Westport, Mayo One Place Study
Location: Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Mayo
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Westport, Mayo One Place Study
Name
Westport, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland
(Irish: Cathair na Mart, meaning 'the stone fort of the beeves', historically anglicised as Cahernamart)
Geography
- Continent: Europe
- Country: Ireland
- Province: Connacht
- County: Mayo
- GPS Coordinates: 53.8, -9.5333
- Elevation: 47.0 m or 154.1 feet
Overview
While the name may imply a major town located at an actual port, Westport (for the most part) is a small planned heritage town located just slightly inland from the Atlantic Ocean and connected by the Carrowbeg River.
Considered a tourist town, the reality of it is that it won the 'Irish Tidy Towns Competition' three times in 2001, 2006 and 2008, and in 2012 it won the 'Best Place to Live in Ireland' competition run by The Irish Times.
A rough and tough woman pirate named Grace O'Malley ruled the area from her castle 'Cathair na Mart ' during the 1500's.
It was the grand plan of John Browne (1709-1776), later the 1st Earl of Altamont to move the original village inland so that their new home 'Westport House' could have more private land to enjoy without the existence of a village nearby. The new planned town became Westport and was designed by English architect – James Wyatt (1746-1813).
People from Westport town are traditionally known as "Coveys".
Population
1500's - 700
2021 - 6,198
Historical Timeline
Note: Some events not related directly to Westport are noted for historical reference only.
16th Century
The village of Cathair na Mart was established near Clew Bay and named after a local seafaring clan named Ó Máille who owned a castle of the same name nearby.
17th Century
Village Cathair na Mart passed from the O’Malleys to the Browne family.
1679-1683 - First small house built at Clew Bay by Colonel John Browne (1638-1711) and his wife Maud Bourke (XXXX- abt. 1700) on the site of the old O'Malley castle.
18th Century
1730 - The East side of today's Westport House build is started by John Browne (1709-1776), later the 1st Earl of Altamont, the grandson of Col. John Browne (1638-1711) to plans by German architect, Richard Cassels. Read more about Westport House under 'Landmarks' heading below.
1771 - John Browne (1709-1776) was created the 1st Earl of Altamont.
1778 - Peter Browne (1731-1780), 2nd Earl of Altamont engaged architect Thomas Ivory to design and build the North wing.
19th Century
1800's - The Malls in town were built by the First Marquess of Sligo (1756-1809).
1816 - Howe Peter (1788-1845), 2nd Marquess of Sligo began alterations to Westport House. He built on the South wing.
1826 - A fire ravaged the South wing of Westport House.
1826 - The Westport branch of the Bank of Ireland is established.
1842 - English novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray, visited Westport
1845 - An Octagon Monument was first erected to honour George Clendining. The present-day statue was a replacement by sculptor Ken Thompson which depicts Saint Patrick which was erected on Saint Patrick's Day 1990.
1865 - Congregation of Christian Brothers School for Boys was established in Castlebar Street. It was transferred to Newport Road in 1962.
1866 - Westport Railway Station opened.
1868 - The Holy Trinity Anglican church was built.
1892 - The Mayo News, is founded by William and Patrick Dorris.
20th Century
1900's - Westport Town Hall Theatre on the Octagon is established.
1904 - Clothing manufacturing company and family business Portwest was founded.
1916 - Easter Rebellion (aka Easter Rising) took place.
1919-1921 - Irish War of Independence took place.
1921 - A company of the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary were based in Westport.
1947 - An Art-Deco clock tower is erected in town centre.
1987 - The secondary school, Rice College was built on Castlebar Road.
1995 - An all-Irish Catholic Primary School, Gaelscoil na Cruaiche was founded.
1990 - The statue of St. Patrick was erected at the Octagon as a replacement for the original statue of banker George Clendining (1770-1843).
21st Century
2006 - Scoil Phadraig na mBráithre (tr. Saint Patrick's Christian Brothers' School) and Saint Patrick's Mercy National School amalgamated to form Scoil Phádraig (tr. St Patrick's School), a Catholic primary school located on Newport Road.
2007 - A 1.314M Euros grant from the state funded Heritage Council is used to refurbish Westport House.
