Wrapping Things Up In County Mayo

On our last day in County Mayo's town of Westport, we thought we'd break down and see if an official "genealogical search" could be done on our ancestors at the "Clew Bay Heritage Centre."

No such luck, however, when we gave them the 1820's, 1830's, and 1840's dates. Their computer database of local records didn't go back that far---so, we saved 90 Euro (or $135) at least.

But we did get to view their museum of local artifacts and antiques.

An interesting collection, especially considering it is an all volunteer, all donated operation.

Since we weren't having any luck with pinning down more details on the Prendergast's, we decided to take a little drive to the south to see if we could look up a Peter Keane who had ancestors coming from the Connemara region of northern County Galway where one of my "DNA" matches also came from.

The sky was overcast most of the day, but the rain held off until later in the afternoon.

We even saw a field of hay being made "the old-fashioned way," by stacking it in the fields for drying, then harvesting it later, still in loose piles.

We got to Tourmakeady to look for Peter Keane at his mineral water bottling plant. We found the "Fior Uisce" plant, but no Peter Keane and nothing going on at the plant. ("Uisce" is Gaelic for water and we assume "fior" is Gaelic for mineral or pure.)

We only got into an empty reception area and the other areas of the plant that we could see through the windows in the doors were at a standstill. Nobody came when we rang the service bell, even though the lights were all on in the area. 

We're thinking the plant might have shut down and is an indication of the economic troubles that Ireland and the United Kingdom are experiencing, just like in the USA. We may have been ahead of them by a bit, but now on the evening news, we are hearing the same economic concerns that we have in the USA.

Construction has slowed tremendously, jobs are not as available, and the government is expecting a 2.8 billion Euro shortfall for the year in tax revenues. People we've talked to in the area have similar concerns and noted a marked reduction in tourists as well.

So, with no luck at the bottling plant, we decided to get a closer look at the very large Lough Mask which is very nearby the little town of Tourmakeady.

In spite of what our cousin Margaret told us, based on her earlier travels in Ireland, we went ahead anyway down "a road with grass growing down the middle" which led to a boat launch and picnic area for Lough Mask.

It's a huge lake, so with the strong wind that was blowing, we didn't see much activity going on.

We did see one boat going out later on, but they seemed to be struggling against the wind. And the boats are quite substantial, not the lightweight, aluminum boats we would be fishing in.

This town of Tourmakeady is where Robert Shaw lived out his life, even though he was originally born and raised in Wales. He was the crusty old sea captain in the movie, "Jaws."

So, striking out a second time on the genealogy trail, we thought we'd swing by the "Ballintubber Abbey" on our way back to Westport.

Michael and Bridie told us to see it if we had the time. And this is the church where they were married.

And, wouldn't you know it, when we arrived there was a wedding ceremony just finishing up. We were told that the couple were originally from the area and had come back here to be married, even though they were both working in China.

We listened to a videotape that told the story of Ballytubber Abbey in the gift shop and were amazed that it is the longest continuously functioning Catholic Church in Ireland and probably the world. They have had services here since 1216 A.D., two hundred years before Columbus sailed to America.

After Cromwell and the British destroyed much of the structure and surrounding buildings, the parishioners continued to have services here without stopping---even after the huge roof had been burned off.

Now it is mostly restored. The "batismal font" below is believed to have been part of the original church. Every year on the last Sunday in July, pilgrims will walk 18 miles from this Abbey at Ballintubber to Croagh Patrick and then climb that small mountain.

In keeping with inflation and the stature of the facility, "penny candles" are 1 Euro here---but well worth it if we can stay free of accidents along the way.

Then we headed back to Westport to get a few groceries for our stay next week in an apartment in Salthill, a suburb of Galway City, followed by dinner and a swim and packing up for tomorrow morning's drive.

We aren't sure of the availability of internet services in the Galway City area, so if you don't hear from us right away, it's because we are still looking for a "cyber cafe," or, better yet, a "cyber pub."

Which reminds us of a story we heard about a young man by the name of Tony Mahoney who was renting a cottage in a small town near here where, as in most small towns, everybody knew everybody else's business. One night Tony drove his rental car to the local pub and really got to know some of the locals very well and tried to keep up with consuming the Guiness and buying a few rounds. So much so that Tony knew he shouldn't and couldn't drive even the short drive back to his cottage. So, he left his car there and walked home.

Well, the very next morning a well known busy body by the name of Mrs. Walters,  living a few blocks down the street from his cottage, stopped by, all serious looking and said, "I heard at Mass this morning that you were out at the pub last night and your car was seen there until all hours of the morning, and I'd like you to know that we don't think much of tourists who come here and drink to excess and give our town a bad name! Please see that it doesn't happen again."

