Ballinrobe

Ballinrobe (Irish: Baile an Róba, meaning "town of the (river) Robe") is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. The population in the 2011 Census was 3,682.

History

Early history

Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose restored ruins are one of the landmarks of the town today. The District Courtroom is housed in the old Market House, a marketing centre for local produce established in 1752.

Its development into an important economic centre was due to a Royal Patent granted to the people of Ballinrobe on 6 December 1606 by King James. This allowed the town to hold fairs and markets. Obtaining a market charter was an important step in the economic development of a town and required having a spokesperson who was in the king's favour. The town became the largest and most important in the area.