Heritage & Culture
Near The 4 Star Ballina Manor Hotel
County Mayo stretches beyond Ireland and has a long history of emigration, reaching North America, Canada, Australia and across Europe to mention a few. While we all think of the Great Famine as the main reason for emigration in Ireland, emigration has been part of our history across many decades where the Irish have sought out adventure and career opportunities overseas.
Discovering your Heritage in Mayo
Discovering more about your heritage is always interesting and many of our guests staying with us in Ballina Manor Hotel visit the North Mayo Heritage Centre. The North Mayo Heritage Centre is just 15 minutes’ drive from Ballina and is located on the beautiful grounds of Enniscoe House. Connect with the past and get a hands-on experience of the Irish culture and genealogy at the Heritage Centre. The Family History Research Unit at the centre will help you to better understand more about your genealogy. Who knows you may discover you are connected to a celebrity or two!
Did you know that 22 American presidents have traced roots back to Ireland and that the current and 46th president of the United States Joe Biden‘s ancestral home is right here in Ballina?
If you wish to do some advanced work on finding out more about your family history, you can search records online or complete a form for the heritage centre to complete some research for you before your stay with us. The centre offers amazing gardens, a specialist book shop, exhibitions, a museum, a café and Enniscoe House which is referred to as the “last great house of North Mayo”. Discover More
The Jackie Clarke Collection is another gem in Ballina and where you can get a real feel of what it is to be Irish. The collection is the most important private collection of Irish History items spanning over 400 years with over 100,000 items. Delight in pieces associated with Theobald Wolfe Tone, Michael Collins & Michael Davitt along with rare books, proclamations and even some personal items of the 1916 Easter Rising leaders. Specialist tours of the Jackie Clarke Collection can be booked in advance of your visit Find out More
