Mayo has a rich archaeological and historical past. The county itself only got its name as recently as the 16th century when Queen Elizabeth's Lord Deputy in Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney, undertook the shiring of the province of Connaught.

The name Mayo comes for the diocese which evolved from a famous monastery established by Saint Colman and a group of English monks at a place now known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo is a rural county with a population of 110,713. Since the great famine of 1845-49, emigration has played a great role in the history of the county. The following chronology gives a guide to some of the developments which shaped the history of the county.

Pre History 8000BC - 400AD

8000-6000BC The first farmers arrived in Ireland.

3500-2000BC NEW STONE AGE

Extensive settlement in County Mayo. Over 10 per cent of megalithic tombs of the period are found in Mayo

.2000-400BC THE BRONZE AGE

Wedge tombs, standing stones, cooking sites and evidence of human habitation can be seen on the Mayo landscape.

400BC-400AD EARLY IRON AGE

Crannogs, ring forts and other archaeological finds of the area can be seen around Co Mayo.

Early Christian Period 400AD-1100AD

400-500AD

Christianity comes to Ireland. St Patrick spent time in Mayo and is associated with sites like Croagh Patrick, Aghagower, Ballintubber and Foghill near Killala.

627 St Feichin founded a monastery at Cong. Mayo Abbey founded by St Colman. Other monastic sites like Balla, Killala, Turlough established in later years.

795 The Norsemen arrived. Round towers erected many years later for protection and as belfries. Fine example at Killala, near Ballina and Turlough, near Castlebar.

The Medieval Period 1100-1600 AD

1120 - Cong Abbey founded.
1123 - The cross of Cong made.
1152 - Synod of Kells. Diocese of Mayo established.
1169 - The Normans arrived in Ireland.
1216 - Ballintubber Abbey founded.
!220 - Carmelite Friary founded on Clare Island
1235 - Mayo conquered by the Normans. These names are now familiar surnames: Burke, Bourke, Prendergast, Jennings, Davitt, Staunton, Gibbons, Costello and Gordon.

1240-1348 Friaries at Straide,Rathfarn, Ballinasmall, Burriscarra, Ballinrobe and Ballyhaunis.
1410-1470 Foundation of friaries at Errew, Urlaur, Rosserk, Moyne and Burrishole.
1517 The Reformation - suppression of the monasteries.
1540-43 Policy of surrender and regrant, which changed the Irish inheritance laws in favour of English ones.
1570 Battle at Shrule. Mayo burkes against the Governer of Connaught.
1570 Mayo established as a county.
1585 The Composition of Connaught.
1588 Defeat of the Spanish Armada. Ships from the Armada were wrecked along Broad Haven and Blacksod bay.

17th and 18th Centuries

1601 The Battle of Kinsale. Followed by rapid decline of the Gaelic civilisation.
1611 Castlebar granted a burrough charter.
1631 Mayo diocese absorbed into Tuam.
1653 Cromwells soldiers plundered Mayo.
1695-1727 The Penal Laws against Catholics enacted.
1729 Foundation of Ballina.
1730 Erection of Westport House.
1795 Start of Ulster migration to Mayo.
1798 The year of the French. The French arrived at Killcummin Bay and captured Killala, Ballina and Castlebar. The races of Castlebar defeat at Ballinamuck, Co Longford. Massacres in Mayo consequently.

19th Century

1800 The Act of Union.
1827 The Mayo Telegraph launched.
1829 Catholics emancipated.
1831 National school system started.
1838 Poor relief act.
1845-49 The Great Famine. Over 100,000 people died in Mayo and a similar number emigrated.
1846 Birth of Michael Davitt. Land rights activist.
1860 The Party evictions.
1863 Claremorris Railway Station opened.
1879 Irishtown meeting regarding land rents. Land agitation led by Michael Davitt and others. Mayo land league founded. National land league founded.
1879 Apparition at Knock.
1879-82 The Land War. Mayo featured prominently. Land Laegue spearheaded the boycotting of captain boycott, a notorious land agent origin of the term to boycott.
1882 Kilmainham Treaty in land War. The Western People founded.
1891 The congested districts board established to help poverty and overcrowding in overpopulated areas.
1892 Foxford woollen mills opened.
1898 Local government reform. Mayo county council established.

20th Century

1903 Land purchase act for tenants.
1916 Easter rising for independence.
1919-21 The war of Independence.
1921 Anglo Irish Treaty.
1936 Mayo won the All Ireland Senior Football Championship for the first time.
50-51 Mayo won the all Ireland senior football championship in both years.
1951 The film the Quiet Man directed by John Ford and starring Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne made at Cong.
1966 Ballintubber Abbey celebrated its 750th Anniversary.
1976 Opening of the Basilica of our Lady, Queen of Ireland, at Knock.
1978 Allergan Pharmaceuticals established at Westport.
1979 Pope John Paul 11 visited Knock.
1984 Opening of Davitt museum in Straide.
1986 Opening of Knock international airport.
1990 First world convention of Mayo held in Westport.
1992 Opening of Foxford woollen mills visiting centre.
1993 Opening of the Ceide fields visiting centre. Mayo celebrates five thousand years of rural civilisation.
1994 Start of regional technical college campus in Castlebar.
1995 The Prince of Wales visits Delphi near Louisburg.
1998 Bicentenary of French landing at Killala. Tony Blair, British Prime Minister visits Cong, Co Mayo.