Ballycastle’s story
Old homes in Ballycastle: 16% built before 1919
The register holds 10 buildings on the National Inventory in Ballycastle.
- 1797Ballycastle House
- 1797House, Ballycastle
- 1825Saint John's Church (Doonfeeny)
BallycastleCo. Mayo
This town in Co. Mayo has a population of 220.
Photo: Oliver Dixon · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
220
CSO, Census 2022 · Mayo County Council
Median age
56.2
36% are 65+ · Co. Mayo 14%
Degree level
17%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
9%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Ballycastle a good place to live?
The median sale, €193,100, comes to 5.6 times what the median household here earns. 36% of residents are 65 or over. The car is not the only way to work here: 9% of commuters walk, cycle or use public transport. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 10 buildings here.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Ballycastle falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.
What makes Ballycastle stand out
The 3 things Ballycastle does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
36% are 65 or over
The median of Irish towns: 14%
CSO, Census 2022
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
10 buildings on the national inventory
9.4 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ballycastle.
Natural hazards
An estimated 20% of Ballycastle’s homes have radon above the reference level
Ballycastle’s nearest bathing water is Ross Beach, Killala, 12 km away, rated excellent in 2025. Radon: 100% of homes are in high-radon areas, close to Co. Mayo’s towns (97%) and above Irish towns (0%). No part of Ballycastle is mapped as high landslide susceptibility.
100%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas100%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
| Share of homes | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 97% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.1% | 0% |
20%
of homes over the radon level
12 km
to Ross Beach, Killala bathing water (excellent)
193
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Ballycastle has cooler summers than Co. Mayo’s towns or Irish towns: July highs of 17.3°C
A January night in Ballycastle drops to 3.1°C on average, above both Co. Mayo’s towns (2.6°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C). Over twelve months, Ballycastle averages 9.7°C. Also worth knowing: a year brings 1,607 mm of rain to Ballycastle.
17.3°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.4°C
Spring12.0°C
Summer17.0°C
Autumn13.1°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 17.3°C | 18.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,607 mm | 1,314 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.7°C | 9.9°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 3.1°C | 2.6°C | 2.9°C |
17.3°C
July high
3.1°C
January low
1,607 mm
Rain a year
195 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Fewer people in Ballycastle say their health is good than in Co. Mayo’s towns or across Irish towns: 78%
Unpaid caring falls to nearly a tenth of Ballycastle’s residents, and on top of that 31% of residents have a disability, higher than both Co. Mayo’s towns (21%) and Irish towns (22%). At the census, 3.3% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. In the HSE West and North West health region, 34% of people hold a medical card.
78%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 78%Fair 19%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 78% | 87% | 88% |
| With a disability | 31% | 21% | 22% |
| Unpaid carers | 8.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 2.4% | 2% |
110
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Mayo 130
106
disability per 100 expected · Co. Mayo 100
84.5 · 79.7
life expectancy, women · men, the West region, 2016
34%
hold a medical card, HSE West and North West
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
More households in Ballycastle live in social housing than in Co. Mayo’s towns or Irish towns: 33%
Owners make up 52% of households, near Co. Mayo’s towns (54%) and lower than Irish towns (61%). Private tenants account for 11% of households.
€193Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Ballycastle€193K
Co. Mayo€190K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 33% | 12% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 11% | 34% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €193K | €190K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 52% | 54% | 61% |
52%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
11%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,117
a month on new tenancies, County Mayo
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area F26, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
The Western Way - Mayo runs through Ballycastle
Within 5 km, 10% is sea, above both Co. Mayo’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%). Every 1,000 residents of Ballycastle share 0.2 ha of green space.
0%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Ballycastle0.2 ha
Co. Mayo2.6 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 0% | 85% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 0% | 3.2% | 2.7% |
| Sea within 5 km | 10% | 0% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 0.6 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
0.2 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
4.5%
Protected for nature
10%
The sea
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Work & commute
Trips to work from Ballycastle take longer than from Co. Mayo’s towns or Irish towns: 33.7 min on average
Unemployment stood at 17%, above both Co. Mayo’s towns (11%) and Irish towns (9.2%). Employment among 15- to 64-year-olds stood at 60% at the census. The average household earns €34,530 a year before tax.
