“Letter from Home”
In 2022 Ciaran Staunton shared a remarkable letter that was written one hundred years ago by his grandfather Andrew Staunton to his relative in U.S.A. seeking support for passage for some of his fourteen children. It is a wonderful story and serves to highlight similar family tales that were all too familiar in our Louisburgh-Killeen area. Read about the Letter Here
What was life like One Hundred Years Ago?
Life in 1920s Ireland must have been extremely hard on any family but especially those in the West of Mayo. Immersed in the War of Independence, a reign of terror enveloped the community as the harsh realities of the human cost of war became apparent and the brutal impact of Crown forces were felt as political violence escalated. Families divided by actions from both the I.R.A and the R.I.C.
Centenary Reflections
One hundred years on, we are only beginning to discover our own family stories and uncover little snips of life during those turbulent years. We need to record any handed down stories, memories, Photographs and information we can source from those who remember.
A huge amount of work has been undertaken in commemorating the centenary of the War of Independence West Mayo, events were held, video and text recordings made, and the publication of a book- The Men of the West- by the Westport Historical society along with a very informative website. You can visit their website Here
Local stories
Ciaran Staunton’s research into his own families story has sparked the ideas and the need to recognise our past and archive it for our children. He has submitted a ninety page document from the Military Archives in Ireland, with references to our local volunteers and their activities.
We hope to add to this collection by recording many of our own untold Louisburgh-Killeen stories. We will acknowledge our ancestors by erecting a memorial in the Killeen area.
Any information would be gratefully appreciated and welcomed. Without your support we would not uncover these important stories.
Read the local list of volunteer accounts below;
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