The Foxford Woollen Mills give a stay in Béal Easa a tangible historical connection: founded in 1892, the mill offers a guided tour of its history. There is also a 19-stop walking trail, the Admiral Brown Promenade and paths along the River Moy. Textile heritage, local history and landscape thus offer distinct ways to experience the town.
Textile history and places around town
The Foxford Woollen Mills offer a free, 20-minute guided tour of the historic mill. Check the latest tour details before your visit, as operational arrangements may change. The visitor experience also includes the Foxford Café in the mills, which serves seasonal dishes made with locally sourced ingredients; the menu may change.
The Foxford Heritage Trail is a walking route through the town where you can explore its history. It includes 19 stops featuring buildings from different periods and with different former uses. Saint Mary’s Convent Chapel was built in 1925 in the Late Gothic style. The Music School was established in 1923 by Mother Morrogh-Bernard, and St. Michael and Mary Catholic Church in 1879. Brown Memorial Hall was built in 1930 in honour of Admiral William Brown. The Courthouse dates from the mid-19th century; Market Square was once the site of the Courthouse and the market. Brookside is also part of Foxford’s architectural heritage: the building was constructed in 1852 as a former parish school. The different dates and types of buildings offer a glimpse of several aspects of the town’s history.
Memorials and stories from Foxford
With 20 bronze plaques, the Admiral Brown Promenade tells both Brown’s life story and the story of Foxford. At its centre stands a statue of Brown created in Rosario, Argentina. Another bronze, the Admiral Brown Bust, was donated to the Foxford community by the Argentine Patriotic Association and cast by the sculptor Don Julio Caesar Vergottini.
The story of the woollen mill and its surroundings is also reflected in the trail’s stops. Ball Alley was built in 1901 by the Sisters of Charity as a place of recreation for woollen mill employees. Providence Road was formerly called School Street; most of the houses there were built by the Sisters of Charity for woollen mill employees and schoolteachers. F. R. Higgins provides another cultural connection: the poet and theatre director was born on 24 April 1896 in a small cottage beside the Church of Ireland in Foxford.
Along the River Moy and on the trails
The Foxford Town Loop runs partly along the River Moy and passes through peaceful countryside. As route conditions may change, check them before your visit. Foxford Bridge is also part of the river’s history: it stands at an old ford on the River Moy. The river flows through Foxford and is used for salmon fishing.
When choosing a walk or a longer hike, it is worth distinguishing clearly between two options: the Foxford Heritage Trail is a circular route through the town’s history, while the Foxford Way is an 86-kilometre marked walking trail that circles Foxford. This gives you the choice of a town-history walk or a longer route, with different distances, without implying a walking time or difficulty level.
A wider look at County Mayo
In the wider destination of County Mayo, the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park offers its own focus on cultural history. Objects, rare archive photographs and films convey Ireland’s rural past. The museum offers workshops, lectures and tours year-round. This regional perspective on Ireland’s rural history differs from Foxford’s more locally focused heritage and complements it thematically without equating the two places.
Discover more destinations: Louisburgh, Keel, Ballinrobe, Achill Sound, Swinford, Neale, Charlestown, Ballyglass
Back to the broader travel overview: County Mayo.
