New Mayo touring trail will explore six thousand years of heritage and culture
Fri, Jun 02, 2017
Route Millennia Mayo, a new tourism trail which promotes six of the county’s premier cultural sites, was launched this week in the Jackie Clarke Collection, Pearse Steet, Ballina.
Read more ...Relatives gather to commemorate Irish-American hero, Michael Conroy
Fri, Jun 02, 2017
Family, relatives, and friends of Irish-American hero, Michael Conroy, are travelling from the United States, Britain, and across Ireland to attend the special commemoration for the Claremorris born Station Tender who gave up his life in a brave effort to rescue stranded fellow miners in the Speculator Granite Mountain Mine Disaster in Butte, Montana, USA.
Michael, along with Peter Sheridan from Monaghan, was burned to death in the vain heroic attempt to rescue miners who were trapped deep into the copper mine shaft. In what was deemed as the worst hard rock mining calamity in US mining history, 168 men lost their lives, many of whom were native Irish.
Read more ...What's on in your community?
Fri, Jun 02, 2017
Every day of the week there are some great events taking place in towns and villages all across Mayo, check out what's going on this week. If you'd like something included in Community Diary, email: [email protected].
Read more ...Who fears to speak of Ernie O’Malley?
Fri, May 26, 2017
This week’s title borrows from John Kells Ingram’s famous 1843 political ballad, "The Memory of the Dead". In his poem, Ingram posits that later generations turned their fattened backs on the memory of the rebels of 1798, "Who Fears to Speak of '98?" Ingram was not a republican, but he penned his piece for the nationalist paper The Nation because he sympathised with what the United Irishmen had attempted to do and he had always pledged to defend brave men who opposed tyranny.
Read more ...The 'Enda' of an era for Kenny
Fri, May 19, 2017
The months of speculation finally came to an end on Wednesday evening when Enda Kenny announced his decision to step down as leader of Fine Gael — the party he has led for just short of 15 years. Mr Kenny will be stepping down as Taoiseach, once a new Fine Gael party leader is elected by the party and a new Taoiseach is elected by the Dáil.
Read more ...Mayo through Jack Leonard’s lens
Fri, May 19, 2017
'The Men of the West', that iconic photograph of Michael Kilroy's flying column taken with only the aid of natural light on the southern slopes of Nephin at 11.45pm on the longest day of the year in 1921, is known to us all. It hangs in numerous Mayo pubs and homes and thanks to the quality of the conditions and the skill of the photographer, we can clearly see the resolute expressions of the young men, we know their names and know their stories. But what of the photographer himself? What of the man who captured this first ever photo of an IRA unit on active service in Ireland? Jack Leonard did not just happen upon Kilroy and his men that bright June night. He was no amateur photographer, and neither was he a bystander during his country's fight for freedom. With a keen sense of duty, Leonard used his talent to capture all aspects of Mayo life in the early twentieth century. Jack 'JJ' Leonard was born in 1882 in Crossmolina and as a young man he trained in journalism and photography in London. He returned to Ireland in 1906 to set up his photography business at a time when the country was in political flux. Emotions and anger remained after the Land War in Mayo, a period of civil unrest and violence in the late 1800s, and the methods of parliamentary nationalists were now being challenged by physical force republicans.
Read more ...Street protest to secure the future of Mayo GMIT
Fri, May 19, 2017
Member of the Mayo GMIT action group have announced a street protest at 3pm on Saturday, May 27, in Market Square, Castlebar. The protest is in reaction to the recent announcement of cuts to the Mayo campus.
Read more ...'I'd have the gun', says councillor over Hardy Bucks graveyard filming
Fri, May 19, 2017
The fallout from the controversy over the filming of part of the new season of the Hardy Bucks TV show in Toomore graveyard continued this week, with one county councillor saying that he'd have shot at them if it had been done in his area, and another saying that he would have physically prevented them filming if he was in the area at the time.
Read more ...Centenary commemoration for Irish American hero Claremorris native Michael Conroy
Fri, May 19, 2017
Friday, June 9 marks the centenary of the tragic death of Claremorris native, Michael Conroy in the Granite Mountain Speculation Mine Disaster in Butte, Montana, USA. Michael, born in Murneen South, Barnacarroll along with Louth man Peter Sheridan undertook a heroic act in attempting to rescue fellow miners that were trapped deep into the expansive copper mine of the North Butte Mining Company.
Station tenders, Michael and Peter in their vain effort were burned to death from the backdraft of a blazing fire below them, as they were lowered on a double-deck cage. The flames overtook the cage. They had gone down the shaft in response to signals and calls for help from isolated work mates. They no doubt knew that the direction of the airflow might reverse, but fearlessly and courageously aimed to get the stranded men out of danger before this occurred. The intensity of the fire killed the two men before they could be hoisted out of the way of the flames. Michael was awarded a gold medal and a diploma for his ultimate sacrifice. A memorial was erected in his honour near the fateful site.
Read more ...Over €30k up for grabs in Breaffy GAA Monster Auction
Fri, May 19, 2017
Breaffy GAA is hosting a Monster Auction later this month which will see goods and services worth in excess of €30,000 up for grabs. The innovative fundraiser will take place in Breaffy GAA Clubhouse on Saturday, May 27, getting underway at 6.30pm.
Read more ...Three in a row for Mayo digital school of distinction
Fri, May 19, 2017
Last Monday saw a third Eir Junior Spider win for a small digital school of distinction on the Galway/Mayo border. Cloghans Hill NS has 15 pupils and boasted an impressive four finalists projects in this year's Eir Junior Spider Awards for web based projects.
Read more ...Mayo through Jack Leonard’s lense
Fri, May 19, 2017
'The Men of the West', that iconic photograph of Michael Kilroy's flying column taken with only the aid of natural light on the southern slopes of Nephin at 11.45pm on the longest day of the year in 1921, is known to us all. It hangs in numerous Mayo pubs and homes and thanks to the quality of the conditions and the skill of the photographer, we can clearly see the resolute expressions of the young men, we know their names and know their stories. But what of the photographer himself? What of the man who captured this first ever photo of an IRA unit on active service in Ireland? Jack Leonard did not just happen upon Kilroy and his men that bright June night. He was no amateur photographer, and neither was he a bystander during his country's fight for freedom. With a keen sense of duty, Leonard used his talent to capture all aspects of Mayo life in the early twentieth century. Jack 'JJ' Leonard was born in 1882 in Crossmolina and as a young man he trained in journalism and photography in London. He returned to Ireland in 1906 to set up his photography business at a time when the country was in political flux. Emotions and anger remained after the Land War in Mayo, a period of civil unrest and violence in the late 1800s, and the methods of parliamentary nationalists were now being challenged by physical force republicans.
Read more ...