History of Irrus
Irrus (Irish: Iorras Domhnann), also known as Erris, is a barony extending south and eastward from the northwest coast of County Mayo, Ireland. It was created during the shiring of County Mayo out of the Gaelic túath or territory of Fír Domhnann tribe, from which it takes its name.
The name Iorras Domhnann etymologically means “Western promontory of Domnhnann”. Referring to Irrus’ location at the very west of Ireland, and being populated by the Domhnann tribe.
The Barony includes the towns of;
Erris, akin to much of inland Ireland, transitioned from extensive native woodland, formed a few thousand years after the last Ice Age, to a landscape covered in blanket bog due to climate changes and high rainfall levels. During the Neolithic period, approximately 6,000 years ago, the inhabitants of Erris, whose ancestors had previously hunted and gathered along the coastlines, began clearing land for agriculture and livestock. This led to the eventual erosion of the thin soil, resulting in the bog-covered landscape that persists to this day. The region played a role in the Plantations of Ireland during the mid-17th century, witnessing an influx of population seeking to eke out a living from poor-quality agricultural land. Erris has faced historical challenges, including the Irish Famine of 1845-47, and has been subject to the influence of major landlords, such as the Binghams and the Carters. Throughout its history, Erris has been documented by antiquarians and surveyors, and its cultural richness is evident in folklore tales associated with the area, such as the legend of the Children of Lir and the Táin Bó Flidhais.
Doolough Castle
Built by the Barretts, after the Cromwellian seizures, the property passed into the hands of the new landlords of Erris – the Shaens, Carters and Binghams. The castle was located in the area known as Caislean or Caiseal and stood until 1937, when the cobbles and stones from the castle were removed for the making of roads and houses.
Bingham Castle
Bingham’s Castle was an early 19th-century building. It was built by Denis Bingham who settled in the Belmullet peninsula in the late 1790s. The Binghams of Erris are descended from him and from his brother, Henry Bingham of Annagh. Bingham’s Castle was abandoned by the Binghams circa 1925 and almost nothing remains at the site now.
Barony of Irrus 