Castlebar Parish Magazine delivers a message of hope for all

THE Castlebar Parish Magazine, which is on sale at usual outlets over the Christmas season, is packed with all the traditional features that made it such a popular publication over the past five decades.

The front cover features a lovely photograph by Michael Donnelly of the Mall, the town’s showpiece, while there is selection of images by Frank Fullard and Alison Laredo of well-known local faces on the back cover.

Despite the challenges presented with the cost of living crisis precipitated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was another good year for the county town and many of the articles in the publication reflect the immense spirit and character that epitomises local people.

In his editorial, Joe Redmond made the point that it’s more difficult to make ends meet with the demands being placed on charitable organisations like the St. Vincent De Paul, with requests for assistance having mushroomed in the last year, bearing this out.

“However, all down the years, no matter what the world situation was, that ray of hope always shone bright at Christmas time.”

He called on people to be supportive of one another, especially those who have fallen on hard times, the elderly, those in ill health and those who have been bereaved.

He said Christmas is a nostalgic time when thoughts of times and people of past come to mind.

“Hopefully the magazine will help to recall some of those memories while providing some light reading over the festive season,” he added.

In his message to readers, the cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, extended festive wishes to all of the new citizens celebrating Christmas in Castlebar for the first time.

He said he looked forward next year to the completion of the new N5 dual carriageway between Castlebar and Westport, an investment that will have a big bearing on the advancement of west Mayo in the decades ahead.

The contributors to this year’s publication include Alan King, Jimmy Blake, Josephine Higgins Moran, Sean Rice, Johnny Mee, Kevin McDonald, Hubert Glynn, Tom Gillespie, Sean Lyons, John O’Connor, Peter Killeen, Michael Feeney, Edwin McGreal, Tom Kelly and John Healy.

There is a wonderful selection of photographs, including by John Mee junior, and a special tribute to all those who died during the year.

Retailing at €10, it is compulsive reading for all Castlebar people, at home and abroad.