And poor Tony, through his hangover and groggy head, apologized to the lady and said it surely would never happen again.

"Well, it better not," said the lady, "because you're the talk of the town now, and it will only get worse, until we'll be asking you to leave."

So, Tony walked back to the pub and picked up his car now that he was in a sober state. Then that evening, with no plans to get into the same trouble again, Tony drove his car down the road a few blocks and parked the car in front of Mrs. Walters house---and walked home. 

He couldn't wait to hear what the news would be at Mass the next morning.

So, maybe it's better you stay out of trouble too right where you are..."Left Behind In America."

All Around Westport Town And Then Some

We had another chance to stroll around the town of Westport today---this time with no off-and-on showers. That's the lovely tree-lined "Mall" in the photo below.

And the town is still full of flowers---hanging from bridges and the post office wall, along borders throughout the town, in giant pots on the sidewalk, and hanging from most of the street lights. They are likely to be named a "Tidy Town" by the Irish government once again and that will be due in large part to Bridie's efforts on the beautification committee.

And like the rest of the world, Westport also has its "marryin' " and "buryin'." We had to wait for the funeral being held at St. Mary's Catholic Church before making a visit after the funeral procession walked through town. (The funeral was for a young man in his 40's, working in the New York City Area, who had a heart attack from an enlarged heart that he knew nothing about until it was too late.) And the very old Church of Ireland, Anglican church you see in the photo above has a beautiful interior that Michael said we should see, but we walked in just as a wedding ceremony was going on and had to make a quick exit without any photos.

We did get to the weekly farmer's market and had a chance to droll over home-baked goods and preserves, along with home-made arts/craft/knitting/jewelry.

The location of the market was interesting too, since the tables were all set up around the boxing ring for the local youth boxing club. So, I suppose we could have burned off the calories from the sweets we bought by putting in some time on the heavy bags ;-).

 

Westport, and most towns in Ireland, have well-run meat markets (also called Victualers). We counted three just in the main part of the town, along with large meat departments in the two grocery stores. There is a lot of pride in locally raised meat and poultry that is traceable back to the farms where they are raised.

There is also much pride in the fresh fish and seafood throughout Ireland. There are fisheries to maintain freshwater trout and salmon populations and many fishing boats to bring in fresh seafood. Our breakfast menu at the hotel notes that fish are available for breakfast upon request. (What a shame that we prefer the food on land instead of in the water.) 

We have also enjoyed the "fun food" we've seen along the way---starting with the "Funny Face Lollies" below...

And even the "Gingerbread Boys" have a lot of character with their chocolate hair and boots...

And we also found the "Happy Face" cupcakes we enjoyed last year, still as happy as ever...

But you might want to send the children out of the room at this time, because the famous "Billy Roll" (boloney) has been upgraded to the new and improved "Bob The Builder" Billy Roll. (Is nothing sacred anymore? It's the world turned upside down!) 

With the trauma of the "Billy Roll" behind us, we stopped back at Patsy and Joe's to update them on what we had found at the Mayo Library regarding their townland. 

We are getting bolder---even if no better--- with our driving and haven't even minded the winding, single-lane road to their place. 

The directions to their place, by the way, is a poetic "...turn left at the furniture store and when you get to the sea turn right and stop just ahead at the green gate." The "sea" is Clew Bay and part of the Atlantic Ocean that was once the domain of Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen. In Gaelic, that's "Granuaile" (gran-you-whale). 

And when we arrived, there was Joe hard at work on digging a whole plot of potatoes from his garden since the day was just right for digging and drying them.

We also got some good tips on growing potatoes, but I don't think we'll ever get as beautiful a patch as this.

But there were no photos of Patsy this time, because she was busy in the kitchen making us all tea and serving up the best "apple batter pie" we ever tasted. She was kind enough to give us the recipe too for this pie and the Sultana Bread we had earlier in the week. Both were old recipes handed down from her mother.

Oh, if only you could have tasted Patsy's "Apple Batter Pie" with the fresh whipping cream on top. We wish you weren't "...Left Behind In America."

Meeting More Irish Cousins

Off we went on Wednesday with a mix of blue sky and big clouds. And the clouds did bring a shower, now and then, but less than the previous day.


We took "The West Road," as the locals call it, out from Westport to the "Prendergast Stronghold" of Accony. We wound along the south side of Clew Bay, past Croagh Patrick ("Croagh" as in "rogue") and on to the Atlantic Ocean---hilly country with mostly pastureland for cattle and sheep, but a very pretty countryside with plenty of flowers still in bloom.



