Murrisk
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| Murrisk Muraisc |
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| Town population: | 235 (est.) |
| Rural population: | N/A |
| Elevation: | 70m |
| County: | Mayo |
| Province: | Connacht |
Murrisk (Muraisc in Irish) is a village in County Mayo, on the south side of Clew Bay, about 6km west of Westport. Murrisk lies at the foot of Ireland's famous pilgrimage mountain,Croagh Patrick, and is the starting-point for the pilgrimage. Every year, on the last Sunday of July, thousands of people converge on the village to make the pilgrimage. There is a small interpretive centre in the village which focuses on Croagh Patrick.
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 of 1997 by President Mary Robinson.
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 officially suppressed in the Reformation, but survived for some time.
Murrisk is part of the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland parish called Oughaval. Roman Catholic records consist of marriages (which commenced in 1825) and baptisms (which commenced in 1845)and Church of Ireland records of baptisms, marriages and burials (all of which commenced in 1802). These records are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre in Ballinrobe which is 25 kilometres south east of Westport.
[edit] See also
List of towns in the Republic of Ireland
[edit] External links
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