Mayo memories: The commercial scene in Castlebar in 1948

CASTLEBAR’S renovated town hall at Linenhall Street was officially reopened in November 1948. The event was recorded in a review of that year in the January 8, 1949, edition of The Connaught Telegraph.

It recalled how, at the opening dance, hundreds of people attended and for the first time witnessed what had been achieved by the contractors, architect and all concerned with the wonderful renovations carried out and the transformation made of the old hall.

For months work on the hall had been going on, but when the actual opening did take place few of those who saw the structure believed that it could have been possible to make such a change of the old building.

His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam had previously inspected the hall and was later at another function to formally declare it open when the Castlebar Players produced a drama to a large audience.

On the opening night, during the interval, Very Rev. Fr. William Nohilly, Adm., thanked all those who attended and then formally thanked those who helped to make the new hall a fact and such a credible undertaking.

He thanked Rev. G. Kearney, C.C., Castlebar, for the interest he took in getting the work underway and supervising it all the while. He also thanked the architect, Mr. R. Ryan, and Mr. J.P. McCormack, contractor, who carried out the work.

In the same month, the Connaught recalled ratepayers were given the news and views about a proposal to introduce nuns to the staff of Mayo County Hospital.

There was opposition offered at a meeting and the idea was debated from every possible angle.

Though there had always been some criticism - some of it very loose - of the system of things obtaining at the hospital, the new proposal came as a great surprise to many people outside the membership of the county council.

Probably in the new year, the journalist wrote, they would be hearing more about the proposal.

Three months earlier, the review recalled, the county, in August, was privileged to act as host to Mr. Clement Attlee, the Premier of England, and his wife.

The British Premier selected Newport as the base for his holiday, and he and Mrs. Attlee thoroughly enjoyed their stay and paid many verbal tributes to the hospitality of the people in the west.

During their stay they and their two young daughters were entertained by many people and were visited by some of the Eire politicians who came to the west during the month of August.

They spent some time golfing in Castlebar and shopping in the town, and many people had the privilege of having dealings with them.

In the same month his Excellency, Mr. William Dignam, Australian High Commissioner in Dublin, visited Castlebar and parts of Mayo on a tour, and he also enjoyed his first trip westwards.

In February there was another attempt to revive interest in the Mayo Aero Club, which had for its first object the acquisition of the Castlebar Aerodrome as a site for training purposes.

The object of the club was to have Castlebar established as a kind of air station in the west, and one of the club’s most active workers was its Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. Monaghan, B.E., who had since left town and taken up residence elsewhere.

Brig. Gen. Browner presided at this meeting and the Hon. Sec. gave a comprehensive explanation of the difficulties confronting the proposed establishment of the air link at Castlebar. There were certain technical problems such as the removal of ESB wires, which, it was said, would be an obstruction to safe flying.

The many difficulties were of such a nature at the stage that the club found, for one reason or another, that it would have to await a greater public interest in the project before contemplating the next step.

There was unwelcome news for Castlebar Urban ratepayers when, at a meeting of the local body in March, the clerk announced a rate of 31/6 in the £. or 4/- more than the previous year.

In explaining the new rate to the council the clerk pointed out that the destruction of the County Cinema at Spencer Street earlier that month meant a loss in rates to the council of £100 a year.

Councillor James O’Quigley (Labour) protested that they were paying rates on property that did not exist in the town, and the clerk pointed out that on many previous occasions the same criticism was raised but nothing was done about it.

It was also explained to the council that the increase in the rates was due in measure to increases in workers’ wages. As nothing could be done as regards reductions, the council had no option but to adopt the new rate.

The members of the Castlebar Trout Anglers’ Association convened a special meeting in June for the purpose of honouring their Hon. Sec. and oldest and most popular member, Mr. P.T. Moran.

Mr. Moran had held the position of secretary of the association since its inception 14 years before, and now that he resigned from the position it was but fitting that he should be made a suitable presentation.

An outstanding personality and a noted angler for years, Mr. Moran, that same month, celebrated his 83rd birthday.

The chairman of the association, Mr. J.P. McCormack, presented Mr. Moran with a smoking cabinet and in doing so paid a well-deserved tribute to the work accomplished for the association by Mr. Moran.

Mr. A. Wynne, Mr. P. Howard and others also joined in the tributes to the retiring secretary, after which Mr. Moran suitably replied.