Ballina · River Moy · North Mayo
Ballina, the River Moy and the north Mayo coast
An independent magazine on salmon and trout fishing on the Moy, on getting to Ballina by bus and rail, on the coast and its walks, the clubs and the festivals, and on what a visitor or a new resident needs to know.
Three ways into north Mayo
The river, the journey and the town. Every guide on the site belongs to one of these three sections.
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Section 01
River Moy Fishing
Seasons, permits, beats and the water itself: the Moy explained for a first fishing visit, from the Ox Mountains to Killala Bay.
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Section 02
Getting Around the West
The bus from Dublin and Galway, the branch line through Manulla Junction, and how to move around north Mayo without a car.
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Section 03
Visiting and Living in Ballina
Where to stay, what to do each season, the coast, the clubs, the festivals, and the practical steps of settling in.
The guides, in full
Eleven guides, each built on a named public source and written for a reader who has a decision to make.
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The Ridge Pool in the Middle of Ballina
Why the Ridge Pool in Ballina town is famous for Moy salmon, how the beat works and what anglers can expect from fishing this central stretch.
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Getting to Ballina by Bus
Bus routes to Ballina from Dublin Galway and the west with stations connections luggage tips and what to check before travelling across Mayo.
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Leaving Ballina by Bus
Where buses from Ballina go across Mayo and Ireland with connections timetables and practical checks for leaving town without a car every season.
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Reaching Ballina by Train
How the Ballina branch line works via Manulla Junction with Dublin connections travel times tickets and arrival tips for rail visitors and onward bus links.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Where Visitors Stay in Ballina and North Mayo
Hotels guesthouses self catering and hostels around Ballina and north Mayo with guidance on which stay suits fishing walking and family trips.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Golf Around Ballina and the North Mayo Coast
Links and parkland courses near Ballina and north Mayo with green fees access visitor play and how to plan a golf day on the coast for visiting golfers.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Gaelic Games in Ballina
Ballina clubs grounds and county context for Gaelic football hurling and camogie with fixtures tickets and following games as a visitor in north Mayo.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Coastal Walks and Cliffs Around North Mayo
Waymarked coastal walks headlands and beaches near Ballina with distances access parking safety and best conditions for each route for every level.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Festivals in Ballina and North Mayo
Salmon arts music and heritage festivals around Ballina and north Mayo with dates venues tickets and tips for planning a festival weekend every season.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Moving to Ballina
Housing schools health transport and everyday services for people moving to Ballina with steps for settling in north Mayo as a new resident in town.
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Visiting and Living in Ballina
Soccer Athletics and Sports Clubs in Ballina
Soccer athletics rugby and leisure clubs in Ballina with grounds training times youth sections and how visitors can watch or join in sport each week.
Five views of the valley
Where to begin when the trip is still a sketch.
Salmon and trout on the MoyWhere the river rises, why fish hold near the town in summer, and how to shape a first visit. 
The Ridge PoolA famous beat in the middle of Ballina: why salmon gather there and how it is fished. 
Reaching Ballina by trainThe branch line via Manulla Junction, tickets, times and what to do on arrival. 
Where visitors stayHotels, guesthouses, self catering and hostels, and which suits a fishing, walking or family trip. 
Coastal walks and cliffsHeadlands, beaches and waymarked paths near Ballina, with access, safety and conditions.
What this magazine is
Moy Valley Notes is an independent magazine about Ballina and north County Mayo. Each article names the public source it rests on, describes every club, operator and public body in the third person, and says so when a figure or a date is not published.
The site sells nothing and keeps no directory. Corrections and sources are welcome by email. Read how the site is made or write to the editorial team.