English author’s impressions of Mayo in the 1950s

IN May 1950, the well-known English author, Mr. Charles Graves, in the course of his interesting book, ‘Ireland Revisited’, described a visit to a number of towns in Mayo, and said that a visit to Castlebar was a personal one, as he wanted to call on the mother of his ‘adorable Irish parlourmaid’, Mrs. Walsh, McHale Road, Castlebar.

The parlourmaid referred to was Miss Kathleen Walsh, daughter of Mrs. Walsh and the late Mr. Thomas Walsh, McHale Road, and when Mr. Graves visited Castlebar, he met Mrs. Walsh.

More recently Mrs. Walsh had spent a holiday in England with her daughter and she was presented with an autographed copy of ‘Ireland Revisited’ by the author.

Describing his visit to Mayo, Mr. Graves said: “Back at Ashford Castle the hotel guests were proudly displaying their enormous trout, which were parked in orderly ranks on slabs near the gun-room. It is a pity that they did not taste as good as they look.

“Still, later that night we danced in evening dress at the night club attached to the hotel, and inquired our way to Castlebar.

“The first place on our route next day was the bustling little town of Ballinrobe, perched halfway up a hill. Still not being quite sure of the best route to Castlebar, we asked a native. He replied: ‘Ye’ll see the signpost down at the top of the hill’.

“Ballinrobe takes its name from the River Robe, which flows at the bottom of the hill. Four miles away is Lough Mask, that lovely sheet of water, second only to Lough Corrib.

“It is 10 miles long and four miles wide, with two arms, one stretching four miles and the other thee miles, right into Joyce country.

“Lough Mask House was the residence of Captain Boycott, so notorious that his name became part of the English language.

“Ballinrobe Races were not due to start for another three weeks, but the road was signposted to the course, which looked very epic and span.

“Here we also saw our first handball alley. On the left were some foothills with the inevitable stone walls and green bushes in the foreground.”

Mr. Graves continued: “Castlebar proved to be a neat little town with all the usual buildings, beginning with an asylum and a jail and continuing with a courthouse and a former barracks.

“It is chiefly memorable for its capture by General Humbert, who led the French engaging forces and put the English Army on such a headlong fight that the action is known as ‘The Races Castlebar’. No doubt there is a statue commemorating the event locally, but we did not actually see one until we came to Ballina.

“One reason for our stopping at Castlebar was a personal one - to call on the mother of our admirable Irish house parlourmaid. She was out when we arrived.

We found her in the main square fringed with chestnut trees. There we had a glass of sherry and learned that there was a flourishing little hat factory in the town.

“On our departure I noticed Horkan’s Sweet Shop, which sounded distinctly Danish. Once again we asked our way, this time a priest who intoned such a strong Latin American accent that we thought he must have come straight from Brooklyn. But it was just another example of the similarity between the Americans and the Irish.

“The countryside was rugged on the way to Pontoon and Healy’s Angler’s Hotel. Fishing is free and white trout as well as salmon and brown trout can be caught in both Long Conn and Lough Cullen. Pontoon takes its name from the little old pontoon bridge which crosses the stream connecting the two lakes.

“Once again there was an unmarked V, but we took a chance and the left hand fork brought us to Ballina. This is pronounced as if it were spelled Ballyna and not, so I discovered, as if it were spelled Balleena.

“Here we look lunch at the Imperial Hotel, which was newly painted a bright green. The dining-room proved to be very old-fashioned, with red plush chairs, gilt mirrors and a general black and white decoration.

“It was packed full of commercial travellers and notes of ‘No Smoking’ in large type. At the end of the meal I called the waitress to me and pointing to the notice I said ‘Can’t we smoke’, and she replied ‘Ye can’.

“Ballina was also captured by the French who ambushed and shot the English Rector of the parish. Not far away is the River Moy, one of the finest rivers in the British Islas.

“After lunch we drove towards Killala Bay, which had such superb sand dunes that a golf course seemed inevitable. Sure enough we passed one - at Enniscrone.

“Enniscrone is yet another example of the ambiguity of spelling place names in Ireland, which are almost as bad as Shakespeare from that point of view. You can spell Enniscrone in three different ways, including Enniscrone. However you spell it, it is a growing seaside resort with a good beach and the usual Bay View Hotel.”

The book went on to give the author’s impressions of Co. Sligo and other parts of the country.