Mayo call for recognition of ‘largely forgotten’ members of the Land League

A renewed call for proper recognition of the Erris men and women who played a crucial role in the Land League was made last night at the launch of "Land War: Mayo’s Forgotten Conflicts" in the Erris Coast Hotel, Geesala.

Minister Dara Calleary officially launched the book, praising author Dr Maura Irwin for what he described as “an inspiring piece of research and work.”

He noted that the attendance of more than 300 people in the packed venue was “a testament not only to the importance of this book, but to Dr Irwin’s lifelong commitment to the people of north Mayo - first in medicine, and now as a published author.”

Dr Andrew Newby, Senior Lecturer in History at University of Galway, used the occasion to call for greater public memorialisation of the Land League in Mayo.

He suggested that the county should strive to have as many monuments and landmarks dedicated to the Land War as currently exist for the Famine and the 1798 Rebellion.

Dr Newby also commended Dr Irwin for bringing fresh focus to a period and region of Mayo history that has received comparatively little scholarly attention.

Her work, he said, shines new light on an area “often overlooked in mainstream accounts of the Land League.”

Land War: Mayo’s Forgotten Conflicts centres on the Graughill and Carter affrays, pivotal events that expose the harsh inequalities endured by local communities and the degree to which agents of the State worked alongside landlords to suppress them.

The book has been particularly praised for its treatment of the Ladies’ Land League, whose practical and moral support proved indispensable to the people of Mayo during these tumultuous years.

Dr Irwin has helped to restore long-overdue recognition to the women whose contributions were vital yet frequently forgotten in traditional historical accounts.