Mayo, County Mayo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mayo
Maigh Eo
|
|
|---|---|
|
Village
|
|
.jpg)
Mayo Abbey in December 2010
|
|
 Mayo
Location in Ireland
|
|
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M262796 |
Mayo or Mayo Abbey is a small village in County Mayo, Ireland. Its Irish name, Maigh Eo, means "plain of the yew trees". Even though it shares its name with the county, Mayo Abbey is not the main town of the county. That would be Castlebar.
Mayo Abbey is a historic village located in the southern part of County Mayo. It is about 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Castlebar. It is also about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of Claremorris. The village is part of a larger area known as a civil parish with the same name.
Contents
Exploring Mayo Abbey's History
Mayo Abbey was a very important place for Christians in the 600s and 700s. It was a key center for both Irish and Anglo-Saxon Christian groups.
The Founding of a Monastery
Saint Colmán, who was a bishop from Lindisfarne, started a special monastery here. He founded it for a group of monks from England, known as the School of Mayo. Saint Gerald became the first leader, or abbot, of this monastery in the year 670.
Attacks and Destruction
Sadly, the monastery faced many attacks. Viking raiders from Denmark attacked it in 783 and again in 805. Later, a Viking leader named Turgesius completely destroyed the monastery in 818.
The Diocese of Mayo
From 1152, Mayo Abbey became the center of its own church area, called the diocese of Mayo. This diocese was officially closed in the 1200s. However, leaders (bishops) were still chosen for it as late as the 1500s. One of these bishops, Patrick O'Hely, died in 1589 and is remembered as an Irish martyr saint. In 1631, the Mayo diocese was officially joined with the larger Tuam diocese by a special church decision.
Culture and Filming in Mayo Abbey
Mayo Abbey has even been featured on television! The BBC made a four-part TV show called Amongst Women. Parts of this documentary were filmed right in Mayo Abbey. They used the old Catholic Church, the graveyard, and the local post office/shop as filming locations.
Sports in Mayo Abbey
The local Gaelic football team is called Mayo Gaels. Gaelic football is a popular Irish sport. The Mayo Gaels team has groups for all ages, from younger players to senior and junior adult teams.
