History of Ballycastle in Co. Mayo

The parish of Ballycastle is a combination of the two ancient parishes of Kilbride and Doonfeeney.

The northcoast road is reputably the most scenic coastal road in Ireland and it is here that the first settlers began to farm the slopes of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5,000 years ago. The name Ballycastle was in use as early as 1470 and was referred to as a parish in the Catholic directory of 1836. By this time it was a thriving small town.

The overall area is extremely rich in items of interest to biologists, archaeologists and students of history, megalithic tombs, early Christian and mediaeval ruins.

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