The changing distribution of population in County Mayo

Abstract

County Mayo had, in 1936, 41.5 per cent, of its peak population of 388,887 in 1841. Nine of the twenty-six counties in Éire maintained their population to a greater degree than Mayo between 1841 and 1936. Dublin city and county had, in 1936, 157.4 per cent, of the 1841 population; of the remaining eight counties Kildare and Louth had slightly over 50 per cent of their 1841 population. The population in 1936 of 161,349 in Mayo gives an average density per square mile of 77, which is almost exactly the density for Kerry and Donegal, areas somewhat similar in terms of natural environment and resources. In previous papers, it has been shown that " congested " areas, in which the average valuation was less than £1 10s. per head in 1891, have had varied fortunes in the period 1891-1936. Over two-thirds of Mayo was congested in 1891 and slightly under two-thirds of the population lived in these areas. Two-fifths of the area would rank as congested to-day, with one-third of the population.