Louisburgh, Co Mayo, Ireland 

updated 26/06/2011  Home page, Links

Louisburgh is a small town on the south shore of Clew Bay in County Mayo, in the west of Ireland.  Standing on the banks of the Bunowen river, Louisburgh has had a relatively short but varied history.

Founded just over two hundred years ago, in 1795, by Lord Altamont [John Browne], Louisburgh was planned and built on the pattern that exists to this day, a four street system with a central cross roads, known locally as "the Square".  The town's name came about because of the Browne family's links to the battle of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia in 1758. The town has witnessed the tragedy of the Great Famine and the hardships suffered, through the upheaval of Irish politics and the struggle for independence, to the modern Ireland we see today.  Previous to the founding of Louisburgh, the area around these shores was home to Grainne ni Mhaille or Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Connaught.  Remains of her presence are still visible today on Clare Island, and her life is portrayed in Louisburgh in the Grainne ni Mhaille Centre in Church Street.

A more in depth history of Louisburgh is available at local book shops, "Louisburgh A History" [ISBN 0 9526078 0 8] written by local man John Lyons.