Welcome to Visit Castlebar. The website that has everything you need to know during your time visiting Castlebar.
Out and about
Castlebar’s history can be traced back almost 800 years to the thirteenth century de Barra family. The family were Norman settlers and the castle they constructed here in 1235 lent it’s name to the town, Castlebar – the castle of Barry. It is a vibrant commercial town and new developments are constantly opening to cater for the increasing number of businesses and services wishing to locate here.
There are hundreds of attractions and things to do in the municipal for someone visiting Castlebar. First of all, you can visit many museums (Turlough, Davitt, Jack’s Cottage, Celtic Furrow, Clogher Heritage, Eviction Cottage, etc). Similarly, visit a castle (Ashford Castle is not far from the town), go for a swim (new swimming pool just opened with the most up-to-date facilities in Ireland), go for a walk (the greenway goes to Turlough along with the oldest walking festival in Ireland held here every July). Likewise, we have forest and wood walks, probably our speciality, with Rahins, Tourmakeady, Moorehall all with a short drive of the town. In contrast, if the outdoors are not for you, there are indoor children’s play areas, a bowling alley, a seven-screen cinema and also fantastic pubs and bars to meet the locals. Even more exciting, listen to the finest of Irish music and enjoy the surroundings.
Festivals
Castlebar is certainly a centre for many family-friendly festivals hosted throughout the year from St. Patrick’s Day to Mayo International Choral Festival, we have something for everyone and best of all, most of our festivals are free!
Love Lannagh is an interactive, all-inclusive children’s festival based around our lake Lough Lannagh. Not forgetting that one of Ireland’s oldest walking festivals is here in Castlebar, the world famous Castlebar International Four Days Walks. Our newest festival, Wild Atlantic Words, is now one of Ireland’s premier book festivals. Castlebar is home to the “Gathering Event Of The Year, 2013”, In Humbert’s Footsteps as well as the annual Mayo Street Food Festival.
Castlebar hosts up to fifty different events per year!
Still wondering what to do?
- Have a night out in Castlebar Comedy Club!
- Shake your legs social dancing each week.
- Live music – 7 days a week from traditional, pop, blues, folk and more.
- Go shopping in a family-owned shop to high-street brands.
- Take in a show at the Linenhall or Tf Royal Theatre.
- Learn about local history from a walking tour with Brian Hoban.
- Visit Mayo Memorial Peace Park and find out about Mayo’s contribution to peace.
- Take a walk around Lough Lannagh or join the weekly run around the lake.
- Walk through a former cricket ground, The Mall.
- Visit Castlebar’s Saturday local artist and craft market.
- Take a self-guided tour of the town with a copy of ‘A Stroll Through Castlebar’.
- Call into us for a visit at the tourist office.
Who are we?
Visit Castlebar is a voluntary organisation which is dedicated to boosting tourism by promoting the beauty of our area as well as creating, hosting and helping others organise events in the town. Moreover, we hope to attract everyone from visitors to holiday makers, locals to neighbours. In order to enhance the visitor experience, we depend on the local community to help us through volunteering, goodwill, sharing of information or simply attending the events.