Located in the heart of the lake district of South Mayo, on the banks of the river Robe, Ballinrobe (Baile an Roba) is a thriving market town. Ballinrobe lies 48km north of Galway, on the N84 road which connects Galway to Castlebar and in recent years has also become a dormitory town for both Galway and Castlebar.

A very active committee have brought about the revival of the Queen of the Lakes Festival and the Annual Heritage Day, both of which attract many visitors to the town. Ballinrobe Musical Society presented (Feb 2010) the world amateur premiere of 'The Pirate Queen' - the story of Mayo's own Grainuaile.

Ballinrobe is practically the gateway to Connemara and is only 90 mins drive from the Burren in County Clare and Yeats County in Sligo. It is less than 30 mins drive from the nearby popular towns of Castlebar, Claremorris and Westport.

Ballinrobe is an ideal centre from which to enjoy walking and cycling tours throughout South Mayo.

Historic Ballinrobe

Ballinrobe Castle (situated where the ruins of Cavalry Barracks stand today by the Bowers' Walk) was built by the de Burgos and there are many interesting places and historic structures in and around the town, including the cornmarket and the remains of Cranmore House (1838). Genealogical records and genealogy services are provided by The South Mayo Family Research Centre on Main St in Ballinrobe.

Fishing

Dubbed "The Lake Angling Capital of the West" the Ballinrobe district has 60,000 acres of brown trout fishing between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask and also fishing on the river Robe.

Leisure Activities

Sport and recreation are major features of day-to-day life in Ballinrobe. Race meetings have been recorded in the area since 1773 and Ballinrobe boasts the only Race Course in Mayo, where racing has been held since it was purchased in 1921. With 8 meetings in the Summer (including 7 evening meets) Ballinrobe racecourse is the ideal place to go to switch off and unwind. Other excellent sports facilities include an 18-hole championship Golf Course at nearby Cloonacastle House and a floodlit GAA pitch - Flanagan Park - on the outskirts of the town.

Food and Drink

The town is very well served with traditional and modern pubs and choice dining in the many fine restaurants offering cuisine of the highest standard.

Getting to Ballinrobe

• By Road: 48km north of Galway, 28km south of Castlebar

• By Rail: The closest station is Claremorris (21 km) from where there is a bus service

• By Air: The closest airports are Galway (56 km) and Ireland West Airport Knock (48 km) with regular flights from Dublin and many locations in the U.K.