9%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van79%
Walk6%
Bus3%
| Census 2022 | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 33.7 min | 20.8 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 17% | 11% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 60% | 67% | 68% |
| Median household income | €34,530 | €49,791 | €57,760 |
€34,530
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Mayo €48,665
12%
worked mainly from home, 2022
18%
trips of an hour or more
4,861
on the Live Register, County Mayo, September 2026
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Ballycastle than in Co. Mayo’s towns or Irish towns: 10% are under 15
17% of adults hold a degree, below both Co. Mayo’s towns (31%) and Irish towns (36%). One measure of its mix: 16% of residents were born abroad.
56.2median age
BallycastleCo. MayoIreland
Ages · share of residents
36%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none22%
Lower secondary19%
Leaving Cert40%
Diploma or cert3%
Degree or higher17%
Women and men · all residents
52.3% of Ballycastle’s residents are women
115 women and 105 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 10% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 36% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 22% | 9.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 40% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 3.1% | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 17% | 31% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Mayo and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Ballina had one of the highest turnouts at the 2024 local elections
58% of voters turned out at the last local elections. There is just one council for Ballycastle, Mayo County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. The general election drew a turnout of 64%. Mayo County Council has no ruling majority: Fine Gael hold 10 of its 30 seats, short of the 16 needed.
10/30seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Mayo County · June 2024
Fine Gael10
Fianna Fáil10
Independent7
Sinn Féin1
Independent Ireland1
Aontú1
| Turnout | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 58% | 60% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
6
Councillors
10/30
Fine Gael seats on Mayo County, the largest party
58%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Mayo
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
For its size, Ballycastle has more listed heritage than Co. Mayo’s towns or Irish towns: 455 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
Homes from before 1919 make up 15.8% of the total, above both Co. Mayo’s towns (4.4%) and Irish towns (3.4%).
10inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional10
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1797
earliest dated inventory building
16%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 455 | 85 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 15.8% | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 21 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Schools
100% of schools around Ballycastle get DEIS support, above Co. Mayo’s towns and Irish towns
Families in Ballycastle have one school within 3 km. Pupils at the school within 3 km of the town: 67.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Naomh Brid DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 67 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Ballycastle | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 18% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 4% | 8% |
67
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
0.3 km
to the nearest primary school
7.5 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland publishes no school-by-school results, which is why these cards have no letters.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Ballinglen Museum of Art and 8 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Ballycastle; with it, the best known within 40 km.
MuseumMuseumThe Ballinglen Museum of Artin town
National park · National Parks and Wildlife ServiceWild Nephin National Park36 km southwest
Abbey or prioryRathfran Abbey9.2 km southeast
CathedralSt. Muredack's Cathedral23 km southeast
CathedralCathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen23 km southeast
Abbey or prioryMoyne Abbey15 km southeast
National park · National Parks and Wildlife ServiceWild Nephin National Park36 km southwestAbbey or prioryRathfran Abbey9.2 km southeastCathedralSt. Muredack's Cathedral23 km southeastCathedralCathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen23 km southeastAbbey or prioryMoyne Abbey15 km southeastPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Wild Nephin National Park: Youngbillyhappy, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rathfran Abbey: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Muredack's Cathedral: JohnArmagh, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen: JohnArmagh, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Moyne Abbey: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ballycastle
15pages on Ballycastle
Landmarks
Ballycastle’s built heritage counts 10 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
Questions about Ballycastle
Is Ballycastle a young town or an old one?
The median age in Ballycastle is 56.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Has Ballycastle grown?
Ballycastle had 220 people at the 2022 census, down from 231 in 2016: 4.8% fewer, while the median of Irish towns grew 7.6%.
About Ballycastle
Urban area in Co. Mayo
Ballycastle has 220 people, in the area of Mayo County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 220 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Mayo
- Council
- Mayo County Council
- Local electoral area
- Ballina
- Dáil constituency
- Mayo
- Name in Irish
- Baile an Chaisil
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:29330
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).