandhill.
• The Wild Atlantic Way is a coastal driving itinerary from Donegal all the way to Kinsale near Cork. The local section is self-evident, from Enniscrone to Ballina, Killala, and along the north coast to Mullet Peninsula.

• Tesco in town centre is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-8PM.
• Farmers Market is in Ballina Market Square, Sa 9AM-2PM.
• Foxford Woollen Mills^{[dead link]} have a shop in Foxford open M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM, but they're mostly an online business nowadays.

• Dillon's, Dillon Terrace F26 H2X0 (behind The Lodge), ☏ +353 96 75930, [email protected]. M-Sa 5PM-9PM, Su 5-8PM. Good central restaurant, in warm weather the vine-clad courtyard is the place to be. (updated Feb 2026)
• Billy's Pizza is opposite Dillon's, open Th-Su 5-9PM.
• The Everest is next to The Lodge on Dillon Terrace, open daily 4:30-10PM.
• Poacher at 4 Market Square is open W-Sa 5-9PM, Su 1-8PM.
• Jalan Jalan off Market Lane is open M-Sa noon-10PM, Su 1-9PM.
• Love Lee's on Market Lane is open daily 5-11PM.
• The Junction on Tone St is open daily 9:30AM-10PM.
• Daniel's Kitchen at 15 Rahilly St is open M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-10PM.
• The Post House on Casement St is open M-Sa 9AM-4PM.
• Cafollas do fish & chips and burgers at Tolan St, W-Su 4-10PM.
• 54.1317-9.13741 Crockets Quay Bistro, The Quay Lane F26 E5C0, ☏ +353 83 078 3860. Great bistro on the east riverbank. The bar is in three sections: a small front in trad style, a middle bar for conversation and a large back bar with dance floor, so they often host functions.  (updated Feb 2026)

• Bridge St is the pub strip, with Doherty's (below), An Bolg Buí, Howard's, Hogan's, Rouse's, Dowds American Bar, Hughes, Harrison's, Paddy Mac's, Bar Square.
• VJ Doherty's, Bridge St (next to Ballina Manor Hotel). Daily 5:30-11PM. Trad pub, little altered since the 1950s, relaxing place for a quiet pint. (updated Feb 2026)
• East riverbank has Breathnach's, The Auld Shebeen (aka Betty's) and Katie's Corner.
• Distillery: Ballina Whiskey is north side of town on the riverbank. No tours.
• Coca Cola have a big site north of town in Beleek. They manufacture concentrates, transported elsewhere to make products such as Coca Cola, Fanta and Sprite.

• 54.1153-9.15091 The Lodge, 2 Dillon Terrace F26 YH66, ☏ +353 85 852 4768, [email protected]. Smart clean place in town centre. B&B double €100.  (updated Feb 2026)
• Heyday Hostel, Dillon Terrace F26 K159 (opposite The Lodge), ☏ +353 87 435 7515. Clean friendly hostel open all year. Bunk €50. (updated Feb 2026)
• Hallahan's Guesthouse (Loft Bar), Pearse St F26 W2V6, ☏ +353 96 21881. Pub with rooms, some noise, but value for money. B&B double €130. (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.1126-9.15392 Ballina Manor Hotel, Barrett St F26 HY84, ☏ +353 96 80900, [email protected]. Mid-range hotel on the riverbank in town centre. Friendly place, some facilities tired, limited parking. B&B double €180.  (updated Feb 2026)
• Green Hill is a B&B east of the river in Cathedral Close.
• 54.1171-9.13653 Twin Trees, Downhill Rd F26 A3N7, ☏ +353 96 21033. Good mid-range place with leisure facilities and ample parking. B&B double €180.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.1271-9.14014 Ice House, The Quay F26 Y9E8, ☏ +353 96 23500. Smart modern hotel with spa and a good restaurant. B&B double €300.  (updated Feb 2026)
• Quignalegan House is a B&B further northeast along N59.

Another km along that road, you cross into County Sligo, see Enniscrone for nearby accommodation.

• 54.1343-9.15875 Belleek Park, Ballina F26 CP57, ☏ +353 96 71533. Well-run caravan and camping park open Mar-Oct.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.1332-9.14526 Belleek Castle, Ballina F26 KV04, ☏ +353 96 22400. Stylish hotel in a mock-Jacobean mansion built 1830. With fine dining. B&B double €280.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.0869-9.16397 Great National Hotel, Dublin Rd F26 X5P3, ☏ +353 96 23600. Comfy smart hotel with leisure centre and spa. B&B double €150.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.0569-9.15698 Mount Falcon, Foxford Rd, Drumrevagh F26 H744, ☏ +353 96 74472. Upscale hotel on a 19th-century estate. B&B double €400.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.0702-9.30929 Enniscoe House, Cloonkelly, Castlehill F26 EA34, ☏ +353 96 31112. Splendid country house hotel in Georgian mansion beneath Mount Nephin, open Apr-Oct. In 2026 it only offers group bookings for exclusive use.  (updated Feb 2026)
• 54.2996-9.392410 Stella Maris, Killerduff, Ballycastle F26 XY97, ☏ +353 85 169 1696. Stylish country house on the coast. It's been a coastguard station and a convent, and now makes an alternative base for the north of the county. B&B double €230.  (updated Feb 2026)

As of Feb 2026, Ballina and its approach roads have 4G with Vodafone, and 5G with Eir and Three.

• Sligo to the east is surrounded by the limestone scarps, prehistoric sites and mountain lakes that inspired WB Yeats.
• Newport is a possible base for the bleak northwest of Mayo, though you can easily day-trip from Ballina.
• Westport is on Clew Bay, and close to the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick.
• Boyle to the east is where you re-enter the lush lowlands, at the head of the Shannon navigation network.