2008 - Westport became Google Earth's first fully 3D town.
2009 - Westport College of Further Education opens.
2014 - The last Browne family male heir, Jeremy Ulick Browne (1939–2014) the 11th Marquess of Sligo died. Private legislation passed by Seanad in 1993, enabled Jeremy Browne to disinherit his cousin Sebastian Browne, the heir to the peerages and estate. His five daughters inherited the estate instead.
2017 - Westport House and estate is sold to the Hughes family of Westport.
2019 - A new primary school, Westport Educate Together opened.
2020 - Global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie acquired Allergan company in Westport.
The Browne Family Patriarchs
The Browne family came to County Mayo from Sussex, England, in the sixteenth century. Through marriage and by purchase, the Browne family built a small estate near the village of 'The Neale' in the province of Connacht, and managed to escape the notorious Cromwellian confiscations of much of Ireland.
John Brown (XXXX-1589)
Josias Browne (1579-XXXX)
Sir John Browne (1604-1670) 1st Baronet of The Neale
Colonel John Browne (1636-1711)
Peter Browne (1670-1724) aka 'Peter of Westport'
John Browne (1709-1776) 1st Earl of Altamont
Peter (Browne) Browne-Kelly (1730-1780) 2nd Earl of Altamont
John Denis Browne (1756–1809) , 3rd Earl of Altamont, 1st Marquess of Sligo
Howe Peter Browne (1788–1845), 2nd Marquess of Sligo
George John Browne (1820-1896) 3rd Marquess of Sligo
John Thomas Browne (1824 –1903), 4th Marquess of Sligo,
Henry Ulick Browne (1831–1913), 5th Marquess of Sligo
George Ulick Browne (1856-1935) 6th Marquess of Sligo
Ulick de Burgh Browne (1898-1941) 7th Marquess of Sligo
Arthur Howe Browne (1867–1951) 8th Marquess of Sligo
Terence Morris Browne (1873-1952) 9th Marquess of Sligo
Denis Edward Browne (1908 – 1991) 10th Marquess of Sligo
Jeremy Ulick Browne (1939 – 2014) 11th Marquess of Sligo
Note: Without male heirs, the estate passed to Jeremy's five daughters who sold the in 2017.
Landmarks
The Clock c.1947
Location: Bridge Street and Shop Street, Town Center
Replacing an old fountain on the site, 'The Clock' is the only Art Deco municipal clock in Ireland. The freestanding clock tower is built on a square plan and set on a concrete-brick cobbled footpath.
The Clock is also known locally as ‘The Four-Faced Liar’, as it frequently tells the wrong time as well as show different times on each of its four faces.
Dower House c.1809
Location: North Mall
A Georgian style house that currently holds the Westport Credit Union.
This was a large residence built for the Dowager Lady Sligo (Louisa Catherine Browne (1767-1816), the first Marchioness of Sligo) who was the spouse of John Denis Browne (1756–1809) , 3rd Earl of Altamont, 1st Marquess of Sligo.
She was expected to retire to this location on the marriage of her son, Howe Peter Browne but stayed at the house instead.
Holy Trinity Anglican Church c.1868
Location: Newport Road and St. Mary's Villas A 'pencil’ spire which rises to 100 feet in height and is capped with a 12 foot high cross is the churches most notable feature.
The interior is stately mid eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The marble of the spacious sanctuary is from Carrara, Italy and the mosaics and murals were the work of craftsmen from Italy as well.
The murals, which are mostly scenes from the Gospels, are said by some to have been copied from St. Peter’s in Rome. Others say that they are reminiscent of the floor of Siena Cathedral, Italy. The best known of the murals is the depiction of Leonardo da Vinci’s 'The Last Supper'.
The pulpit is hand carved in alabaster which was part of a cargo of a ship that was wrecked in Clew Bay.
The 1852 pipe organ was moved to Holy Trinity Church from the old parish church in the demesne.
The Malls (North and South)
Location: Castlebar Road and Carrowbeg River
The twin tree-lined banks of the Carrowbeg River are known locally as the North and South Mall.
This not the 'shopping mall' you're thinking about.......
