Castlebar

Dalys Hotel, Castlebar

Wynne Collection

Reproduced with kind permission of Gary Wynne

Dalys Hotel, Castlebar
Reproduced with kind permission of Gary Wynne

Dalys Hotel, Castlebar

Wynne Collection

Reproduced with kind permission of Gary Wynne

Enlarge image

Castlebar, the county town of Mayo, gets its name (Caisleán an Bharraigh) from the Norman de Barry family who built a castle there in the 13th century. The castle and land was subsequently acquired by the Bingham family who later adopted the Lucan title. The fourth Earl of Lucan donated the Mall, formerly the cricket pitch of the Bingham family, to the people of Castlebar in 1888. It was in Daly's Hotel, situated on the Mall, that the Land League was founded in 1879.

Castlebar Races, Aug 27th, 1798

Wynne Collection. Reproduced with kind permission of Gary Wynne

Castlebar Races, Aug 27th, 1798

Wynne Collection. Reproduced with kind permission of Gary Wynne

Enlarge image

During the 1798 rebellion, colloquially referred to as "The Year of the French", the French forces under the command of General Humbert marched to Castlebar from Kilcummin, near Killala and in the ensuing battle the English forces were put to flight. This incident became known as "The Races of Castlebar"