Celebrations to mark 250th anniversary of birth of Mayo naval hero
EVENTS are being planned in Mayo and Argentina next year to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Admiral William Brown.
Brown, who was born in Foxford, was founder of the Argentine Navy and is a revered hero, known as the father of the seas in Argentina.
His legacy continues to be celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic, serving as a symbol of courage, leadership, and determination in the face of adversity.
The annual day of commemoration this year will take place in Foxford this year on Saturday, June 20, while attention is also turning to 2027 to mark the 250th anniversary of Brown's birth in both his native and adopted countries.
It is hoped that the Argentine naval training ship The ARA Libertad will visit Ireland next year as part of the celebrations, and that a Mayo/Ireland delegation will make a return trip to Argentina. The last delegation visited in 2007 when Mayo formally twinned with Adrogue in Buenos Aires.
Minister of State Niall Collins is visiting Argentina for St. Patrick's Day 2026.
The Admiral Brown Society in Foxford has worked tirelessly for many years celebrating Brown's life and legacy and creating and strengthening the bonds of friendship between Ireland and Argentina. And led by chairperson Margaret Reilly, they are working on an ambitious programme of events to mark this milestone anniversary.
It also includes progressing the site and plans for the Admiral William Brown community hub in Foxford.
It is hoped that a new documentary film, Brown Between Two Seas, will be in production for a 2027 release, telling Brown’s life from his childhood in Foxford to his rise as a military commander through rigorous research, intimate interviews, and animated reconstructions of his naval manoeuvres.
It's an internationally scaled historical documentary about an Irish child driven by necessity, shaped by a harsh maritime life, who becomes a central piece of a South American emancipation with global impact.
Later this year, it is hoped Liam The Musical, a new show commemorating Admiral William Brown, celebrated for helping Argentina gain independence, will have its Irish launch at the Dublin Fringe Festival in September.
In all of this, the society will be linking in with Club Irlandes Argentinos, a group of Argentinians living in Ireland who participate in the local ceremonies every year and are a vital link with the more than 3,000 Argentinians who currently reside in Ireland.
Going back to this year, the annual Argentina Day celebrations in Foxford on June 20 will include a special Mass in St. Michael's Church, a wreath-laying ceremony, a reception with music from the Admiral Brown Comhaltas group in Admiral Brown Hall, with Argentine tango dancers and singers, followed by a formal dinner where guests will include Ambassador HE Ana Laura Cachaza and Chief of Staff Nicolas Vidal.
“We look forward to welcoming you to Foxford in June 2026 and building towards an historic event in 2027,” said Ms. Reilly. “Foxford turns blue and white for the event and there is a great atmosphere celebrating our cultural and historical links with Argentina and Latin America “
Follow admiralbrowm.com and the society's social media platforms for further updates.