BALLYMOTE, town, Co. Sligo, Ireland, 14m. S. of Sligo by the Great Southern Ry. Pop. (1926), 75o. It has some agricul tural trade and carriage-building works. There are remains of a castle, built by Richard de Burgh, in 130o, and the scene of hostil ities in 1641 and 1652; and also of a 13th-century Franciscan foundation. This was a celebrated seat of learning where the Book of Ballymote (c. 1391), a miscellaneous collection in prose and verse of historical, genealogical and romantic writings, was written. There are also, near the town, ruins of a house of the Knights of St. John (13o3).