Order of Malta serving Castlebar for 79 years

By Tom Gillespie

THIS photograph above of these award-winning members of the Castlebar Order of Malta was taken in the 1950s.

There are many familiar faces in the group with Eddie Lynn, holdings the cup in the middle of the second row, who was the main organiser of the unit. Eddie resided in accommodation over the archway leading into the square of Castlebar Military Barracks as you approach from Rock Square.

The late Michael Joe Egan, a solicitor from Mountain View, was President of Honour of the Order of Malta, holding the rank of Bailli Grand Cross of Obedience. In 1996 he wrote of his involvement with the Order of Malta.

Explaining the background he outlined: “The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children which we have in Ireland is a successor to the British NSPCC. When the NSPCC, in Britain decided to cease operations in Ireland, the executive felt the break should not take place until a similar society, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, was first established.

“The executive committee of the English Society was like a who’s who of the most important people in the United Kingdom, most of them having titles.

“There was only one Catholic on the executive committee, the Countess of Iddlesleigh, and to identify as a Catholic, I became a Knight of Malta ion 1994.

“After a few years as a member of the Order of Malta, I became a member of the Council of the Order and subsequently was appointed a provincial director of the Ambulance Corps of Connaught, an office which I held for several years.

“The Ambulance Corps is purely a voluntary organisation and is very strong in Connaught with units based in counties Mayo, Sligo, Galway and Roscommon, and during my term of office it greatly expanded in the province.”

“Castlebar people will know very well the work carried out by members of the Castlebar unit under the captaincy of John Cunningham, ably assisted by his wife Mary and other members of his family.

“Under Captain’s Cunningham’s leadership a magnificent headquarters has been erected at Pavilion Road, Castlebar, and hundreds of boys and girls have passed through the Castlebar unit as members and now in middle age, look back with pride on their periods of service.

“In addition to the headquarters, the unit has two ambulances and members are constantly in call to deal with urgent cases when the HSE ambulances are otherwise engaged. The ambulances are also used to take people to Knock Shrine and other places. The members of the unit are very prominent at all kinds of sporting and athletic events where they are on call in case of injury.

“Now in my 80th year, I look back with pride on the development of Castlebar, the town of my birth, and have seen the tremendous progress that has taken place there during my lifetime.

“I am delighted to learn that Castlebar is now recognised as one of the three most advancing towns in the entire country.”

On the first weekend in November, 2018, a special celebrations took place to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Order of Malta in Castlebar.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a special plaque at the Mayo Peace Park and Garden of Remembrance at Lannagh Road. It is be dedicated to the memory of the voluntary ambulance services and first aid personnel - Order of Malts, Civil Defence, Irish Red Cross and St. John’s Ambulance Ireland - in recognition of their selfless and dedicated service to the state during the World Wars and during disasters and crises at home and abroad.

The plaque was kindly donated by Hugh Ginty of G.G. Ginty Stone, Ballina.

Castlebar Order of Malta was founded in 1943, and the first officer-in-charge was Captain, Eddie Lynn.

The first members held their meeting in the gate lodge of the military barracks in Castlebar, where Eddie resided.

The next officer-in-charge was Tommy Robinson, followed by John Cunningham, Tom Jennings and the present officer-in-charge is Lieutenant Liam McHugh.

Mayo County Council extended a civic reception to the Order and members of the unit were on the streets of the county town, giving demonstrations of first aid and later at the unveiling of the plaque.

The major task now facing the unit is the raising of €200,000 to erect a new purpose built headquarters at Pavilion Road.

Their existing HQ on that site was vacated in 2013 when the building was deemed structurally unsound.