In the 1800's, John Denis Browne (1756–1809) , 3rd Earl of Altamont, 1st Marquess of Sligo, planned a project costing more £10,000 when he decided to build a 400 m long tree-lined promenade, or 'The Mall', along the river complete with two small waterfalls and stone-arched bridges and finished off with decorative flowers. (See photos on right).
Market House c.1815
Location: West side of The Octagon statue, North End of Shop Street
A four bay structure designed by architect William Leeson (around 1767 but not built until 1815.
It features a clock and wooden cupola.
It was once an open-air market was held in front, later becoming a school, then a church.
The Sentinel c.2013
Location: Peter Street and Quay Street
Standing tall and proud is the magnificent six-metre-tall bronze and stainless-steel sculpture named 'The Sentinel', created by acclaimed Achill-based sculptor Ronan Halpin.
The sculpture sits on top of a circular stone pier, itself some four metres high. The pier symbolizes the prow of a ship, with 'The Sentinel' as the figurehead.
St. Mary's Church c.1813
Location: South Mall
In 1787 a lease for a Catholic Church at Riverside was secured. However it was 25 years later before the church was built. The foundation stone was laid on the site in 1813 and can be seen in the porch of the church. However a new church was later needed and a new church incorporating the old gothic facade was built on the mall in 1932, but then in 1959 the old gothic façade was demolished to make way for a new St Mary’s which was consecrated in 1961.
In 1973, by order of the Vatican, the sanctuary was updated and a new alter installed made of Carrera marble.
Along the side walls are mosaic 'Stations of the Cross' designed by Samuel McGolderick (1816-1889) and date from 1930. The windows provide many examples of the best of Irish stained glass by Harry Clarke (1889-1931) and Patrick Pye 1929-2018).
Traditional Old Phone Box c.1957
Location: Bridge Street and Shop Street (next to the Clock)
With the invention of the cell phone, there wasn't much need anymore for a phone box or the phone within.
But the township decided that the box was a landmark and as such they wanted to save it.
Groups got together and gave it new life in the form of a paint job, and to replace the phone they installed a defibrillator within. How cool is that?
Westport House c.1830
Location: Quay Road, Westport Demesne
In 1730, German architect Richard Cassels (1690-1751) designed and had built the East Section of the house for John Browne (1709-1776), 1st Earl of Altamont.
At some point later, architects Thomas Ivory (1732-1786) and James Wyatt (1746-1813) built the West, South, and North sections of the house to form a quadrangle. This was done again for John Browne (1709-1776), 1st Earl of Altamont.
In 1752, Peter Browne (1731-1780), 2nd Earl of Altamont married Elizabeth Kelly (1731-1765), daughter of Denis Kelly, Chief Justice of Jamaica, from whom the Brownes inherited the Lisduff estate in Co Galway and sugar plantations in Jamaica. They became absentee slave owners as such.
In 1778, a North wing two story extension was added to a design by architect Thomas Ivory. This was done for Peter Browne (1731-1780), 2nd Earl of Altamont.
In 1809, Howe Peter Browne (1788–1845), the 2nd Marquess of Sligo at the age of 21 inherited five titles in the peerage, a 200,000-acre estate in the west of Ireland, Westport House and sugar plantations in Jamaica which he inherited from his grandmother, Elizabeth Kelly (1731-1765), heiress of the Chief Justice of Jamaica, and spouse of Peter Browne (1731-1780), 2nd Earl of Altamont. Howe, the 2nd Marquess served as Governor of Jamaica from 1834 to 1836.
In 1816, for Howe Peter Browne (1788-1845), 2nd Marquess of Sligo, a South wing extension was added to a design by Benjamin Dean Wyatt (1775-1852), son of architect James Wyatt. This wing caught fire in 1826 due to a faulty heating systems, but was rebuilt.
The estate of Westport House was held through many generations of the Browne family until Jeremy Ulick Browne (1939 – 2014) 11th Marquess of Sligo died without a male heir, the property passed to his five daughters who sold the estate in 2017.
Today, Westport house is open to visitors and has a wide array of entertainment available for the entire family.
Notable People
[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
Colonel John Browne (1636-1711) Solder; Jacobite
Born: Kinturk, Mayo, Ireland
Died: Westport House, Westport, Mayo, Ireland
Resting Place: Unknown
Bio Summary: Son of John Browne (abt.1600-1670)
Colonel in the army of King James II.
