Ballintober bridge & mill

Ballintober bridge is an impressive six-arch road bridge over the Owenmore river, dating from at least the 1820's but likely much earlier. Its part creeper- or ivy-covered walls are centred on triangular cutwaters to piers having pyramidal capping with lichen-covered coping to parapets.

The bridge is considered as an integral component of the civil engineering heritage of County Mayo with the architectural value of the composition confirmed not only by the sheer limestone dressings demonstrating good quality workmanship, but also by the elegant "sweep" of the arches making a pleasing visual statement at a crossing over the river.

Downriver, and originally fed by a cut channel, is the building which housed a large corn-mill. These constructions are connected to the Ballintober Estate house, which was built on the hill, upriver of the bridge and of whom only the garden wall remains (at the back of the present house and farm). This was an old estate, the property of the Orme landlords who held at least four estate homes in Moygownagh parish and probably more. It passed by marriage out of the Orme family in the 19th century and the last owner was William Orme Bourke, a great-uncle of Mary Robinson (nee Bourke) the former president of Ireland.

On his death, the house fell into disuse and was demolished for building and road material in the 1940's. Another, possibly older bridge, is upriver of the Ballintober bridge and is known as the 'French Bridge' as the rebels are supposed to have marched over it after the success of the General Humbert's forces at the 'Year of the French' rebellion in August 1798.