Mr. Thomas H. Gillespie, father of the Gillespie brothers, Tommy. Dick, Alfie and Bernie, took over the editorship of the Connaught Telegraph in 1899.
Though just 25-years old at the time, he was a man of the wold, having spent several years prior to that in Chicago, having travelled there while just a schoolboy, on the request of his brothers, who were then occupying prominent positions in Windy City.
He returned to Castlebar in 1898 to represent the Chicago National Society at the '98 Centenary celebrations.
His brother, the late R.A. Gillespie, who was then in charge of the Connaught Telegraph, induced him to remain and he did so.

Mr. Bernard Joseph (Bernie) Gillespie (62) who was called to the great newsroom in the sky in May 1982 was one of the most prominent and popular journalists in the West of Ireland.

For over 40 years he had an illustrious career in the newspaper business, representing the family concern at all the major news events in the region.
He had a nose for a story, something that is missing in a lot of today's highly trained newspaper men and women.
Bernie was born with this innate trait. He could, as he would say, get an angle on anything.

Ellison Street in CastlebarCavendish Lane, Castlebar, runs from Ellison Street in a northerly direction to the town; it leaves Ellison Street at the western end.
The lane has a long history but what it was called before the 18th century is in doubt. It was for many years the main road to the lake and it is interesting to note here that in the 18th and 19th centuries the lake was famed as a fishery. It seems that the gentry came from far and wide to fish on the lake.