Lahardane
Encyclopedia
Lahardane (Mayo) is a small village in the parish of Addergoole County Mayo
, Ireland
, adjacent to Lough Conn
and to Nephin
, and close to the towns of Crossmolina
, Castlebar
and Ballina
. Population is about 500' .772 but rising rapidly due to new housing developments.
Historically, the people of Lahardane and the surrounding area helped the French army under General Humbert during the 1798 uprising
when the local priest, Fr Andrew Conroy, led French and Irish forces to Castlebar though the Windy Gap, a passage though the Mountains. The British forces had been expecting the French to go to Foxford
first, and were caught off-guard. This led to the Races of Castlebar. After the uprising was put down, Fr Conroy was hanged on the Mall in Castlebar, and buried probably in the old abbey in Addergoole cemetery. A Celtic cross now stands proudly in Lahardane as a memorial to his bravery. The cross was erected in 1937 by Michéal Ó Tiomanaidhe, the famous Gaelic scholar, Irish writer and folklore collector who was born in Cartoon in the parish of Addergoole on 20 September 1853.
Addergoole parish suffered the largest proportionate loss for any locality probably in the world when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912. The Addergoole Fourteen boarded the ship at Queenstown (Cobh)
. Three survived the disaster. There is a plaque in St Patrick's Church, Lahardane to the memory of the fourteen. Their new website is http://www.addergoole-titanic.com
There is more than one Lahardane in the Republic of Ireland. The location of Lahardane (Mayo) is at coordinates: 54° 1' 49.30" N, 9° 18' 49.18" W.
, as was practised in the West of Ireland at the time and it was always held on the 15th August, a feast day. It is a religious holiday
as well.
At that time, it would be noted for its tradition of hiring of the young folk to various farmers and was often known as the ’Hiring Fair’. This tradition, of course died out when Ireland became independent in 1922 and it became a traditional day for the sale of cattle and sheep. This situation prevailed for the following 70 to 80 years but in the seventies, it fell into disrepute because in the streets, there was very little selling going on of the traditional kind, that is sheep and cattle, because the marts had taken over all this business, and it had degenerated into a pitiful gathering of people trying to maintain an old tradition.
The Lahardane Parents Council, that is the parents of those children attending the National School, decided to revive the Fair Day and make it a worthy occasion, when people could be enticed to visit the village for one day of the year. They agreed to continue the traditional day of August 15 and resisted the temptation to move it to the nearest weekend as most other communities have done with their particular festivals throughout the year. Instead, the Lahardane Fair Day always falls on August 15, regardless of whichever day that is.
2008 was the 18th year of the revived fair and with each and every passing year, it has proved more and more successful. The number of people attending the village for the day is extraordinary. Essentially, the day is used to raise funds for the Lahardane National School. To date, perhaps, over €60,000 has been raised to help support the school. These particular finances have been well spent, in agreement with the Board of Management and the Parents Council with the recent extension of the school, that is the new roof, the new rooms, extra class room and activities room, plus the provision of an enclosed basketball court and the updating of all the surrounds of the school. Within the school, there has been the provision of more modern furniture, fittings for the school, audio-visual equipment, computers and photocopiers and other such appliances, which are now the norm in a progressive school. Finances have also been provided for school tours and recreational activities for all the pupils. Also, as originally promised by the parents when they started off, money was put forward towards the development of the Lahardane Community Centre and approximately €11,000 was given towards the building this year. Other projects have also been funded by the Lahardane Parents Council, that is the Nephin Climb, which is always held on the first Sunday of August, the week after the Reek climb
.
When the Fair Day was inaugurated in 1968, Lahardane was the first community in Ireland to use the idea of a Cow Pat Lottery. People of this community were the first community to come up with this idea and use it as a means of raising funds. It attracted amazing attention at the time and for the following number of years. The idea was a brilliant idea for fund raising through selling tickets and it was a most unusual way of doing things, and it certainly caught the public imagination! However, it has been more than well played out at this stage and the Cow Pat Lottery has been dropped.
On the streets of Lahardane on Fair Day, you still have the idea of a sale of animals, as was the case for the last hundred years. The animals may have changed somewhat, in that it is lambs and sheep for sale in the morning, plus all the other associated animals you find in a farmyard, that is chickens, ducks, geese, the odd turkey, puppies, cats, birds of other descriptions and various farm produce. This is as it should be at a traditional fair day in the West of Ireland, and the Lahardane Parents Council are delighted to have revived this tradition and maintain what has been a fashion for the Lahardane Fair Day for over 100 years.
The Lahardane Fair has also been associated with the revival of an old tradition - the Donkey Fair. The Donkey Fair is always held on the Sunday before August 15, and is now in its third year. It is designed to promote the idea of bringing back the donkey to the street for one day of the year, and it involves the show of donkeys, that is mares, foals, jack donkeys, mules, jennets and in particur Saturaylar a display of donkey carts. The idea of getting the donkey cart back again is because this particular item is practically gone off the face of the earth, so an idea was put forward that they should be brought back and put on display on one day, and that children might get the once-in-a-lifetime chance of a trip in a donkey cart. It is a wondrous sight to see several carts going around a circuit in the field at Lahardane Fair. Hopefully, in time to come, this particular item will gain in popularity, and make Lahardane, perhaps the donkey capital of the country.
, by William Trevor
.
The novel is set on the south coast of Ireland and, other than the name, there is no connection with the Mayo village.
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, adjacent to Lough Conn
Lough Conn
Lough Conn is a lake in County Mayo in the province of Connacht in Ireland and covers about 14,000 acres . With its immediate neighbour to the south, Lough Cullin, it is connected to the Atlantic by the River Moy...
and to Nephin
Nephin
Nephin or Nefin , at 806 metres , is the second highest peak in County Mayo and the second highest in Connacht, in Ireland...