We went through the town of Louisburgh where the family church of St. Patrick's is located. (And please note the nice wide streets that make it easier for us rookie drivers to make it through town without losing a side mirror on the rental car.



After Louisburgh, it was on to the "one lane" roads, but at least there was new tarmac (blacktop) and drivers were very good about pulling over to let another oncoming car get through.



Then we reached Accony (usually spelled Aghany or Aughany on the maps). It is just a rural community with no shops or pubs anymore, but several, lovely, new homes are being built in the area.



Of course, we had to stop in at the Scott's and say hello to Tommie, the postal carrier for this area, and his mother, Margaret. Tommie's grandmother was another of the Prendergasts. This is the family our Fleming cousins visited in the 1970's and 80's. Dick Scott, Margaret's husband, and another cousin, Richie Prendergast have since passed away in the 1990's.


Margaret Scott was looking very well for all the health problems she has had over the last several years. And the cane you see by her side is due to the fact that, once finally home from the hospital, she fell and broke her hip and had to spend another spell in hospital. But she was looking very "hail and hearty" on this day which she attributes to "the power of prayer."



We also stopped by one of the old Prendergast homestead's, probably soon to be replaced by one of those lovely, new homes.



And then we went down the road just a little farther to Roonah Point where the ferry takes you out to Clare Island which you can see in the distance. Tommie has to deliver the mail out there as well to several dozen families that still live on the island.



And if you want to guess how those people survive on that tiny island out in the Atlantic Ocean, we think it might have something to do with those silver barrels about to be delivered to the one pub on the island that you see in the photo below of the pier at Roonah Point.

Once I figured out what I was doing wrong when trying to call Michael and Bridie on our cell phone over a period of several days, we finally got in touch with them in hopes of a short visit to thank them for getting us in touch with Deirdre whose Prendergast family had done a lot of work on this family's history.


Well, we didn't get to take them out to lunch or buy them a drink---instead, they picked us up at our hotel and took us out to dinner and then on to a drive out to Louisburgh and Accony. And this time we got much more of a history lesson on the area and were given the names and location of Prendergast's still living in the area.
We even met another Prendergast at the restaurant where we dined.



Talk about your "Irish Hospitality." Even though Michael and Bridie are busy with their business, they took all that time and energy to take us out to dinner and tell us more about this lovely corner of western Ireland. It was wonderful to hear so much more about the Prendergast families and the areas where they lived.


Michael and Bridie even provided us with another packet of information about the earliest arrival of the Prendergast's into the area and about those early Prendergast families.


And don't they just look like the nicest couple in the photo below?



We are sorry that you didn't get to meet Tommie and Margaret and Michael and Bridie, but that's what happens when you are "...Left Behind In America."

Bringing the Rain Back to a Very Rainy Ireland

With showers and sunshine alternating off-and-on all day, we looked for things to do "indoors" and started with the Mayo Library in the county town of Castlebar, just east of Westport.

They have a great research librarian there by the name of Ivor, and he lined us up with a number of books that gave us information on our great-grandmother's (Prendergast's) home area of "Accony" (or Aghany or Aughany) near the western, Atlantic coast of County Mayo.

But before we got to that description in the 1835 Ordinance Survey Book, we came across a strange entry regarding a certain man by the name of Cormac O'Malley who was known as "The Hermit of Glenconcela's Cave." The entry goes on to note that "The hermit...made the cave a place of refuge to evade the murderer of his sister, who also sought his own life. The cave is 4 feet high, 3 feet wide, and 7 feet long." (Now, how is that for a thorough ordinance survey by the British!)

Then we found the entry for the Prendergast's townland of "Accony/Aghany/Aughany" as described below. Hard to believe people were not enjoying their hard life when all the land was owned by the British Marquis of Sligo.

Nothing much more of significance was found at the library since most records (census, birth/death/marriage) in Ireland don't go back to the 1820's, 1830's, and 1840's when our great-grandparents were living here in Ireland, unless you come across a church with excellent records or can seek them out at the National Archives in Dublin.

BUT, with the help of Patsy and Joe last summer, who led us to Bridie and Michael, who led us through Mary O'Flynn to Deirdre, we do have a likely link to the Prendergast line. It is still at the "speculation" stage since Deirdre's uncle and late father who did all the family research on this Prendergast line have an "unnamed daughter" who is still being researched. So, the conjecture is based on a family story about a "Sick Geoffrey" as well as a later marriage of James Prendergast to our widowed great aunt, Mary Jane (O'Keane)(Cosgrove) Prendergast, plus Marquette Fleming's family stories and conversations with earlier Prendergast and Scott relations when he visited this area of Ireland in the 1970's and 1980's.

