Overview
A nun built Foxford’s fortune. In 1892 Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard, a Sister of Charity, set up a water-powered woollen mill on the River Moy to give the town work and slow emigration. The mill still runs, still makes the blankets and tweeds the town is known for, and its old buildings are the reason most people pull off the N26 here. Beyond the mill, Foxford is a small town 16km south of Ballina, framed by the Ox and Nephin mountains, that works best as a base for two things: salmon on the Moy and walking the hills.
If you have an hour, spend it at the mill. If you have a day, bring a rod or your boots.
Foxford Woollen Mills
The mill is the town’s main attraction and it earns it. A free self-guided tour walks you through the story of the original 19th-century mill and past the working factory floor, and the shop carries the blankets, throws, tweeds and scarves the name is known for. The old pattern room now holds a café doing seasonal food, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, alongside art galleries and a bureau de change.
Parking is free beside the mill, with designated disabled spaces, a lift and baby-changing facilities – it is the most accessible thing to do in Foxford by some distance.
History and heritage
Foxford’s other claim is Admiral William Brown, born here in 1777, who went on to found the Argentine Navy and is a national hero in Argentina. His birthplace cottage stands on Providence Road, and a bust on Chapel Road, unveiled in 1957 by the Argentine Patriotic Association, marks the connection; the Admiral Brown Society is based in the town. The poet-playwright F.R. Higgins (1896–1941) was also a Foxford man.
For a slice of older local life, the Foxford Goat Fair still takes place each year – it runs on a patent granted back in 1683.
River Moy fishing
The Moy is one of the great Atlantic salmon rivers, and the stretch through Foxford is well set up for it, with a run of named pools that suit both wading and bank fishing. Daily, weekly and seasonal licences are sold locally, and ghillies can be hired. Nearby Lough Conn and Lough Cullin are the spots for brown trout.
Walking the Foxford Way
The Foxford Way is an 86km waymarked trail circling the town through bog, mountain, lakeshore and archaeological sites, broken into shorter loops:
- Foxford Way Loop: a hard 33km ridge circuit with the big mountain views.
- Larganmore Loop: a gentle route on country lanes and bog tracks, the pick for families and less mobile walkers.
- Shanwar–Belgarrow Loop: trades on the contrast between the Nephin and Ox ranges.
All are waymarked. If mobility is a concern, the Larganmore Loop is the one to choose.
Nearby heritage
- Michael Davitt Museum, Straide: the museum to the Land League founder stands in his home village of Straide, 8km away on the N58, beside the medieval Straide Friary where he is buried. Admission is €8 for adults and €3 for children (under 5 free); it opens seven days a week from March to September and Monday to Saturday through the winter. Details and tour booking are at michaeldavittmuseum.ie.
- Hennigan’s Heritage Centre: a living-history farm just over 3 miles from Foxford off the Swinford road, with a thatched house and original farmhouse. Tours are personally guided by the owner and cost €10 for adults, so booking ahead is essential rather than optional.
Practical information
Getting there
- By road: the N26 runs through Foxford between Ballina and Swinford, with a link to the N58.
- By rail: Foxford has its own station on the Manulla Junction–Ballina line (reopened in 1988), connecting to the Westport–Dublin Heuston service.
- By air: Knock International Airport is the nearest, a short drive to the east.
Eating and staying
Foxford is small: a couple of pubs and a hotel overlook the Moy, and there is a scattering of B&Bs around the village. It is an easy town to base yourself in for a day or two of fishing or walking rather than a place you come to eat out.
Accessibility
The Woollen Mills visitor centre is wheelchair-friendly, with a flat-floor layout and multilingual audio guides. The walking routes vary widely – the Larganmore Loop suits families and less able walkers, while the Foxford Way Loop has steep, exposed sections.
Time a visit for a dry week if you want the fishing or the hills at their best, and start at the mill either way – it is the one thing in Foxford that runs rain or shine.