Built a small house over a ruined O'Malley castle in Clew Bay.
Parents: John Browne (abt.1600-abt.1670) and Mary Browne (1600-XXXX) Married 1626
Siblings: George Browne (XXXX-1698), Elizabeth (Browne) Fitzgerald (abt.1649-XXXX)
Spouse: Maud (Bourke) Browne (XXXX-abt.1700) Married 1669 (great, great granddaughter of the famous pirate queen, Grace O’Malley ‘Granuaile’).
Issue: Bridget (Browne) Bermingham (abt.1660-1702), Elizabeth (Browne) Bermingham (abt.1670-XXXX), Peter Browne (1670-1724), Mary (Browne) Bourke (1683-1731)
John Browne (1709-1776) 1st Earl of Altamont; aka 'The Lord Mount Eagle'; Politician
Born: Westport, Mayo, Ireland
Died: Westport, Mayo, Ireland
Resting Place: Unknown
Bio Summary: Grandson of Col. John Browne (1636-1711)
1730 - Built the East portion of Westport House. He later added the remaining sides of the house.
Plans for an additional South wing were drawn up but where later done by the 2nd Earl of Altamont.
1760 - Became Lord Mount Eagle
1768 - Became Viscount Westport
1771 - Became 1st Earl of Altamont
Parents: Peter Browne (1670-1724) and Mary (Daly) Browne (abt. 1680-XXXX)
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Anne (Gore) Browne (XXXX-1771) Married 1729
Issue: George Browne (XXXX-1782), Peter (Browne) Browne-Kelly (1731-1780), Arthur Browne (1731-1779), Anne (Browne) Mahon (abt.1741-1798), John Browne (1741-1798) John Browne (abt. 1755-XXXX)
Peter Browne (1731-1780) 2nd Earl of Altamont
Born: Unknown
Died: Unknown
Resting Place: Unknown
Bio Summary: Son of John Browne (1709-1776)
Added the South wing to Westport House to plans of Thomas Ivory (1732-1786).
Peter married in 1752 to Elizabeth Kelly, only child of Denis Kelly, Chief Justice of Jamaica, from whom the Brownes inherited the Lisduff estate in Co Galway and sugar plantations in Jamaica. They became absentee slave owners as such.
Parents: John Browne (abt. 1709-1776) and Anne (Gore) Browne (XXXX-1771)
Siblings: George Browne (XXXX-1782), Arthur Browne (1731-1779), Anne (Browne) Mahon (abt. 1741-1798), John Browne (1741-1798), John Browne (Half) (abt. 1755-XXXX
Spouse: Elizabeth (Kelly) Browne (1731-1765) married 1752
Issue: Charlotte (Browne) Mahon (XXXX-1849), Denis Browne MP (1755-1828), Anne (Browne) Cuffe (1755-1814), John Denis Browne (1756-1809), Peter Browne (1758-1842), Elizabeth (Browne) Mahon (abt. 1765-1795)
Issue (ilegitmate): Rev Peter Browne, Dean of Ferns (XXXX-1842)
Howe Peter Browne (1788–1845), the 2nd Marquess of Sligo
Born: London, England
Died: Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
Resting Place: Kensal Green Cemetery, London, England
Bio Summary: John Denis Browne (1756-1809)
In 1809, Howe Peter Browne (1788–1845), the 2nd Marquess of Sligo at the age of 21 inherited five titles in the peerage, a 200,000-acre estate in the west of Ireland, Westport House and sugar plantations in Jamaica which he inherited from his grandmother, Elizabeth Kelly (1731-1765), heiress of the Chief Justice of Jamaica, and spouse of Peter Browne (1731-1780), 2nd Earl of Altamont.
Howe, the 2nd Marquess served as Governor of Jamaica from 1834 to 1836.
In 1816, for Howe Peter Browne (1788-1845), 2nd Marquess of Sligo, a South wing extension was added to a design by Benjamin Dean Wyatt (1775-1852), son of architect James Wyatt. This wing caught fire in 1826 due to a faulty heating systems, but was rebuilt.
