Claremorris Agricultural Show promises to be a day not to be missed

Fri, Jul 28, 2017

Once again the Claremorris Agricultural Show Committee is gearing up for their annual show – the 99th installment of which is to be held in Claremorris on Sunday, August 6 – making it one of the oldest shows in the country. At this stage they are looking forward to the 100th show and plans are in place for this major event next year. Last week, this year's show was launched by Joe Healy, president of the IFA. Mr Healy had encouraging words for the show and promised the committee he’ll be back next year for the 100th show.

A sheriff once roamed these here parts

Fri, Jul 21, 2017

The High Sheriff of Mayo was the British Crown’s representative in the county from the post’s creation in 1583 until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. In a country where ownership of land carried huge prestige, the landed had to protect what they held by securing positions of power. So it was in County Mayo that the dominant families of Browne, Bingham and Gore isolated the role of High Sheriff largely for themselves up until the 19th century at least, from which time family names such as O’Donel, Knox, Blake and others appear in the records as holders of the office.

The High Sheriff was the principal representative of central government in the county in relation to the execution of the law. The position developed to include selecting the county grand jury (a precursor of the county council) and supervising parliamentary elections. In the early decades of the 1800s polling took place over a number of days in one location in the county. Under the Reform Act of 1832, five days were allowed for Irish county elections. This was reduced to two days in 1850 and finally one in 1862. Making sure elections ran unhindered was a large undertaking for the High Sheriff and the military. It was estimated that in 1832 two-thirds of the total military force in the country was employed on election duty. Contested elections could all too easily turn riotous. In January 1835, the High Sheriff of Mayo, JN Gildea, wrote to the Under-Secretary for Ireland explaining that due to the many attacks at the last election, he was suggesting that ‘three troops of cavalry, and five of infantry, together with the police, will not, in my opinion, exceed that which may be required to protect freeholders, and keep the peace’.

The history of Lough Mask through its own isles

Fri, Jul 14, 2017

Throughout the centuries the islands of Lough Mask have stood silently and helplessly by as they played host to many extraordinary events. This week I am able to touch on just some of those events chronologically.

The Protestant enclave of Inishbiggle

Fri, Jul 07, 2017

In the 1650s, Catholics were uprooted from their productive, arable, lands in several Irish counties by Oliver Cromwell’s Protestant army and forced at musket point to desolate, barren, Connacht. Their confiscated lands, the better holdings in Ireland, were distributed to Protestant settlers, Cromwell’s army as pay, and carved up to pay debts. Maps of Ireland, pre and post Cromwell, detailing the regression of the predominantly Catholic associated Irish language and customs point to a culture that was deliberately and officially forced to areas thought of as being so inhospitable they would not survive. County Mayo was included among these religious and cultural ghettoes. The living standards of the banished Catholics fell dangerously low and remained so for centuries. Christian duty led some within the Protestant clergy to later establish evangelical missions in the wild Irish west to give relief to the descendants of those very same Catholics. Salvation and, dishonourably, food were offered through conversion to Protestantism. Whereas 17th century Protestants believed it was God's will that godless Catholics be sent to suffer and perhaps perish in Mayo, 19th century Protestants believed it was His will that these (still godless) Catholics be reclaimed so that they might be saved. The Rev Edward Nangle's Achill Island Mission set out to do just that in 1831.

Mass to be held for missing Mayo man

Tue, Jul 04, 2017

Breaffy GAA Club will hold a special mass for support tomorrow evening, Wednesday, July 5 at 9.30pm for missing clubman David Gavin. David got into diffuculty swimming in the Candian provience of British Columbia on Friday afternoon last. Despite searches he has yet to be located. Members of his family travlled to Canada over the weekend.

A sort of homecoming for south Mayo following Constituency Commission report

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

Almost 5,000 people will be moved back into Mayo for future general elections following the publication of the latest Constituency Commission report which was published this week. The previous Constituency Commission report saw around 7,500 people moved from Mayo to Galway West and the county see its number of TDs drop from five to four, even with the return of the 4,873 people to the Mayo constituency for the next election the county will remain as a four seat constituency.

IWAK Board states SDZ requires robust package of incentives to attract enterprise and jobs

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

Following a recent meeting of the Ireland West Airport Board, the Chairman Joe Kennedy welcomed the recent announcement by Government of the designation of lands adjacent to the airport as a Strategic Development Zone. Once this process is completed (which is estimated to take up to two years) it will provide planning certainty for any potential developments that may take place at the airport.

Finn follows in father's footsteps in becoming Cathaoirleach

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

It was a historic day last Monday when Independent Cllr Richard Finn followed in the footsteps of his father Martin, in becoming the first citizen of the county, when he was elected to the position of Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council.

North Mayo’s flax growing industry

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

The success of the early linen industry in Mayo is often overlooked, especially in terms of the numbers it brought into regular employment. The growing of flax in Ireland for the production of linen was encouraged by English monarchs from the 17th century in order to reduce the Irish woollen industry which was competing with its English counterpart. The Crown's chief governors in Ireland supplied flax seed, sold looms at cost to farmers and employed linen experts from the continent to instruct the Irish in how to get the most from their flax harvest. The industry exploded as a result, and by the end of the 1700s, linen accounted for almost half of Ireland's total exports. Mayo benefited greatly from the linen boom. The Binghams of Castlebar and Brownes of Westport developed massive linen markets in both towns. Castlebar catered for all linen trading from the south of the county. By 1834, 30,000 people were employed in the linen industry in Mayo. That equated to over eight per cent of the county's population which had increased in tandem with the growth of the linen trade.

Leave the comedy to Brendan Grace - councillor advised

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

A Fianna Fáil councillor was told he should leave the comedy to Brendan Grace by another councillor this week after he was accused of making a sexist comment in the chamber. Castlebar Municipal District Councillor Martin McLoughlin, who was co-opted on to the council to replaced Dep Lisa Chambers after she was elected to the Dáil, while paying tribute to outgoing Cathaoirleach Cllr Al McDonnell said that "your speeches reminded me of the mini-skirt of the '70's. Your speaches were short enough to be interesting and long enough to cover the essentials."

Ballina Salmon Festival presents - A Night at the Proms

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

A Night at the Proms is another new event in this year’s Ballina Salmon Festival programme, and promises to be a unique and memorable occasion for the town. On Monday, July 8 at 8pm in the Great National Hotel, for one night, guests can expect a musical extravaganza that will awe and delight, as a number choirs of Ballina will unite in song to put on one magnificent performance.

Mayo home wins Connacht House of the Year at RIAI Architecture Awards

Fri, Jun 30, 2017

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) last Friday announced Killsallagh by Aughey O’Flaherty Architects, as the winner of Connacht House of the Year at the 2017 RIAI Irish Architecture Awards. The prize was awarded at a ceremony in Dublin’s Mansion House, attended by over 400 RIAI members.

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