Aughagower History and MORE

06/08/2019

PATTERN DAY 15TH AUGUST

The 15th of August was an important date to our ancestors and probably was even in pre-Christian/pagan times.
The word pattern is derived from the Irish Patrun or English Patron and in olden days most Irish parishes had a patron saint. On the saint's feast day the parishoners celebrated what was known as a 'Pattern Day'.
With the destruction of the Catholic churches between the 1540s and the 1690s very few churches remained under Catholic control. The faithful found alternative ways to celebrate their saint's feast day, at a shrine or a well devoted to the saint.
Devotions usually started with doing the 'rounds' at these shrines or wells. The people would walk around the well a certain number of times saying special prayers. Drinking or bathing in the water was said to have curative powers and some wells became famous for curing specific ailments. At the end of the visit people usually left behind a small token, a coin, a piece of cloth or other small objects.
For Irish Catholics, the disappearance of their churches and the Penal Laws made well gatherings an important event in the parish. In time Pattern Days became known for unorthodox forms of devotions and sometimes rowdy amusements. The Synod Of Tuam in 1660 decreed the following to keep things under control.--:"Dancing, flute-playing, bands of music, riotous revels and other abuses in visiting wells and other holy places is forbidden..."
Pattern Days were very important days to our ancestors and were part of the country people's culture and custom.
They have all but died out nowadays and the people have forgotten their meaning..

23/07/2019

Climbing the Reek 1970s.

21/07/2019

Climbing "The Reek" in the 1950s.

Full title reads: "Pilgrims Flock To Ireland's Holy Mountain". Croagh Patrick, County Mayo, Eire, Southern Ireland, Republic of Ireland. LV of Croagh Patrick...

21/07/2019

Climbing "The Reek" in the 1960s

Croagh Patrick, West Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Eire. Early morning shots of pilgrims setting out on a gruelling walk up a mountain where St Patrick went ...

21/07/2019

LUGHNASADH The Ancient Harvest Festival and its roots in REEK SUNDAY.

The ancient harvest festival of Lughnasadh was celebrated around the 1st of August or roughly halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. It was a celebration of the first harvest of the year and the passing of Summer into Autumn. Lughnasadh has been a celebration of great importance since pre-historic times and is named after the pagan Sun-God Lugh Lamhfhada (Lugh of the Long Arm) The magician master of every craft, The Great Warrior, The Healer. Lunasa is the Irish word for the month of August.
Hilltops, mountains or rivers were the main locations to celebrate Lughnasadh. The Druids would make offerings to Lugh. Festivities included feasts with the newly harvested crops, making of bread, entertainment with music and dance, matchmaking, trading and competitive games with displays of wrestling, spear-throwing, running, long and high jumping and horse racing. There were contests of story-telling, gold-smithing along with endless other attractions like bonfires and stalls marketing all kinds of goods and trinkets. There was a custom of "Trial-Marriages" where a young couple would hold hands through a wooden door while a ceremony took place to unite them. After a year and a day the trial could be made official or forgotten. Holy wells were visited to make offerings of coins or cloth while walking sun-wise around the well. Good health was expected afterwards. The climbing of hills and mountains has carried into modern times, and the famous pilgrimage on Croagh Patrick on the last Sunday of July (Reek Sunday) attracts thousands each year. Though it is a Christian pilgrimage now, Reek Sunday has its roots in the ancient pagan festival of Lughnasadh which has taken place around the Parish of Aughagower for thousands of years...

07/07/2019

FATHER FLANNELYS ESTATE

Father Flannely was parish priest of Aughagower Parish from 1854 until he died in 1866. The following is a list of his belongings that were advertised for auction in "The Mayo Constitution", 8th May 1866...

19/06/2019

Bonfire Night is Sunday night but there Is a BIG NITE in the village on Saturday night with bonfire, music and food and drink. ALL WELCOME

BONFIRE NIGHT IN AUGHAGOWER...Past & Present..

June 23rd is known as Bonfire Night in Ireland. It is also known as St. John's Eve, as St. Johns Day is 24th June marking the birth of John the Baptist.
Bonfire Night has its origins in the old Celtic celebration of the summer solstice and it is also referred to as Midsummer Eve. Fires were lit to honour the pagan Goddess Aine who was associated with the sun, fertility and protecting crops and animals. The farmers would throw some of the blazing bushes into his crops for luck. Cattle were driven between fires to protect them from harm of various kinds. People bathed on Midsummer Eve and drank the boiled juice of St. John's W**d. The reaping hook was symbolically placed among the unripe corn on that evening too. Fairies and spirits were believed to be active at this time also.
In the past a special dish called "goody", which is well known in Aughagower was made. This was white bread which was soaked in boiled milk and flavoured with sugar and spices. It was usually made in a large pot and revellers brought their own spoon and bowl if they wanted their share of the "goody".
Some people would bring home an ember from the bonfire and place it on the family hearth. Ashes were kept for luck and people believed they would ensure a peaceful death to old people who were ailing.
As with many pagan festivals, the coming of Christianization took over the event and linked it with St. John's birth.
Today bonfires are still lit all over Aughagower Parish on the night of 23rd June. It is a time for people to get together and celebrate with music and singing, eating and drinking.
Unfortunately Bonfire night is now an excuse for people to burn their rubbish even though it is illegal.
So when you gaze into the bonfire this year, think of your ancient ancestors and the faith they had in the real meaning of Midsummer celebrations, and their belief in the power of the bonfire to protect themselves and their stock from harm.
There will be a bonfire in Aughagower Village on Saturday night 23rd June with live music by the X-MEN, face-painting and toasted marshmallows for the youngsrers, and drink and food available for all.
SO COME ALONG FOR THE CRACK..!!!

