Partry

Partry lies between two world renowned wild brown trout lakes, loughs Carra and Mask, on the N84 Castlebar/Ballinrobe road. The old name for the parish was Ballyovey, while the existing name (Irish: Pártraí) is derived from "Partraigh", the name of a tribe living there in ancient times.

The village of Kilkeeran lies on the west shore of Lough Carra, while Aughnish, Ballygarry and Derrymore lie on the east shore of Lough Mask. The majestic Partry Mountains sweep along the southern border of the village, shielding Partry from the fury of the wild Atlantic gales.

Catering for a population of approx 500, Partry has a Church, National School, post office, community centre, two pubs and garda barracks. Partry is an ideal place for people with an interest in fishing to stay, and the tourism industry is served by a number of B&Bs and self catering houses, as well as holiday caravans and boatmen with boats for hire.

Agriculture

The rolling Partry countryside consists mainly of farmland, bog and some ragged woodland, with rocky outcrops and shorelines. Farming is the mainstay occupation in the area, with farms, none of them very big, being mostly owned by the same families for a number of generations.

There is a small but modern farmhouse cheese industry which also sells home produced honey, and a blacksmith making and selling useful, decorative ironware.

History & Archaeology

Partry is rich in archaeological landmarks. At Ballygarry, just west of Partry, is Colmcille’s Well, established in the days of the early Christian church by followers of the saint who may have lived on Colmcille’s island in the nearby Lough Mask. Traditional 'Pattern' or ‘Holy’ days are celebrated here every year. There are also old churches and Stone Age causeway crossing the Carra at Kilkeeran.

Sean na Sagart was a notorious priest-hunter who 'spied' on priests and Catholic teachers in Penal Times. He had expensive tastes and was paid handsomely for information leading to the arrest of a priest or teacher. He himself was hunted down and killed in Partry.

Rev Monsignor James Horan, who developed Knock Airport, was born in Tooreen, Partry.