Parents: John Denis Browne (1756-1809) 1st Marquess of Sligo and Lady Louisa Catherine (Howe) Browne (1767-1817)
Siblings: None
Spouse: Hester Catherine de Burgh (1800-1878) Married 1816
Issue: Louisa Catherine Browne (1816-1891), Elizabeth Browne (1817-1892), Emily Charlotte Browne (1818-XXXX), George John Browne (1820-1896) Later the 3rd Marquess of Sligo, Howe Brown (1821-1822), Catherine Sligo Browne (1822-1844), James Browne (1823-XXXX), John Thomas Browne (1824-1903) Later the 4th Marquess of Sligo, James de Burgh Browne (1825-XXXX), Catherine Browne (1826-1844), Catherine Lynskey Browne (1826-1883), Harriet Browne (1827-1904), Elizabeth Browne (1828-1892), Emily Charlotte Brown (1829-1916), Hester Georgiana Browne (1831-1925), Henry Ulick Browne (1831-1913), Richard Howe Browne (1834-1912), Augusta Brown (1838-1909), Marianne Browne (1839-XXXX)
George Clendining (1770-1843) Banker
Born: Westport, Ireland
Died: Westport, Ireland
Resting Place: Westport, Ireland
Bio Summary: Well known and respected banker born in Westport. He was also a personal banker to the Browne family.
Parents: Rev. Dr. Alexander Clendining (c.1709-1799) and Eleanor Clendining (c.1747-1832)
Siblings: Alexander Clendining (1771-1794), Thomas Valentine Clendining (c.1774-1846), Mary Lambert (XXXX-1849), John Clendining (XXXX-XXXX), Elizabeth Clendining (XXXX-1830)
Spouse: Margaret Clendining (c.1774-1861)
Issue: John Clendining (1798-1848), Alexander Clendining (XXXX-XXXX), George Clendining ((XXXX-XXXX), Mary O'Donel (XXXX-XXXX), Eleanor (Ellen) Clendining (XXXX-1837), Andrew Clendining (XXXX-XXXX)
James Owen Hannay aka George A. Birmingham (1865–1950), (Birmingham was the pen name of this writer, rector Hannay.
Born: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died: London, England
Resting Place: Unknown
Bio Summary: A minister who took up a successful writing career in 1905. One of his play's 'General John Regan' caused a riot when staged in Westport. He lived in Westport for some time during his writing career.
1883-1884 - Methodist College Belfast
Attended Trinity College, Dublin
1889 - Ordained as a Church of Ireland (Anglican) minister
1904 - served as rector of Holy Trinity Church, Westport
1918-1921 - Rector of Kildare parish
1934-1950 - Appointed vicar of Holy Trinity Church in the London suburb of Kensington
Parents: Robert Hannay (1835-1894) and Sarah Emily Wynne (1843-XXXX) Married 1864
Siblings: Agnew Lucy Hannay (1867-XXXX), Robert Hannay (1869-XXXX), William Henry Hannay (1882-1958)
Spouse: Adelaide Susan Wynne (1864-1934) Married 1889
Issue: Robert Hannay (1890-1965), Theodosia Francis Wynne Hannay (1892-XXXX), Althea Hannay (1894-XXXX), James Frederick Wynne Hannay (1906-XXXX)
Cornelius Coughlan (1828–1915), Irish recipient of Victoria Cross, died and buried in Westport
Born: Eyrecourt, County Galway, Ireland
Died: Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
Resting Place: Aughavale Cemetery near Murrisk, Westport
Bio Summary: Colour-Sergeant in the 75th Regiment of Foot (later The Gordon Highlanders) during the Indian Mutiny at Delhi, British India for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
He later was a member of the Connaught Rangers as a Sergeant Major and later with the South Mayo Rifles, a militia regiment.
Besides his grave marker in Ireland, he is also honored in the National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Parents: Edward and Catherine Coughlan
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Margaret (maiden name unknown) married 1856
Issue: 3 sons, 1 daughter (names unknown)
Séamus Hughes (born 1952-2022), Solicitor (Lawyer), Judge, Politician
Born: Westport, Ireland
Died: Westport, Ireland
Resting Place: Aghagower Cemetery, County Mayo, Ireland
Bio Summary: Raised in Westport, he attended St Patrick’s National School, then went on to St Jarlath’s College, Tuam (1965-1970) and finally to University College Dublin where he qualified in Law in 1975.
