Ballina (/ˌbæləˈnɑː/ bal-ə-NA; Irish: Béal an Átha, meaning 'mouth of the ford') is a town in north County Mayo, Ireland.

[5] The Belleek demesne once stretched for over three kilometres along the left bank of the Moy estuary, from the gate lodge on Castle Road as far as Knockatinnole Wood in the north.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, a small column of French soldiers advanced through the estate, as part of a reconnaissance group.

[7] Belleek remained within the ownership of the Knox-Gore family until 1942, when it was sold by William Arthur Cecil Saunders-Knox-Gore (1888-1975) due to mounting costs and rates.

However, the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 made the right (east) bank of the Moy, including Ardnaree and Crockets Town (the Quay), part of the administrative county of Mayo.

A centenary memorial (known as the Humbert Monument) was dedicated on 11 May 1898 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French landing at Killala in support of the 1798 rebellion.

The monument was moved to its current location on Humbert Street in 1987, where it was re-dedicated by Maud Gonne's son, Seán MacBride.

In the first half of the 19th century, the rural areas around Ballina were heavily dependent on the potato as a primary source of food.

As the famine took hold in the rural areas, huge numbers of starving peasants requested admission to the overcrowded facility.

As Irish began to decline in other parts of Ireland during the colonial period, it remained strong in County Mayo and in Ballina.

[11] Today only Ceathrú Thaidhg, 70 km to the west of Ballina remains a majority Irish-speaking area in County Mayo.

They forcibly entered the homes, held the occupants at gunpoint, and seized important books and papers related to tax collection.

This event was part of a larger, coordinated series of attacks across Ireland, focusing on disrupting the administrative functions of income tax collection.

[12] In July 1920, a Royal Irish Constabulary police patrol was held up by armed men about a hundred yards from Ballina's barracks.

[14] During the evening of 3 April 1921, the IRA attacked a police patrol travelling between Ballina and Bonnaconlon, wounding one constable.

[15] Michael Tolan, a tailor and IRA member from Ballina, fell victim to a brutal murder marked by torture and mutilation.

[16] In May 1921, two men, Thomas Jordan and William Leydon, were court-martialed at Renmore Barracks in Galway, and found guilty of carrying firearms.

Despite Leydon's refusal to recognise the court's authority and witnesses who provided alibis which placed him at a different location at the time of the raid, both he and Jordan were sentenced to one year of hard labour.

[18] For example, in September 1922, Castle Gore, the Mayo residence of the Earl of Arran, was attacked and set on fire by Anti-Treaty Irregulars.

The castle, constructed in 1808 under the supervision of Lord Tyrawley, housed a collection of antique furniture and oil paintings.

[19] In March 1923, an Anti-Treaty Irregular - Nicholas Corcoran - was captured near Lahardane by the Free State Army from Ballina and imprisoned in the town.

[27] A large, modern facility opened on McDermott Street (convent road) for the 2009–2010 school year to serve the needs of children with mild learning disabilities.

[29] Ballina is one of the towns due to have a MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): the ductings and fiber optic cables are in place,[when?]

The MANs are being built for the Department of Communications; they are due to be run by a private operator, but remain the property of the government.

[citation needed] Two weekly freesheets, the Mayo Advertiser and The Northwest Express are distributed throughout Ballina.

Ballina's entertainment scene is supported by a number of traditional pubs, late bars and a variety of restaurants.

[citation needed] The old Newman Institute building on Barrett Street is home to the Ballina Arts Centre, which was redeveloped to incorporate a new auditorium, dance studio, rehearsal space, exhibition gallery and coffee shop between 2009 and 2011.

[35] Ballina's location on the River Moy favours salmon fishing, and one of the best spots, the Ridge Pool, is situated in the heart of the town.

[citation needed] Ballina's athletics club has a floodlight outdoor 400m track and a cross country pitch which sometimes holds the AAI Connacht and Mayo finals.

The town also has a martial arts school, Moy Valley Freestyle, and a Jikishin Kage-ryu kenjutsu club.