 If the speculation is confirmed by old records, then our Great-grandmother Katherine (Prendergast) O'Keane's parents (and our great-great grandparents) would be Michael ("Dick Michael") Prendergast and Catherine Watty Gibbons. 

And Katherine's grandparents (and our great-great-great grandparents) would be Richard ("Dick") Prendergast and Bridget Lyons. 

(Now, wasn't that a long, boring, complex family history story that you did not deserve to have been put through?)

We were getting to feel the same way at the library, so, instead of all this family history work, we moved on to another visit at the" National Museum of Country Life" in the nearby town of Turlough (ter-lock').

 

We followed a tour guide this time and learned a lot more about the Fitzgerald Mansion that is a part of the museum grounds, along with the display museum and beautiful lawns and gardens. The tour guide explained about the British Fitzgerald family being granted all the land in the area after removing the original Irish owners, the Burkes. When the tour guide said that it was not known what became of that line of Burkes, two "Old Timers" at the back of the tour shouted, "We're still here!" They went on to explain that they were from that same Burke family line who had relocated to the Kilkenny area. The tour guide thanked them for the update and said she planned to include that new fact in future tours.

And it was also noted that this "River Turlough" that runs through the museum's grounds, as well as many other rivers in Ireland, have been having flooding problems not unlike the flooding we were experiencing in Wisconsin in early June.

But all the rain certainly must have helped grow such large and healthy flowers like the hydrangea below.

So, we continued our "indoor" activities with a swim in the hotel's pool before dinner and only went back outside for a quick walk around Westport town to pick up postcards for the "computer-less" people who are a part of "All Those We Left Behind In America."

Bringing Sunshine To A Very Rainy Ireland

Welcome to Ireland, we're moving along the west (left) side of the map---from Shannon Airport to the town of Westport.

Well, they didn't exactly call us "Mr. & Mrs. Sunshine" on our Sunday morning arrival in Ireland, but we did get several "thank you's" for having the sun follow us into a very rainy summer in Ireland. And, of course, we took full credit ;-).

It was raining in Dublin when we dropped off some of the plane's passengers, but the sun did come out in Shannon, just as we were landing. And we've been told that this summer had rain almost daily in Ireland, except for about five days in June. But maybe it's not exactly true that "the sun follows us everywhere we go," since the 4-day forecast is for more showers each day. And there was some "soft" rain showers several times today, but each was very brief so as to not make total liers out of us.

And we did make it for Sunday Mass in the town of Ennis in County Clare at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul after picking up our rental car at Shannon Airport---even if we were a bit late for services due to getting lost no sooner than getting into town. (Did you ever see the steeples of a church only to lose them again and again as you wound your way through the city streets and the other buildings blocked your view?  Well, that was us alright.)

Hopefully, the "penny candles" we lit (now costing 25 cents, Euro---inflation has hit the churches too, apparently) helped us make the 3-hour drive up to the town of Westport in County Mayo for our first week at Hotel Westport.

We did take a lunch break and stop for gas just outside of Galway City in the little town of Oranmore where there just happened to be a "Keane" Pub & Restaurant with excellent food (that we read about earlier in a travel book)---but the management denied any relationship to our O'Keane/Keane line and made us pay the bill ;-). (And those silver barrels at the bottom of the photo would have nothing related to our family line, we're sure.)

We may be getting too old for this flying-all-night-and-driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road-for-a-half-day, but after a pleasant meal and breakfast the following morning, we have started to feel a little more human. The meals are a nice part of the "Golden Package" we signed up for at this lovely hotel, with "Golden" being the nicest way that they could say "senior citizen." But it and the slightly "off season" rates" were the only way we could afford to stay here at Hotel Westport.

And, straight away, we called Patsy and Joe on our second day in Ireland, and they invited us over for a visit in their lovely community of Kilmeena, just north of Westport. That visit turned into a five hour visit that included tea and home-made Sultana bread, a tour of their beautiful lawn and gardens, follwed by a drive out to Croagh Patrick and Murrisk Abbey where we were introduced to some of our deceased Prendergast relatives.

You could never meet a kinder hostess and host than Patsy and Joe who are so generous in sharing family history, gardening techniques, and good stories.

We didn't quite wear out our welcome and have been invited back for home-made berry pie---but only after we get to the county town of Castlebar where the library there has a lot of additional family history and government records to help us track down Prendergast and, possibly, O'Keane/Keane records.

And just to prove that we are actually here in Ireland and not downloading photos of Ireland off the internet, Patsy took our picture inside of the ancient ruin of Murrisk Abbey for us to send back "To All Those We Left Behind in America."