Mayo Abbey was founded in 668 AD by St Colman, it is unique in that it was founded for Saxon monks, the area is known as Mayo of the Saxons It flourished as a centre of learning over the succeeding centuries attracting students from Britain and Europe and particularly the Saxon nobility. It had connections with spiritual and political centres such as Iona, Kells and the Frankish Court of Charlemagne.

In 1152 Mayo Abbey was named as the seat of the Diocese of Mayo by the Synod of Kells.
In 1579 Bishop Patrick O'Healy was the first Irish bishop to be executed for the faith. In the 16th century Mayo Abbey gave its name to County Mayo. Mhaigh Eo is an old Irish name meaning "Plain of the Yew Tree". In Penal times Mass continued to be celebrated covertly in the ruins of the Abbey. St Colman's Famine church was opened in 1845 on the eve of the Great Famine

(Earc's headland.)

Beautifully situated on the mouth of the river Moy, Rosserk Franciscan Friary was founded in the mid fifteenth century. The church is a simple nave and chancel design, with a south wing containing two chapels. The west door and the windows in the east and south walls are good examples of decorated Gothic. All three ranges of the cloister have vaulted rooms on the ground floor, and mural stairs leading upward.

(Plain of the enclosure.)

Set on the west bank of the Moy estuary, this extensive Franciscan Friary was founded in 1455 by by one of the MacWilliam Burkes. The plan is somewhat unusual in that on the south side of the nave is is a wide L shaped wing that is larger than the nave itself.

(Church of St Ala.)

Built on a plinth nearly one meter (3 ft) high this tower is in a good state of repair. The entrance door is 3.3 Metres (11 ft) above ground level, and the tower rises to a total height of 24.4 Metres (80 ft)

(Black Bran's ring fort.)

This Dominican Friary was founded in 1274. The south wing with its decorated window was added in the fifteenth century, to the north of the choir is the remains of the sacristy.

Founded in the early years of the thirteenth century as a Franciscan Friary, but by mid century for whatever reason the house was in the hands of the Dominican's. The north wall of the choir contains six original lancets, the rest of the building appears to date from about two hundred years later.