Mayo Abbey (also known as Mayo of the Saxons or just Mayo) is a small village in south Mayo situated ten miles to the south of the county town, Castlebar, and six miles to the north west of Claremorris.

It is accessed via a junction at the southern end of Balla, on the N 60. It includes the village school, the parish church, a pub and general merchants' shop, a post office, a GAA centre and a few houses. It is the centre of the Roman Catholic parish of Mayo and Rosslee which contains about 432 houses with a population of approximately 1,210 (parish census 2009).

Mayo Abbey village today gives little indication of it's proud heritage and it's importance as a major centre in the Celtic - Anglo Saxon Christian world in the seventh and eight century. A monastery was founded here 1330 years ago for a group of Saxon monks by St. Colman, bishop of Lindisfarne.

For more than a thousand years it remained the most important centre in the region becoming in turn a diocese and a Norman town and naming County Mayo, the third largest county in Ireland.

A new parochial house was built in 2001: the old Famine Church was re-roofed in 2001: and ongoing local improvements are being carried out through a Community Employment Scheme.

Mayo Abbey National School

See Photos of the offical opening of the Mayo Abbey School by Enda Kenny on 3rd August 2013 on Mayo Abbey Photo Gallery.

St Colman's Training Centre

St Colman's Training Centre was officially opened in September 2004, with the overall aim of bringing adult education into the community. The Training Centre has modern IT facilities, 3 conference rooms, a fully equipped training kitchen (HSE Approved) and full bar facilities.

Training courses in Organic Horticulture are also provided in two polytunnels, a glass house and the use of an acre of land beside the centre. Fresh vegetables, for over 200 meals a week for the elderly, are supplied from the resulting organic garden. These meals are provided within the centre or delivered to the elderly in their own homes.

Abbey Tots Community Childcare Services, catering for approximately 70 children, is another facility within the Training Centre.

St Colman's Training Centre is dedicated to constant development and improvement in delivering quality training in adult education to the wider community.

• Click here for additional information on  Mayo Abbey

• Check out  Mayo Abbey Facefield Ballyglass, The Gathering 2013