Road naming ceremony taking place in south Mayo town

COMPOSER Patrick Cassidy is performing the naming ceremony of a road named in his honour in his home town this afternoon.

The road in Claremorris links the railway station to Mount Street and the celebrated Los Angeles-based composer was chosen for the honour by members of the public.

Cassidy is in Mayo as part of the Home to Mayo celebrations and will perform the naming ceremony today (Friday) at 2 p.m.

The renaming of the road leading to the train station has been raised on numerous occasions over the last few years. Early this year, the public were invited to suggest names for it, with Patrick Cassidy Road chosen in honour of a favourite son of Claremorris, who is internationally recognised for his music.

Patrick Cassidy was born in Claremorris in 1956. He came into prominence with the release of the Children of Lir, the first major symphonic work written in the Irish language.

He has written numerous musical scores for such high-profile movies as Hannibal, Kingdom of Heaven, and Calvary, which was filmed on location in Easkey, Co. Sligo.

The Cassidy family lived on Convent Road in Claremorris and Patrick's late parents, Colm and Kathleen, operated a chemist shop on Dalton Street.