Ballyhaunis
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Ballyhaunis Béal Átha hAmhnais
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Ballyhaunis Friary
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 Ballyhaunis
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| Coordinates: 53°46′00″N 8°46′00″W / 53.7667°N 8.7667°WCoordinates: 53°46′00″N 8°46′00″W / 53.7667°N 8.7667°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Elevation | 89 m (292 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 3,056 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M498794 |
| Website | www |
Ballyhaunis (Irish: Béal Átha hAmhnais, meaning "ford-mouth of strife") is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line linking Dublin to Westport and Ballina.
It is thought that the town grew up around St Mary's Augustinian Friary (popularly referred to as "the Abbey"), which was founded in 1348, according to local tradition. The town and its hinterland is steeped in history and contains many megalithic monuments.
In the 2011 Census, Ballyhaunis had a population of 2,312. Non-Irish nationals make up 42% of its population, which is much higher than the national average and is the highest of any town in Ireland.Poles and Pakistanis make up the largest groups of immigrants. Meanwhile, White Irish people make up 40% of the population. There are two Catholic churches in the town and it is also home to Ireland's only purpose-built mosque outside Dublin. Farming, private business and industry are the main sources of employment.
Ballyhaunis is within both the Roman Catholic and civil parishes of Annagh.
On 2 August 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) ambushed a British Army lorry on the Claremorris road from Ballyhaunis, seizing weapons and ammunition. A high cross marks the spot of the ambush. On 1 April 1921, Sean Corcoran, O/C of the IRA's East Mayo Brigade, was shot dead by British soldiers after a short gunfight at Crossard crossroads (6 km north of Ballyhaunis). A high cross marks the spot where Corcoran died. Later that same day, a member of the British Black and Tans was killed by a sniper. In retaliation, the Black and Tans executed Michael Coen, a man that was later proven not to have taken part in fighting of any kind. A monument to Coen was placed on the Cloonfad/Galway road from Ballyhaunis.
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Wikipedia