History
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Anquity[edit]
The 5th century saw the construction of Turlough Abbey near Castlebar.
Medieval period[edit]
In the early medieval period, the Castlebar area was dominated by Gaelic clans, notably the Quinns (Ó Coinn), who lent their name to the parish of Aglishcowane, meaning "Church of Ó Coinn". The area featured crannogs and ringforts, indicative of early settlement patterns.
The Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century brought significant changes. By 1235, the invading de Barra (Barry) family had established a castle on the banks of the Castlebar River, around which the town developed. This castle, known as Caisleán an Bharraigh, gave the town its name. The de Barra's stronghold later came under the control of the de Burgo (Burke) family, who faced challenges from other clans and English forces. The castle was located at the end of Castle Street, where the town river is thought to have originally flowed.
In 1586, Sir John Bingham was granted the castle by his brother Sir Richard Bingham, the Governor of Connacht, marking the beginning of English administrative influence and the start of the Bingham baronets of Castlebar, who would rule Castlebar for generations.
The town was granted a charter of incorporation in 1613 by James I of England. Under the charter the town had a portreeve (mayor) and a fifteen-member corporation and was entitled to elect two members to the Parliament of Ireland.
18th century[edit]
The Linen Hall, established as a clearing house for local linen materials, was completed in 1790.
Races of Castlebar[edit]
Print depicting the "Castlebar Races" of 1798Following the Races of Castlebar, Castlebar became a part of the short-lived "Republic of Connacht"
Armed conflict has been the centrepiece of the town's historical heritage. French forces under the command of General Jean Humbert aided in a rout of the British garrison in the town during the failed Irish Rebellion of 1798, which was so comprehensive it would later be known as "The Races of Castlebar". A short-lived provisional Irish Republic had been declared upon General Humbert's arrival at Killala. Following the victory at Castlebar John Moore, head of the Mayo United Irishmen and the brother of a local landowner, was declared president of the Province of Connacht. His remains are today interred in a corner of the town green, known as the Mall
19th century[edit]
Castlebar, circa 1880
Castlebar Military Barracks was established in 1834: it was finally closed in March 2012 and the buildings and grounds have been purchased by the local town and county councils.
During the mid-19th Century (including the period of the Great Irish famine), George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan became known as "The Exterminator" for his ruthless actions against his tenants in the Castlebar area. The third Lord Lucan earned his nickname by carrying out mass evictions of tenants who were unable to pay rent. This period saw widespread starvation in the area, leading to the deaths of thousands and the emigration of many more. In contrast, the fourth Earl was a more favourable figure locally. He lowered rents, donated land for schools and the Catholic church, and his successor, George Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan, gifted the town centre park, known as the Mall, to the people of Castlebar in 1922.
The Irish National Land League was founded by Michael Davitt, of Straide in County Mayo, at the Imperial Hotel in Castlebar on 21 October 1879. The Land League sought to directly challenge Anglo-Irish landlords such as the Binghams and fought for tenants rights.
20th century[edit]
Western Hat Factory and Little Jerusalem[edit]
In 1939, Castlebar became a refuge for Jews escaping Central Europe. Members of that community established the Western Hat Factory, officially opened on 1 May 1940 under the direction of Franz Schmolka, a Slovak Jewish industrialist. The factory became one of the most significant employers in the town, at its height providing work for up to 270 people. It operated entirely on turf-generated steam and was considered a pioneering model of sustainable, locally-powered industry for its time. The Bishop of Galway Michael Browne blessed the factory and encouraged local Catholic women to purchase hats from the factory to wear to mass instead of headscarves.
The factory was part of a broader effort by the Irish government, led by then-Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass, to attract Jewish refugees with industrial expertise to revitalise Ireland's underdeveloped western counties. Schmolka and Irish Jewish businessman Marcus Witztum, along with other Jewish entrepreneurs from Austria, France, and Czechoslovakia, were granted permission to relocate both personnel and equipment to Ireland. Witztum used the opportunity to helps Jews escape Nazi persecultion. Around thirty Jewish families came to Castlebar during this period, many of whom settled in the Blackfort area on the Newport Road. This neighbourhood became informally known as “Little Jerusalem”.
Following the end of World War II, the Jewish population in Castlebar began to decline. Some families returned to continental Europe, while others moved to Dublin or emigrated elsewhere.
The hat factory continued to operate until the 1980s, remaining a central part of Castlebar’s industrial landscape for over four decades. The Factory provided stable employment for local families and was a major contributor to the town’s post-war economy. The factory produced a range of high-quality felt hats, many of which were exported abroad. During its peak years in the 1940s and 1950s, the factory employed up to 270 workers. The technical expertise of the founders, combined with local labour and raw materials such as turf and wool, made the factory a rare success story in a region otherwise beset by emigration and limited industrial development.
By the 1970s, however, changing fashion trends, global competition, and the decline of the felt hat industry led to a gradual downturn in business. In 1981 the Western Hat Factory closed its doors.
21st century[edit]
Since the early 1990s, Castlebar has experienced a surge in growth, marked by a sharp rise in population, the construction of new housing estates, and a broadening of its role as the administrative and commercial centre of Mayo. By the late 1990s, commentators were already noting that Castlebar was bucking the wider trend of underdevelopment in the west, thriving at the expense of smaller surrounding towns and villages. The Celtic Tiger economy accelerated this shift. National and local media described Castlebar as one of Ireland’s fastest-growing regional towns. Reports highlighted its transformation from a traditional market centre into a major shopping destination, with the arrival of Aldi, Tesco and Dunnes Stores in the town centre and record retail figures in the early 2000s. The town also attracted significant industrial employers, such as Baxter, Volex (employing 970 people in the town at its peak) and American Power Conversion, while large-scale public investments, including the redevelopment of Castlebar Courthouse and the expansion of educational and healthcare services, reinforced its status as a county hub. The official town boundary was extended in 2001, contributing to the recorded population increase, from 7,648 in 1991 to 11,371 in 2002. The opening of the National Museum of Country Life at nearby Turlough also contributed to the town's upswing.
But after the Great Recession, Castlebar faced significant economic challenges. Major employers such as Volex and American Power Conversion announced large-scale redundancies and eventual closures, dealing heavy blows to its industrial base.
