Mayo, County Mayo

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Mayo

Maigh Eó
Village
Mayo Abbey in December 2010
Mayo Abbey in December 2010
Mayo is located in Ireland
Mayo
Mayo
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°45′44″N 9°07′12″W / 53.7622°N 9.1200°W / 53.7622; -9.1200Coordinates: 53°45′44″N 9°07′12″W / 53.7622°N 9.1200°W / 53.7622; -9.1200
CountryIreland
ProvinceConnacht
CountyCounty Mayo
Elevation
72 m (236 ft)
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceM262796

Mayo or Mayo Abbey (Irish: Maigh Eo, meaning 'plain of the yew trees') is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. Although it bears the same name as the county, it is not the county seat, which is Castlebar. Mayo Abbey is a small historic village in south Mayo approximately 16 km to the south of Castlebar and 10 km north west of Claremorris.

History[]

The village was an important centre in the Gaelic and Anglo-Saxon Christian world in the seventh and eighth centuries. St. Colmán, Bishop of Lindisfarne, founded a monastery here for a group of Saxon monks, called the School of Mayo. Saint Gerald became its first abbot in 670. Danish raiders attacked the monastery in 783 and again in 805.[1] Finally Turgesius completely destroyed it in 818 [1]

The village was the centre of the diocese of Mayo from 1152. It was suppressed in the thirteenth century.[2] Bishops were appointed, however, as late as the sixteenth century.[2] One of its bishops, Patrick O'Hely, who died in 1589, is numbered among the Irish martyr saints.[2] The diocese was formally joined to Tuam by papal decree in 1631.[2]

Culture[]

The BBC four-part documentary Amongst Women was filmed in Mayo Abbey using the Old Catholic Church, the graveyard and the post office/shop.

Sport[]

Mayo Gaels is the local Gaelic football team. They compete at all underage levels as well as senior and junior football.

Annalistic references[]

  • 726 - Gerald, of Magh Eo, died on the 13th of March.
  • 726 - Muireadhach, son of Indreachtach, was slain; he was Bishop of Magh Eo.
  • 905 - The oratory of Magh-eo was burned.
  • M1209.1. Kele O'Duffy, Bishop of Mayo of the Saxons ... died.
  • M1478.1. The Bishop O'Higgin, i.e. Bishop of Mayo-na-Saxon, died.

See also[]

  • List of towns and villages in Ireland
  • List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Mayo)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b The Heritage of Mayo by Áine Ní Cheanáinn 3rd edition 1988, page 94
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam history site

External links[]

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