County Mayo
Croagh Patrick pilgrimage and Wild Atlantic Way scenery define Mayo—Knock Airport built against engineering skepticism demonstrates determination while Great Famine depopulation never fully reversed.
County Mayo spans Ireland's wild northwest Atlantic coast—Croagh Patrick pilgrimage, Westport's heritage town, and Achill Island scenery defining regional identity. This natural beauty creates tourism economy; Wild Atlantic Way designation formalized the route.
Agricultural tradition includes sheep farming on mountain land; fishing sustained coastal communities before stocks declined and quotas restricted activity. The Great Famine devastated Mayo particularly; population never recovered to pre-famine levels.
Knock Shrine's pilgrimage tradition and Knock Airport provide religious tourism infrastructure unusual for rural Ireland. The airport's construction—on bog land, against engineering skepticism—demonstrated local determination that official planning might have prevented.
Mayo demonstrates western Ireland's character: scenic beauty, agricultural tradition, emigration history, tourism potential. The county's challenge involves converting visitor appreciation into sustainable employment while maintaining landscape qualities that create appeal.