The changing face of Westport
by Auld Stock
WESTPORT, like other towns across the country, has greatly changed over the years.
In 1854, South Mall, Westport, had a population of over sixty residents.
Today, it has a much smaller number of residents, though the overall population of Westport has increased considerably.
Fr. Bernard Burke was parish priest in Westport in 1854 and in the aftermath of the Great Famine, he tended his flock with loving care and attention.
Charles Bianconi, who devised a transport system which covered many parts of Ireland, lived in South Mall, Westport, in those days. There was also a Methodist Meeting House on South Mall.
St. Mary’s Parish Church has undergone many structural changes in the intervening years.
Fr. Charlie McDonnell is the current administrator in Westport, son of Carmel McDonnell and the late Michael McDonnell, Newantrim Street, Castlebar.
Carmel was formely Hayes and her father, Charlie, was a baker in Lavelle’s Riverside Bakery in Castlebar, a neighbour of Paddy Quinn, a member of the Mayo All-Ireland winning team in 1936, Tommy Lawless, another baker, and Willie and Denny Fahey, blacksmiths, makers of the chains which surrounded the Green in Castlebar.
There was a large corn store in the South Mall, Westport, in 1854 and farmers came from as far away as Castlebar and Newport to have their oats, wheat and rye crushed in the mill.
William Bole, who lived in South Mall, was a cousin of the Bole family, Mountain View, Castlebar, publishers of the Mayo Examiner.
In the past the two bridges over the Carrowbeg river, close to St. Mary’s Church, were popular meeting places for local people, particularly after Sunday Mass.
Tommy Munster, Carnaclay, Westport, told me his father remembered the time when the craic often went on until well into the afternoon at the two bridges.
Tommy Munster was a milk vendor and carried a large tank of milk on his bicycle when he made his deliveries to local people.
He was a useful footballer in his younger days, a neighbour of the Sheridan, McHale, Muldoon, Clinton and Foy families.
Teddy McHale, Lodge Road, Westport, a member of Mayo County Council and a close friend of the Munster family, was an outstanding Gaelic footballer.
Hilda Kavanagh (Clinton), Carnaclay, was chosen as housewife of the year and was principal teacher of St. Anthony’s Special School, Humbert Way, Castlebar, up to her retirement some years ago.
Carnaclay was a close-knit community in the past but over the years a large number of houses have been built in the area. The motor car testing centre was built in Carnaclay some years ago.
A well known character on the South Mall in 1854 was Sidney Smith, reputed to be a man with a fine voice who, as the saying goes, was never short of a word.
Things come and go, but Massgoers in St. Mary’s Parish Church still meet their neighbours and friends for a chat at the two bridges.
Some things, thank God, never change.