TG4 feature on Mayo community on eve of anniversary of Rescue 116 tragedy
Bailte is a TG4 series, presented by Síle Nic Chon Aonaigh that looks at townlands all around Ireland. There are more than 60,000 townlands in Ireland. The townland is the smallest and perhaps the most important geographical division we have.
This series celebrates our townlands, to get to know the communities who live in them, the culture from which they have grown, the work that sustains them, and the landscape that moulds them.
On the eve of the second anniversary of the Rescue 116 tragedy, programme 9 next Wednesday at 8.30 p.m. brings the programme to An Eachléim in county Mayo - a townland in the southern part of the Mullet Peninsula North of Black Sod – to a community that stood up in the hour of need.
The programme will be repeated on Saturday, March 16, at 7.15 p.m. and will also be available on TG4 player www.tg4.ie/player
Members of the coastguard came back unbeknownst to the community during the filming of the programme and wanted to thank the people for their unlimited kindness during the full 42 days of the search.
An Eachléim - The name is said to come from the old stories about a great horse that jumped from An Baile Nua down the road up here to Eachléim - it means Horse (Each) and Leap (Léim).
Máire Uí Ruadhain was central to the building of the Community Historical Centre – Ionad Deirbhile – 21 years ago.
It is a great facility that tells the history of the area, through many photos that were collected from the local people. It was also the first-place visitors to the area, including the parents of the many students coming to the Gaeltacht each Summer, could go to get a cup of tea.
The centre is named after the local Saint, who reputedly plucked out her eyes - the water in the well is said to have restored her sight. Máire brings tourists on historical tours around the area and there is a special interest in Deirbhile and her Church and well.
Emigration has always been a huge part of the story of the Mullet peninsula. In 1883/4 through the Chuke scheme thousands of people left to find a new life in America & Canada.
The names of each of the people who boarded the ships are carved into a memorial near where they left.
Vincent Sweeney – Lighthouse keeper – Black Sod
Vincent is the current lighthouse keeper, and his Father was the keeper before him. He says the storms are getting worse. Every lighthouse has a different – Blacksod sends two beams every 7.5 seconds. The lighthouse is automated now.
Kathy Meenaghan and Noreen Togher - Shopkeepers
They moved home from Chicago with their parents when they were children. They run the local shop and they know their days are numbered. It is only a matter of time until the shop closes. A story that is being repeated all too often in villages all around the country.
Cillian Ó Mongáin – Sofware Engineer
Cillian is a software engineer who runs his business working with some of the biggest multinational companies based in Silicon Valley. He works in An Eachléim as part of a team, despite being in one the remotest parts of Irelands. He thinks it is a way of life that others should follow. He moved there from his native Dublin in the 90’s because of his love of the place which stemmed from his time there as a student in the Coláiste Uisce. His wife moved there with him, and it is great safe way of life and a great place to bring up children. Even though the population is small you are much closer to the people are around you, unlike the loneliness of cities.
Mikey Willie Phat – Garage
Mikey has an old style garage and has kept going despite all the changes in business over the years. He has pumps, sells second hand cars, has 2 pickups for breakdowns and does repairs. It’s all computers now – but he leaves that to 2 of his 3 sons who work with him – they have both studies electronics.
The Community who Supported the Rescue 116 Search
In March 2017 Rescue 116 was lost out from the Iorras Peninsula. The community response to the tragedy was centred in the Community Hall in An Eachléim – an event which pulled the community together and a tragedy that will never leave them.
Brid Uí Eineacháin – ‘We knew something terrible had happened – we just wanted to know what we could do to help.’
Helen Uí Catháin – ‘I just went down to the centre and rolled up my sleeves.’
Winnie Brogan – ‘We couldn’t stay away – first thing in the morning, you just had to be there, to help, any way you could.’
Mary Carolan – ‘It was like an extended Irish wake, where people come together like a traditional Irish wake in the west of Ireland – people come together and bring sandwiches and they bring food and they bring comfort. We often thought, if we didn’t have this place (the hall), what would happen, because there wasn’t any place else.’
Seán Ó Gallachóir – ‘We provided 10,000 meals, from noon until night, during the 42-day period – for over 100 people searching every day. It wasn’t the politicians, the Church or anyone else who helped. It was the ordinary people of Ireland. Normal people, and Limerick GAA – they came here to help. And they won the All Ireland – that made me very happy.’
‘These women sat down with them –and talked to them, the searchers and the families, they did what Irish women do, and they did it very well.’
The programme concludes with a helicopter flyby and members of the Coastguard presenting the community with red and white roses (the colours of rescue 116) to thank them for their support during the greatest tragedy in the history of the Irish coastguard.
Produced by Aniar for TG4. Produced and Directed by Darina Clancy. Executive Producer Niamh Ní Bhaoill