- Ballintubber
Infobox Irish Place
name = Ballintubber
gaeilge = Baile an Tobair
crest
motto =
map
pin coords = left: 78px; top: 84px
north coord = 53.7333 | west coord = 9.3000 | irish grid = M142767
area = | elevation = 64 m
province =Connacht
county =County Mayo
population = | town pop = - | rural pop = 345
census yr = 2002
web = |Ballintubber or Ballintober ( _ga. Baile an Tobair) is an ancient
village inCounty Mayo , Ireland, famous forBallintubber Abbey which was founded in 1216. The Irish translation is "Town of the Well". Set against the backdrop of the Partry Mountains, the countryside of Ballintubber is rich in history and historical sites including Ballintubber Abbey, Mayo Abbey and the round tower atAghagower .History
The history of Ballintubber dates back to pre-Christian times, when people came from the east, through Ballintubber, on the way to a Druid site located on the West Coast, now called
Croagh Patrick . WhenSaint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland circa 432 A.D., he founded a church at Ballintubber. The present Ballintubber Abbey was founded in 1216 by King Cathal O'Conor. It is the only church in Ireland still in daily use which was founded by an Irish king.Fact|date=February 2007 Church records for Balintubber and Burriscarra parish commenced in 1839 and are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre inBallinrobe .Other Ballintubbers
There is a Ballintubber or Ballintubbert, in
County Laois ,Ireland , whereCecil Day-Lewis , EnglishPoet Laureate (1968-72) and father of actorDaniel Day-Lewis , was born in 1904, in the rectory. This house was later owned by the actorJohn Hurt . This Ballintubber is 7 kilometers from the town ofAthy .There is also a
Ballintober, County Roscommon , 6 kilometers from the town ofCastlerea . It contains a reasonably well preserved remains of a stone castle first mentioned in writing in 1311. It is not recorded who built the castle, but the builders may either be theNormans , or the O'Conor family who ruled Connaught at various times during the last two millennia. It is said that King Cathal O'Connor called for an abbey to be built at Ballintubber.Fact|date=June 2007 However, his workers built the abbey at Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon and not Ballintubber, County Mayo. Fact|date=June 2007 When O'Connor discovered this, he ordered that a greater and grander abbey be built in the correct Ballintubber, located in Co. Mayo.Fact|date=June 2007ee also
*
List of towns in the Republic of Ireland External links
* [http://www.ballintubbergaa.com Ballintubber GAA Club]
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