Ballyhaunis

Infobox Irish Place
name = Ballyhaunis
gaeilge = Béal Átha hAmhnais
crest

motto = ""
map

pin coords = left: 119px; top: 79px
north coord = 53.7667 | west coord = 8.7667 | irish grid = M498794
area = | elevation = 73 m
province = Connacht
county = County Mayo
population = | town pop = 1,381 | rural pop = 2,149
census yr = 2002
web = |

Ballyhaunis (lga|Béal Átha hAmhnais) is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina.

It is thought that the town grew up around St Mary's Augustinian Friary, founded in 1348. The town and the surrounding hinterland is steeped in history and contains one of the highest concentrations of megalithic monuments in the West of Ireland.Fact|date=February 2007

The population of Ballyhaunis today is about 2,000. The town is a mixed community where farming, private business and industry are the main sources of employment.

Over the years, Ballyhaunis has become a cosmopolitan area. Even prior to Ireland's recent period of economic growth, there were children of at least seven nationalities attending schools in the town. These included Pakistani, Syrian, Russian, English, Polish and Lithuanian. In recent times more nationalities have been attracted to Ballyhaunis, with immigrants from several countries in Africa and Eastern Europe now settled in the area. This is illustrated by the fact that, as well as two Catholic churches, the town is also home to Ireland's only purpose built mosque outside Dublin, which is the most westerly mosque in Europe. The results of the 2006 census showed that some 36% of Ballyhaunis residents are non-Irish.

Media

*Midwest Radio is based at Ballyhaunis. It is a local radio station for Counties Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim.
*It has also a dedicated internet radio, Midwest Irish Radio.

Transport

*Ballyhaunis railway station opened on 1 October 1861. [cite web | title=Ballyhaunis station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-06]

Twinning

Ballyhaunis is twinned with the town of Guilers in France.

ee also

*List of towns in the Republic of Ireland

References