Ballina Municipal District Essentials

The Ballina Municipal District encompasses North Mayo’s most significant historical sites, from the 5,500-year-old Neolithic field systems at Céide Fields to the 15th-century Franciscan ruins of Rosserk and Moyne Abbeys. The region features the well-preserved 12th-century Killala Round Tower and the dramatic Dún Briste sea stack at Downpatrick Head. Cultural highlights include the Jackie Clarke Collection of Irish historical documents and the Titanic Memorial Park in Lahardane, which honors the local passengers of the ill-fated 1912 voyage.

Downpatrick Head

A coastal headland featuring the Dún Briste sea stack, which separated from the mainland in 1393. The site includes the ruins of a church founded by St. Patrick, a holy well, and a stone 'Eire 64' marker from World War II.

Céide Fields

The Céide Fields is an archaeological site on the north County Mayo coast in the west of Ireland, about 4.3 mi northwest of Ballycastle.

Killala Round Tower

A well-preserved 12th-century ecclesiastical tower standing 25 meters tall. Built of local limestone, it served as a bell tower and storehouse for the surrounding monastic settlement in the village of Killala.

Rosserk Abbey

A 15th-century Franciscan friary situated along the River Moy. This National Monument is noted for its fine stone carvings, including a unique double piscina and well-preserved cloisters.

Moyne Abbey

Founded in 1460, this Franciscan friary features extensive Irish Gothic ruins. The site includes a prominent square tower, cloisters, and domestic buildings used by the friars until the late 16th century.

Saint Muredach's Cathedral

A 19th-century Neo-Gothic Catholic cathedral situated on the banks of the River Moy. Construction began in 1827 using local limestone, with the spire completed in 1855.

The Jackie Clarke Collection

An extensive archive housed in a former Victorian bank building. It contains over 100,000 items of Irish historical significance, including rare manuscripts, maps, and proclamations spanning four centuries.

Titanic Memorial Park

Located in Lahardane, this park commemorates the fourteen local passengers from the Addergoole parish who boarded the Titanic. It features bronze memorial plaques and a traditional Irish garden.