As a teen he worked for the family business in the manufacture of hand-sewn Irish Tweed footrests and later Irish Knitwear & Craft, in their shops in Westport and the Aran Islands during his student years.
1975-1978 - His early professional career began in Mullingar as a solicitor for Nooney and Dowdall where he met his future wife, Maria.
1978 - Established a law practice in Westport.
1984 - Co-opted onto Westport Urban District Council.
1992-1997 - He held a dual mandate having been elected for the constituency of West Mayo to the 27th Dáil as a Fianna Fáil TD.
1998 - Established the 15,000 acre Ballycroy National Park, which is now known as Wild Nephin National Park.
2001 - Appointed as State Solicitor for Mayo.
2009 - District Court Judge, first in Donegal and later the Midlands.
Parents: Pádraig Hughes (XXXX-XXXX) and Máire (Kelly) Hughes (XXXX-XXXX)
Siblings: Sisters Anne Hughes McGovern , Marion Hughes Cassidy , Cathy Hughes, Orla Hughes O’Carroll, Eleanor Hughes Moran, and brothers Cathal Hughes, Patrick (twin) Hughes, Harry Hughes, Owen Hughes, Richard Hughes, Vincent Hughes, Declan Hughes
Spouse: Maria (Gavigan) Hughes (XXXX-XXXX)
Issue: ColinHughes (XXXX-XXXX), Emmet Hughes (XXXX-XXXX), Sarah (Milford Scott) Hughes (XXXX-XXXX), Donal Hughes (XXXX-XXXX)
Major John MacBride (1868–1916)
Born: Westport, Ireland
Died: Dublin, Ireland
Resting Place: Dublin, Ireland
Bio Summary: He was executed in 1916 for his part in the Easter Rising.
Note: On Easter Monday 1916, Irish nationalists launched an armed revolt against British rule in Ireland. Although quickly suppressed by the British Army, it lead the way to the nation's independence in 1922.
He is commemorated by a monument on the Mall.
He was the father of Nobel peace laureate Seán MacBride.
Parents: Patrick MacBride (1833-1868) and Honoria Mary Gill (1845-1919)
Siblings: Joseph MacBride (1860-1938), Francis William MacBride (1864-XXXX), Anthony MacBride (1866-1942)
Spouse: Edith Maud Gonne (1866-1953) Married 1903
Issue: Sean MacBride (1904-1988)
Joseph Sylvester Maher Jr. (1933–1998), Actor, Playwright, Theatre Director
Born: Westport, ireland
Died: Los Angeles, California
Resting Place: Aughaval Cemetery, Westport, Ireland
Bio Summary: While born in Westport, Maher immigrated to Canada in 1956. He started acting with the Canadian Players and performed across Canada for three years before moving to New York where he had many Broadway and film hits to his credit.
Parents: Joseph Maher Sr. and Delia A. (O'Malley) Maher
Siblings: 9 brothers and sisters
Spouse: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Matt Molloy (born 1947)
Born: Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, Ireland
Died: N/A
Resting Place: N/A
Lives in Westport
Bio Summary: Flute musician with the Chieftains, and has a pub and music venue on Bridge Street.
Flutist: The Bothy Band (1974 – 1979), Planxty, The Chieftains (Since 1979)
He won the All-Ireland Flute Championship at nineteen and is renown as one of the most brilliant Irish musicians.
Parents: Unknown
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Geraldine Malloy (XXXX-XXXX)
Issue: Peter Molloy, Niamh Molloy, Clare Molloy, James Molloy
Grace O'Malley (c.1530-c.1603) aka Granuaile, Gráinne Mhaol, The Pirate Queen
Born: Umhaill, Ireland
Died: Rockfleet Castle, Ireland
Resting Place: Unknown
Bio Summary: A famous pirate from the age of eleven, she was also a shrewd politician on land.
