Murrisk


Murrisk is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, on the south side of Clew Bay, about 8 km west of Westport and 4 km east of Lecanvey.
Murrisk lies at the foot of Croagh Patrick and is the starting-point for pilgrims who visit the mountain. Every year, on the last Sunday of July, thousands of people converge on the village to make the pilgrimage. There is a small interpretative centre in the village, which focuses on Croagh Patrick.
The name is also used for the entire district south to the fjord of Killary Harbour. This barony runs from Westport and also includes Louisburgh and Lecanvey; there is also at least one abandoned village, Uggool.

Transport

Road

Murrisk is located on the R335 regional road.
Bus Éireann local route 450 Louisburgh-Lecanvey-Murrisk-Westport provides two to three journeys in each direction daily except Sundays. On Thursdays the route extends west to Killadoon.

Rail

The nearest train station is Westport railway station approximately distant.

Places of interest

The ruined Murrisk Abbey just to the seaward side of the village was an Augustinian abbey founded in 1457 by the O'Malley family. It was suppressed in the Reformation, but survived for some time.
Murrisk is also the site of Ireland's National Famine Memorial, designed by Irish artist John Behan, which abstractly resembles a coffin ship filled with dying people. The monument was unveiled in July 1997 by President Mary Robinson.

Religion

Murrisk is part of both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland parishes of Oughaval. Catholic records consist of marriages and baptisms and Church of Ireland records of baptisms, marriages and burials. These records are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre in Ballinrobe which is 32 km southeast of Westport.