Believe it if ya LIKE...…………..

12/06/2019

LAND GRABBING IN AUGHAGOWER.

In the late 19th century, for many landlords, the primary focus was income rather than the conditions of their tenants. The landlords had their tenants evicted for non-payment of rent. There were no appeals and no mercy shown.
The population decrease since the "Great Famine" did not help the local population who were still crowded on the tiny uneconomical holdings while previously cultivated land was converted into large grazing ranches.
There was always someone willing to move onto the holding, which was unpopular with the locals out of sympathy for the evicted family. These people were known as "Land Grabbers". To this day some families are still pointed out as being descendants of land grabbers.
William O' Brien started the UNITED IRISH LEAGUE, which was a nationalist political party, in Westport, on 23 January 1898, with the motto -"The Land for the People". It was supported by Michael Davitt, amongst other MP's and the Catholic clergy of the district.
The following is a report from the "FREEMANS JOURNAL" 24 March 1899:-

MEETING AT AUGHAGOWER
LANDGRABBING CONDEMNED

On Sunday evening a large meeting was held at the village of Lanmore, in the parish of Aughagower, abouit three miles outside Westport, for the purpose of protesting against landgrabbing, and showing sympathy for an evicted tenant. The following are the circumstances of the case. About seven years ago a man named Walsh, with his wife and seven children, were evicted by the Marquis Of Sligo, and the holding was left derelict for some years, when it was taken by a man named Gavin, who held it for nearly three years, but owing to strong feelings in the district gave it up. Since then the farm was left untouched, but rumour had it was about being taken again. On Monday morning the people of Aughagower, Cushlough, Drummin, and Westport, with three 'fife and drum' bands turned out en masse and held an indignation meeting on the farm, passed resolutions condemning landgrabbing, pledging sympathy to the evicted tenant, and a continuance of opposition to anyone who will take the place against the wishes of the people until Walsh and his helpless family are restored to their holding. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. Waters, Kelly, Duffy, Grimes and others, and after the meeting a huge procession was formed, marching around the evicted holding, cheering loudly for Mr. O' Brien and the United Irish League..

25/05/2019

LEPRECHAUNS IN AUGHAGOWER ?????

Well there must be , because Father Malone, a native of the townland of Arderry filmed one, and he wouldn't lie, would he ?
The moral of the story is, if you do see a leprechaun, keep your eyes on him, because if you don't.....he's gone.

The Lady & The Leprechaun is a short film by Father Malone. Filmed outside Westport, County Mayo, Ireland in the early 60's. The music used is "Wellies In Th...

24/05/2019

St Thomas Church Knappagh.

A Church of Ireland Church built around 1852, in the townland of Knappaghmanagh. An old longstone was taken from nearby when it was being built and used somewhere in the church as a lintel.
The writer Eric Cross (1903-1980) is buried here. He is famous for his controversial book "The Tailor and Ansty" written in 1942. The book was banned by 'The Censorship Board' and remained banned until the 1960's.
The church has not been used since 1990.

22/05/2019

Great response to the post "TRAGIC DEATHS IN AUGHAGOWER"..Heres a post, just as sad and terrible from 13 August 2017 some of you might have missed.

20/05/2019

TRAGIC DEATHS IN AUGHAGOWER

The Great Famine was a terrible time for the people of Aughagower Parish. The total dependence of the parishoners on the potato for sustenance had devastating effects after its destruction by blight. A population of 12,235 in 1841 had fallen to 6,511 in 1851, due to death and emigration.
The following is a contempory report from 'THE TELEGRAPH' NEWSPAPER, DATED 8-3-1848.

"The following are the names of persons who died from want in the parish of Aughagower, within the last fortnight :- March 1st :Duke Dawson ; interred without a coffin, on the fifth day after his death. Thomas Geraghty, of Garue (Garrow), March 3rd : two sons of Francis Nugent, of Curdarngh (Cordarragh), one 7 and the other 9 years old. February 28th : in Srakan (Sraheen ?), two children of Brian Scahil. Also the grandfather and grandmother of the Scahils. At Letrun (Letreen), Peter Gavin, who went into a roofless cabin, where he died. At Lanmore, Peter Mulholland, fell on the road from exhaustion, from which he was carried into a cabin - buried in 4 days after, without a coffin, in a turf bank. On Saturday last a poor woman carried her dead son in a rope, to a grave, but she was so exhausted she could not bury him. A charitable man opened the grave for the coffinless dead. March 6th : At Doon, the wife of Richard Freighan."