From the archives: Mayo’s 'Rip Van Winkle' surfaced after 25 years
By Tom Gillespie
THERE is a wealth of unusual and quirky information contained in the old newspaper files of The Connaught Telegraph.
Take for instance the edition of January 17, 1959, where they reported on the story of a Ballyheane, Castlebar, man who disappeared for a quarter century, with the heading 'Modern Rip Van Winkle’.
It read: A rather remarkable story of a Ballyheane man who mysteriously disappeared from his neighbourhood over 25 years ago and who dramatically reappeared this week (January 1959) was unfolded on Wednesday (January 14) when it was discovered that during all that time he was living a life of seclusion in his own house unknown to his neighbours.
The report said he was James Walsh, aged 60, of Derrada, Ballyheane, who had lived in seclusion in his home with his wife, Mrs. Celia Walsh, and had shut himself away all the time.
Facts are stranger than fiction, and the story of Mr. Walsh’s disappearance from the outside world was a most unusual one - yet the cause of the 25 years confinement in his own house without ever meeting his next door neighbour or making his presence known to anyone except his wife is so simple that it was almost unbelievable.
It seemed Mr. Walsh was alleged to have been involved in a very minor matter which the Guards were investigating at the time. Then, overnight, he just disappeared from the outside world, and it was generally accepted that he had gone to England. His wife continued to run their small farm, with their neat thatched house, situated at Derrada, only about 30 yards from the main Castlebar-Ballinrobe road. A most popular woman in the district, she was hard working and industrious and she let some of their small farm in con-acre, keeping only sufficient grazing for their cow.
As time marched on, little was thought of James Walsh by his neighbours who accepted that he was in England. However, from time to time, there was one aspect which puzzled their neighbours.
It was that occasionally they would notice some farm work done about the house, but they never saw anybody working there.
This aroused their curiosity but little did they think that Mr. Walsh was at home and occasionally did work outside the house, at night or early morning when there was no one about. Strange though it may seem during all those years nobody saw him.
Then to the surprise of everyone in the district, his life of seclusion ended suddenly during the week.
Ballyheane gardaí making inquiries in the district about a matter having no connection with Mr. Walsh or his wife by chance called to the house as they were passing where they found a bearded, poorly clad and barefooted James Walsh - the man who had disappeared 25 years ago and believed to have gone to England.
Described as a saintly-looking, kindly gentleman with a pleasant manner, he had chatted freely with people who had called on him and the visit of the gardaí to his house had brought his life of seclusion to a happy ending.
DANCING DURING LENT
Then eight years later (September 12, 1968) we reported how the controversial question of dancing during Lent - prohibited by the diocesan authorities - took a dramatic change when three District Justices - Hugh McGahon, James Gilvarry and J.H. Barry - decided to allow dancing during the greater part of Lent in a sweeping change of dance laws.
In all the areas covered - Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and parts of Leitrim and Donegal - Lenten dancing was either completely prohibited by the Church or traditionally not held.
The then Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Walsh - his archdiocese included Mayo and Roscommon - told The Connaught Telegraph: “Dancing is prohibited during Lent. I have hard nothing officially about changes in the dance regulations, and I cannot make any comment until I do.”
Westport ballroom owner Mr. John Healy said he had held discussions with the Archbishop on the matter.
“His Grace told me,” he said, “that a statement attributed to him in a Sunday newspaper saying he had no intention of making a change was incorrect.
“He told me he will meet other western bishops to discuss the matter fully within the next fortnight.”
Ballroom owners had welcomed the changes, particularly in Co. Mayo, which had one of the highest number of dance halls in the country.
One owner said: “It is ridiculous that dancing was prohibited here when people could dance on the east coast and in Cork and Limerick.”
The change provides for dancing during Lent, except for the second last Sunday to Easter Sunday inclusively.
Dancing, the reports said, would also be allowed on the eves of Sundays, church holidays and Christmas Day.
Justice Hugh McGahon, speaking at Crossmolina court, said: “I have had a number of requests from various quarters to change the dancing laws. I have considered this seriously and have decided to allow dancing on Saturday nights and on the eves of church holidays until midnight.
“Dancing will also be allowed during Lent except from the second last Sunday to Easter Sunday.”
Rural dramatic societies on Co. Mayo, however, feared the changes would sound the death knell for them.
A spokesman for one of the drama groups said: “Parochial and rural dramatic societies have always staged their plays during Lent when there were no counter attractions.
“Attendances have been falling in recent years because of television, but if dancing is allowed in Lent it will wipe out our drama groups completely.”
The changes were introduced and during the remaining 1960s and ‘70s when dancing to the country’s top showbands attracted thousands to venues all over Mayo. The lifting of the dancing ban also gave a fillip to the hundreds of showband singers and musicians who heretofore had to embark on UK tours during the period of Lent in order to earn a living.
Likewise, the lifting of the ban did not mark a final curtain call for the county’s many dramatic societies, as witnessed by the success of drama festivals countrywide this year.