Opening TimesThe Family History Research UnitOpen all year Monday - Friday: 9.30 - 16.00

All other attractions:Open from 1st of April to the 31st of OctoberMonday - Friday: 11.00 - 17.00Saturday - Sunday & Bank Holidays: 13.30 - 17.30

LocationLocated just 4.5km south of the village of Crossmolina on the R315 route to Castlebar town, it is approximately 20km from Ballina and 60km from Knock International Airport.

GPS coordinates for Mayo North Heritage Centre:Latitude: 54.070482Longitude: -9.311686

ContactThe North Mayo Heritage CentreEnniscoe, Castlehill, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland.Tel: +353 (0) 96 31809Email: northmayo@gmail.comwww.northmayogenealogy.com Find us on Facebook

The North Mayo Heritage Centre is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the region.

March - December 2017

Exhibitions & Events

MuseumThe Museum contains many original domestic and agricultural artifacts from Mayo. Most of which havecome from local homes, businesses and farms in the area. These include an original horse drawn trap, a set of carpentry and blacksmith tools and a poitin still.

The centre is a member of the Irish Museums Association and of the Museums of Mayo group.

The Mayo North Old Engine and Tractor ClubThe club was founded in 1999 with the intention of providing a meeting place for folk interested in oldmachinery of all types, and the preservation of bygone skills. It meets in Enniscoe Heritage Centre on the second Tuesday of each month. Virtually every type of motor vehicle is represented, from motorcycles to lorries.

ExhibitionsAll exhibitions are open to the public and are free of charge.

EventsGarden Open Day 18th MarchEaster Egg Hunt 16th AprilTractor Day 16th JulyHeritage week 19th - 27th AugustChristmas Market 16th & 17th December

Western Ways

25th June - 27th August

The magic of photography is that an image taken by a photographer years ago can retain for us today all the freshness and vitality that the artist perceived originally in that scene, and yet we see it years later when we live in quite a different world, where sometimes the subject matter of the photograph no longer exists or has been forgotten.

The photographs of County Mayo included in this exhibition are just such images. They were taken in the late 1930s and early 1940s by Helen Hooker, an American sculptor and photographer, and by her husband Castlebar-born, Ernie O’Malley, who was a notable military leader in the Irish struggle for independence after 1916.

Organised with Mayo County Library and Cormac O’Malley.

Buildings of County Mayo

9th October - 31st October

This touring photographic exhibition promotes the publication of the Mayo survey of the post 1700 built heritage of the county by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. The North Mayo Heritage Centre has been selected to host this exhibition as the Centre demonstrates good practice in the conservation-led adaptive re-use of historic buildings and their potential to become an integral part of the Crossmolina community.

Organised with Mayo County Council, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

A nip against the cold

1st September - 1st October

Distilling has always been considered a birthright by the Irish, and the introduction of a tax on the Poitin(illegal Whiskey) in the 17th century caused a centuries-long conflict between the “Moonshiners” (illicit Distillers) and the Excisemen who enforced the tax collection. In 1781, private distillation was banned by the UK government, and excisemen were allowed to seize the Poitin, poitin-making equipment, and even horses and vehicles used for its transportation. Poitin may not be made in the same quantities of old but the history and tradition of brewing and distilling created global brands.

Organised with the Nephin Distillery and Reel Deal Brewery.

The Toys We Grew Up With

16th - 17th December

A thing of beauty really is a joy forever and the truth of that is borne out with this trip down memory lane as this exhibition will showcase many toys, books, board games, dolls and teddies from our childhood. All the exhibits in this collection will be on loan from the people living nearby. All of them have their own story to tell and memories for their owners.

Organised with the Crossmolina Community and the people of North Mayo.

Tall Tales & Deadly Drawings

5th May – 17th June

Ireland is a country of stories and storytellers. Over the years, the stories that have been written down have made their home on the shelves of the libraries and in homes. Tall Tales and Deadly Drawings recalls the books that have inspired over the generations. This exhibition celebrates storytelling, books and reading.

Organised with the National Library of Ireland, Mayo County Council and a number of private collectors.

Heritage Irish Plants

17th March – 28th April

This exhibition features the work of artists from the Irish Society of Botanical Artists (ISBA), and includes both wild and cultivated plants from Ireland and overseas. Based at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, the ISBA aims to facilitate interaction amongst botanical artists in Ireland to inspire and encourage botanical art in Ireland. In the few short years since its founding the Society has run two highly successful projects associated with Irish plants and Irish botanical art. The first was Aibítir/The Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art, the second was Heritage Irish Plants/Plandaí Oidhreachta.

Website: www.irishbotanicalartists.ieOrganised with the National Botanic Gardens and the Irish Society of Botanical artists.