Ballymote

Ballymote is a market town in southern County Sligo in the province of Connacht, in the north-west of Ireland.It is a historic town, with Ballymote Castle, the last and the mightiest of the Norman castles in Connacht. This castle, dating from 1300, was built by Richard de Burgh. It also has a Market House, a three-bay, two-story building currently used by the South County Sligo Community Mental health service of the Health Service Executive.TransportBallymote lies on regional roads R293, R295 and R296, and on the main Dublin to Sligo railway line. Ballymote railway station opened on 3 December 1862.DemographyIn 1900 Ballymote had a population of 1,145, compared to 1,549 in 2016.EconomyIn addition to the normal services of a small town Ballymote features factories and a small business park on the R296 Road to Tobercurry. There is a livestock mart and a recent venture of a microbrewery. The wider area is mainly Livestock farming, with a significant number commuting to Sligo town for work.