Ballinrobe ("town of the (river) Robe") is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. The population in the 2011 Census was 3,682.
Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose restored ruins are one of the landmarks of the town today. The District Courtroom is housed in the old Market House, a marketing centre for local produce established in 1752.
Its development into an important economic centre was due to a Royal Patent granted to the people of Ballinrobe on 6 December 1606 by King James. This allowed the town to hold fairs and markets. Obtaining a market charter was an important step in the economic development of a town and required having a spokesperson who was in the king's favour. The town became the largest and most important in the area.
Ballinrobe is a thriving market town. Its recent growth is attributable to a national construction boom and its development as a dormitory town for both Galway and Castlebar. It also has received many immigrants from the new EU member states. The 2006 census showed that more than 25% of the town's residents are from overseas.
There are numerous renovated, historic structures in and around the town. There are more protected buildings in Ballinrobe than any other town in Mayo. Genealogical records for the region (such as Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic, and civil documents; and gravestone inscription records) are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre on Main Street.
There is a beautiful river walk called the Bowers Walk in Ballinrobe. It stretches for three kilometres along the River Robe, and there are plans to extend it. The original walk was constructed around 1735 and has been added to at various times since then.
Ballinrobe Livestock Mart is one of only two marts in County Mayo; it is held every Wednesday. Ballinrobe Musical Society puts on a show annually in the Ballinrobe Community School. The 3rd Mayo Boy Scout group is in Ballinrobe.
Major local employers are McHale Farm Machinery on the Castlebar Road, Jennings Meats on the Neale Road, Cawe Suspended Ceilings on Watson's Lane, Tesco on the Claremorris Road and Cummins SuperValu and Hardware stores on New Street.
The Ballinrobe Agricultural Society hold their show usually at the end of August or early September.
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