Glimpse of Castlebar businesses 200 years ago

By Tom Gillespie

IN January 1957 The Connaught Telegraph published a description of Castlebar taken from the Castlebar Directory, 1824 (Pigot and Co.), which was submitted to the newspaper by Mr. S. J. McCormack Sr., Thomas Street.

It stated the county town of Castlebar was the property of Lord Lucan. In 1798 Castlebar was in the possession of the French invaders under General Humbert for nine days, but on the approach of the Marquis of Cornwallis they retreated towards Sligo and soon afterwards surrendered themselves prisoners of war.

In the churchyard is a monument to the memory of five soldiers who fell at this time.

The public buildings are the castle, which stands on a commanding situation, and is now (1824) occupied as a barracks; the jail; a fine convenient courthouse; another barracks, a county infirmary; linen hall; public shambles; a spacious church with a very lofty steeple; a Catholic chapel and a Methodist meeting house.

The business of this place is principally carried on in the main street and its chief public buildings are seated around a spacious green, through which is a gravel promenade overshadowed by very fine trees.

Here are a distillery and brewery; but the chief support of the town is an extensive market, particularly for linen, which is held on Saturday. There are three fairs in the year, viz, on the 11th of May; the 9th of July, and on the 18th of November.

The population is 5,120.

Clergy and Gentry - Patrick Boyd, Esq., Mountgordon; Henry Browne, Esq., Rahins; Edward Burke, Esq., Westlands; John Burke, Esq., Ballyheane Lodge; John Burke, Esq., Ballynew; Joseph Burke, Esq., Greenhill; Mrs. Burke, Richmond; Tobias Burke, Esq., Wood Villa; Ulick Burke. Esq., Mellonhill; Mrs. Carr, Creagh Villa; Ninan B. Crawford, Esq., Major and Magistrate; William Davis, Esq., Rocklands; Rev. Denis Egan, P.P., Castlebar; Joseph Grey, Snugboro; Moses Grey, Esq., Newtown; Rev. M. Hall, Turlough; Rev. G.V. Harte, Springfield. Rev. James Hughes, C.C., Castlebar; Rev. Charles Kelly, C.C., Castlebar; Lieutenant Kearney, 42nd Foot; Patrick Knight, Esq., Fitbury Fort; Anthony O’Malley, Esq., Snugboro; Charles O’Malley, Esq., The Lodge; Sir Samuel O’Malley, Esq., Kilboyne House; St. Clair O’Malley, Esq., The Lodge; George Ormsby, Esq., Moate; Mrs. Ormsby, Ballinamore; Thomas Ormsby, Esq., Lakelands; Rev. Henry Pasley, J.P., Rector of Ballyheane; Thomas Rowland, Esq., Glenhest; Captain Rutledge, 74 Regiment, Mount; Charles Simple, Esq., Oakland; Rev. William Smith, Oakland; Henry Wardren, Esq., Balloor Lodge, William Wardren, Esq., Balloor Lodge.

Post Office - postmistress, Miss Bell. Dublin mail dispatched at five o’clock in the morning and arrives at eight o’clock in the evening. A branch of the Galway mail passes from Westport every morning for Ballinasloe and calls every evening at eight o’clock at the office, Market Square. Goods may be conveyed to Dublin and other places by hired car.

Boot and Shoemakers - Michael Burns, Market Street; Charles Ellison, Market Street; John Curran, Thomas Street; Owen Gavan, Thomas Street; John MacAndrew, Castle Street; Robert Murtagh, Castle Street; David Tressan, Castle Street; Thomas MacGreevey, Linenhall Street.

Brewer - Thomas Gildea, Market Street. Distiller - Walker and Nihell, Market Street.

Engineers and Surveyor - Francis MacGreevey, Market Street.

Innkeepers - Michael Dunn, Market Street; Martin Sheridan, Market Street, Joynt Smith (Head Inn), Market Street; Patrick T. Rodgers, Linenhall Street.

Leather Sellers - Edward Malley, Market Street; John Malley, Market Street, Catherine McEllin, Market Street, John McNamara, Market Street; William MacTigue, Market Street; William Walsh, Market Street.

Tallow Chandlers - John Dudgeon, Market Street, Levy Hynes, Market Street; Mary Tierney, Market Street.

Watchmaker - Edward Topham, Market Street.

Butter Dealer and Stationer - James Burns (Butter Dealer), Market Street; Mary Young (Stationer), Market Street.

Excise Officer - Charles O’Malley, Esq., Collector; Alexander Bell, Gent, Pro-Collector.

Stamp Office - Francis Henry Wright, Esq. (Distributors for the county).

Ironmongers - Robert Blakney, Market Street; Michael Byrnes, Market Street; Francis MacGreevey, Market Street, William Walsh, Market Street.

Physicians and Surgeons - John Acton, Market Street; William Hamilton, Castle Street; Henry Keane, Bloomfield (Surgeon to the King in Ireland and to Mayo County Infirmary).

Grocers and Publicans - Matthew Gibbons (Wholesale), Market Street; Patrick Carney, Market Street; Robert Blakney, Market Street; Ann Harte (Tobacconist), Market Street; Thomas Herron, Market Street; Edward O’Malley (Tobacconist), Market Street; John O’Malley (Tobacconist), Market Street; John McNamara, Market Street; Richard Morris, Market Street; Roger Murphy (Spirit Dealer), Market Street; George Sheridan, Market Street; William Young (Tobacconist), Market Street; Peter Flannelly, Market Street; Michael Dunn, Market Street; Michael Maloney, Market Street; Edward Morgan, Market Street; Anthony Walsh, Market Street; Sarah Walsh, Market Street; Martin Sheridan, Market Street; Thomas Goulding (Wine and Spirit Merchant), Market Street; Thomas Young, Market Street.

Linen and Wool Drapers - A.J. Fowler, Market Street; Edward O’Malley, Market Street; James O’Malley, Market Street; John MacAndrew, Market Street; Mary MacDonnell, Market Street; Patrick MacHugh, Market Street; Ellen MacKilroy, Market Street; Daniel Sweeney, Market Street, Timothy O’Toole and Co., Market Street.

Linen Merchants - Redmond Carney, Market Street, Edward Jeffers, Market Street; William MacTigue, Market Street.

Painters and Glazers - Sandy Bole, Spencer Street; John Corcoran, Spencer Street; Edward Devine, Thomas Street; Sandy MacDermott, Thomas Street, Thomas MacDermott, Thomas Street.

Saddler and Harness-makers - Campbell Fair, Market Street; Richard Morris, Market Street.

Tailors - Thomas Burke, Narrow Lane; Martin Gavin, Thomas Street; John Hill, The Green; John Nelson, Market Street; Patrick Ryan, Shamble Street.

Apothecaries - John Acton, Market Street; John Atkinson, Market, Street; John Finglass, Market Street; John Shaw, Market Street.

Auctioneers - John Gallagher, Thomas Street; William Masterson, (Cabinetmakers), Market Street.

Bakers - Patrick Carney, Bridge Street; Patrick Connolly, Bridge Street; Charles Connolly, Bridge Street; Mrs. Devlin, Market Street; John Keane, Market Street; Stephen Langston, Market Street; Matthew McDonnell, Market Street; Catherine McEllin, Market Street; Tobias Roach, Market Street; John Langston, Castle Street; Martin Sheridan, Spencer Street; Sarah Walsh, Market Street; Mary Young, Market Street.