Westport, County Mayo

Westport (Irish: Cathair na Mart, meaning 'the stone fort of the beeves', historically anglicised as Cahernamart)[2] is a town in County Mayo in Ireland.

The town centre was laid-out in the Georgian architectural style, and incorporates the Carrow Beg river into the design composition.

The pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick, known locally as "the Reek", lies some 10 km west of the town near the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey.

Westport originates and gets its name in the Irish language from a 16th-century castle - Cathair na Mart (meaning "the stone fort of the beeves"[3]- and surrounding settlement, belonging to the powerful local seafaring Ó Máille clan, who controlled the Clew Bay area, then known as Umaill.

In 1778 Peter Browne, 2nd Earl of Altamont engaged James Wyatt (1746-1813) to redesign parts of Westport House, including its dining room.

[12]After the Easter Rising, in Westport over 30 Irish Volunteers and Sinn Fein supporters were arrested by the RIC under the Defence of the Realm Act 1914 on the orders of Resident magistrate John Charles Milling and the local District Inspector, Shore.

[14] Those arrested included Joe Ring, Tom Derrig and PJ Doris, editor of the Mayo News.

[citation needed] On 29 March 1919, Milling, resident magistrate to County Mayo since 1915, was killed by the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) at his home on Newport Road, Westport.

[15] During the Irish War of Independence, on 26 March 1921, following the killing of a constable by the IRA four days earlier, the Westport RIC left their barracks to punish the town and area.

[16] Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Royal Irish Constabulary pulled out of their barracks for the last time on Monday 12 February 1922 and formally handed over the next day.

On the evening of 1 April 1922 Joe Ring was arrested in Westport by the IRA and held in Castlebar jail on charges of recruiting for the new National Army.

[17] It carried 400 troops and a Rolls-Royce 1920-pattern armoured car, nicknamed the Big Fella, with a Vickers machine gun and an 18-pounder artillery as well as 600 rifles and 150 bicycles.

[citation needed] The original house was built by Colonel John Browne, a Jacobite, who was at the Siege of Limerick, and his wife Maude Bourke.

[20] Designed by the architects Richard Cassels, Thomas Ivory and James Wyatt in the 18th century, Westport House is situated in a parkland setting with a lake, terraces, gardens and views overlooking Clew Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, Achill, Clare Island and Ireland's Holy Mountain, Croagh Patrick.

[38][39] Westport has a regional newspaper based in the town, The Mayo News, founded in 1892 by William and Patrick Dorris.

[42][better source needed] Westport is County Mayo's premier tourist destination,[43] visited by holidaymakers from all over the world and Ireland.

[44] In 1842, the English novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray, visited Westport and wrote of the town: "The most beautiful view I ever saw in the world.

"[45] Visitors visit Westport for the scenery, the pubs and restaurants in the town, blue flag beaches, and Croagh Patrick.

[46] Its proximity to Connemara, Achill, Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick, and its hotels and guest houses, make it a base for holidaymakers to tour the region.

[citation needed] The two main religious orders historically associated with Westport are the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy.

[60] In February 2022 it was announced that the new school will be located on the grounds of the former Scoil Padraig on Altamont Street and not co-located with Educate together as previously stated.

At first located at Sharkey Hill Community Centre, it is moving to new temporary premises at Westport Woods Hotel for the 2022–23 school year.

[63] In 1987 the secondary school Rice College was built on Castlebar Road in order to cater for the increased educational requirements.

In order to pacify local concern, the bulk of the trackbed of this extension was converted to a public walkway, still open today.

[citation needed] Westport, and the surrounding region, has been identified as a primary centre for adventure sports by Fáilte Ireland.

[67] Every August it hosts the largest one-day adventure multi-sport race of its kind in the world – Gael Force West.

[71][72] The Westport GAA club, CLG Chathair na Mart, have a history going back to the nineteenth century.

[74][better source needed] It has hosted a number of tournaments, including the Ladies Home Internationals in 1989 and the Irish Amateur Close Championship on three occasions, the last time in 1997.

[citation needed] Westport Warriors Basketball Club run for all different age groups and are part of the MABB League.

[citation needed] Westport is twinned with Plougastel-Daoulas in Brittany, France and with Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

The Carrowbeg river flows through Westport
The town of Westport in the early nineteenth century as painted by JA O'Connor. The main elements of the town are already in place.
John Browne, the First Earl of Altamont and Founder of the modern Westport House and the town of Westport
A map of the new town around 1790 showing the Octagon and earliest streets. The road to Castlebar is via Mill Street. The Market House, a Catholic Chapel in a similar location to today's St Mary's Church, and the old Church of Ireland (now in ruins) in the Demesne are shown.
The Market House is one of the earliest buildings in Westport. Often attributed to James Wyatt, it was actually designed by William Leeson.
The Westport branch of the Bank of Ireland established in 1826 by George Clendining was one of the earliest branches of the bank outside Dublin. The Bank took the lease on this townhouse in 1851. [ 13 ] The building is now the Credit Union.
The Octagon Monument was first erected to honour George Clendining in 1845. The present-day statue by sculptor Ken Thompson depicts Saint Patrick and was erected on Saint Patrick's Day 1990.
Brigadier General Joe Ring, from Drumindoo, Westport, captured Rosmoney Coastguard Station and took part in the seaborne capture of Westport by the new National Army in 1922. He was killed on 24th September 1922 in the Battle of the Ox Mountains. [ 15 ]
East view of Westport House
Art-Deco Clock tower (1947) in the town centre is a landmark meeting-spot in Westport. [ 30 ] The Heart of Westport phone box adjacent to the Clock has a public-access defibrillator (AED). [ 31 ]
Clew Bay with Clare Island
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Holy Trinity Anglican Church was designed by Sir Thomas Newenham Deane (1827-99).
Memorial for the Clew Bay Drowning
Panoramic view of Westport as seen from the Castlebar side, showing Croagh Patrick (left background) and Clare Island (right background)