Parents: Eoghan Dubhdara Ó Máille (XXXX-XXXX) Margaret O’Malley (XXXX-XXXX)
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Richard "the Iron" Bourke (XXXX-XXXX) Married 1566)
Issue: Tibbot na Long Bourke (1567-1629) 1st Viscount Mayo, Murchad Ó Flaithbertaigh (XXXX-XXXX), Eóghain Ó Flaithbertaigh (XXXX-XXXX)
Memorials and Statues
Coffin Ship Memorial c.1997
Location: R335 and Carrowkeel Road
This monument in Murrisk recognizes the millions of Irish who perished in the great famine.Created in bronze by artist John Behan, this sculpture depicts a "Coffin Ship" with skeleton bodies in the rigging.
"Coffin Ship" was the term used to describe the overcrowded ships that fled Ireland to escape the famine.
McBride’s Bust (Major John MacBride) c.1983
Location: South Mall (Opposite St. Mary's Church)
After his participation in the 1916 Irish Easter Rising in Dublin, MacBride was executed by the British.
The bust, which stands on a six-foot-high limestone plinth, was made by Irish sculptor Peter Grant.
See McBride is Notable People heading above.
Memorial of the Clew Bay Drowning c.1894
Location: Headstone and grave for Clew Bay Drowning victims, at Kildavnet Cemetery
In 1894, a large group of mostly teenagers gathered to travel across Clew bay by small boats called 'Hookers' to Westport, and from there to Scotland to work the farms during harvest season (Spring through Autumn).
On approach to Westport docks, most of the teens rushed to one side of the small ship which caused it to capsize which then threw the passengers into the water where 32 were trapped under the boat and drowned.
This memorial marks their passing.
Octagon c.1843
Location: West end of Shop Street.
Originally a 4 sided design , it was changed to 8 sided as part of the overall new planned town design by architect James Wyatt (1746-1813), it was erected as a monument to banker George Clendining (1770-1843).
Originally, a full-size figure of George Clendining was placed on top of the fluted doric columns on an octagonal podium, which had two female figures representing benevolence and philanthropy.
During the Civil War, Irish Free State Troops were housed in the nearby town hall. The statue was used for target practice and the head was shot off and the statue was later removed.
In 1990 Clendining was replaced by a statue of patron saint, St Patrick by sculptor Ken Thompson.
Pirate Grace O'Malley Statues (c.1530-c.1603)
Location: Westport House, Westport, Ireland
Two statues are located at Westport House. One on the grounds, and one inside the house.
These recognize the founder and leader of the O'Malley clan.
Sister Cities
Aror, Kenya
Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Plougastel-Daoulas , Brittany, France
Festivals
March - Croagh Patrick Walking Festival
May - The Saltwater Festival (of "Music, Food, Art & Culture")
May / June - Horse & Pony Show
June - Sea Angling Festival
June - Folk & Blue Grass Festival
August - Gaelforce West Adventure Festival
August - Music Festival
September - Horse Fair
October - Music and Arts Festival (which was rebranded as "Westival" in 2018.
Sources
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ My Global Viewpoint; https://www.myglobalviewpoint.com
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ Westport House - History; https://www.westporthouse.ie/
- ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com/
- ↑ Sebastian Browne (family History); https://sebastianbrowne.com
- ↑ mayo, Ireland; https://www.mayo-ireland.ie
- ↑ Destination Westport; https://www.destinationwestport.com
- ↑ Dictionary of Irish Architects; https://www.dia.ie
- ↑ Goggle maps; https://www.google.com/maps
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ Stuart M. Wilson , Personal Visit, 2019
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com
- ↑ Sebastion Browne family history; https://sebastianbrowne.com
- ↑ Family Search; https://www.familysearch.org
- ↑ Mayo-Ireland; https://www.mayo-ireland.ie
- ↑ Geni; https://www.geni.com
- ↑ Dictionary of Irish Biography; https://www.dib.ie
- ↑ Connaught Telegraph Obit; https://www.con-telegraph.ie
- ↑ Goggle; https://www.google.com
- ↑ Playbill; https://playbill.com
- ↑ Goggle maps; https://www.google.com/maps
- ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
- ↑ Stuart M. Wilson , Personal Visit, 2019
- ↑ mayo, Ireland; https://www.mayo-ireland.ie
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