, and close to the towns of Crossmolina
Crossmolina
Crossmolina or Crosmolina is a town in the Barony of Tyrawley in County Mayo, Ireland, as well as the name of the parish in which Crossmolina is situated. The town sits on the River Deel near the northern shore of Lough Conn...
, Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
and Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
. Population is about 500' .772 but rising rapidly due to new housing developments.
Historically, the people of Lahardane and the surrounding area helped the French army under General Humbert during the 1798 uprising
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
when the local priest, Fr Andrew Conroy, led French and Irish forces to Castlebar though the Windy Gap, a passage though the Mountains. The British forces had been expecting the French to go to Foxford
Foxford
Foxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox...
first, and were caught off-guard. This led to the Races of Castlebar. After the uprising was put down, Fr Conroy was hanged on the Mall in Castlebar, and buried probably in the old abbey in Addergoole cemetery. A Celtic cross now stands proudly in Lahardane as a memorial to his bravery. The cross was erected in 1937 by Michéal Ó Tiomanaidhe, the famous Gaelic scholar, Irish writer and folklore collector who was born in Cartoon in the parish of Addergoole on 20 September 1853.
Addergoole parish suffered the largest proportionate loss for any locality probably in the world when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912. The Addergoole Fourteen boarded the ship at Queenstown (Cobh)
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
. Three survived the disaster. There is a plaque in St Patrick's Church, Lahardane to the memory of the fourteen. Their new website is http://www.addergoole-titanic.com
There is more than one Lahardane in the Republic of Ireland. The location of Lahardane (Mayo) is at coordinates: 54° 1' 49.30" N, 9° 18' 49.18" W.
Podcasts
You can hear an audio podcast of the 2010 opening speech, the bell ringing ceremony and an address by Michael Kilgannon from Galway as he tells the story of the 5 people of his parish Caltra and reads a letter written by his uncle before he boarded The Titanic at http://www.podcasts.ie/2010/04/titanic-bell-ringing-ceremony-2010/Lahardane Fair Day on August 15
The history of the Lahardane Fair goes back to around the turn of the century, that is 1900, so it is a tradition of perhaps 100 years. It was a traditional Harvest FestivalHarvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
, as was practised in the West of Ireland at the time and it was always held on the 15th August, a feast day. It is a religious holiday
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
as well.
At that time, it would be noted for its tradition of hiring of the young folk to various farmers and was often known as the ’Hiring Fair’. This tradition, of course died out when Ireland became independent in 1922 and it became a traditional day for the sale of cattle and sheep. This situation prevailed for the following 70 to 80 years but in the seventies, it fell into disrepute because in the streets, there was very little selling going on of the traditional kind, that is sheep and cattle, because the marts had taken over all this business, and it had degenerated into a pitiful gathering of people trying to maintain an old tradition.
The Lahardane Parents Council, that is the parents of those children attending the National School, decided to revive the Fair Day and make it a worthy occasion, when people could be enticed to visit the village for one day of the year. They agreed to continue the traditional day of August 15 and resisted the temptation to move it to the nearest weekend as most other communities have done with their particular festivals throughout the year. Instead, the Lahardane Fair Day always falls on August 15, regardless of whichever day that is.
2008 was the 18th year of the revived fair and with each and every passing year, it has proved more and more successful. The number of people attending the village for the day is extraordinary. Essentially, the day is used to raise funds for the Lahardane National School. To date, perhaps, over €60,000 has been raised to help support the school. These particular finances have been well spent, in agreement with the Board of Management and the Parents Council with the recent extension of the school, that is the new roof, the new rooms, extra class room and activities room, plus the provision of an enclosed basketball court and the updating of all the surrounds of the school. Within the school, there has been the provision of more modern furniture, fittings for the school, audio-visual equipment, computers and photocopiers and other such appliances, which are now the norm in a progressive school. Finances have also been provided for school tours and recreational activities for all the pupils. Also, as originally promised by the parents when they started off, money was put forward towards the development of the Lahardane Community Centre and approximately €11,000 was given towards the building this year. Other projects have also been funded by the Lahardane Parents Council, that is the Nephin Climb, which is always held on the first Sunday of August, the week after the Reek climb
Garland Sunday
Reek Sunday , is the annual national pilgrimage of Ireland. On the last Sunday of the month of July, pilgrims climb Ireland's holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, traditionally in their bare feet. The pilgrimage has taken place annually for around 1,500 years...
.
When the Fair Day was inaugurated in 1968, Lahardane was the first community in Ireland to use the idea of a Cow Pat Lottery. People of this community were the first community to come up with this idea and use it as a means of raising funds. It attracted amazing attention at the time and for the following number of years. The idea was a brilliant idea for fund raising through selling tickets and it was a most unusual way of doing things, and it certainly caught the public imagination! However, it has been more than well played out at this stage and the Cow Pat Lottery has been dropped.
On the streets of Lahardane on Fair Day, you still have the idea of a sale of animals, as was the case for the last hundred years. The animals may have changed somewhat, in that it is lambs and sheep for sale in the morning, plus all the other associated animals you find in a farmyard, that is chickens, ducks, geese, the odd turkey, puppies, cats, birds of other descriptions and various farm produce. This is as it should be at a traditional fair day in the West of Ireland, and the Lahardane Parents Council are delighted to have revived this tradition and maintain what has been a fashion for the Lahardane Fair Day for over 100 years.
The Lahardane Fair has also been associated with the revival of an old tradition - the Donkey Fair. The Donkey Fair is always held on the Sunday before August 15, and is now in its third year. It is designed to promote the idea of bringing back the donkey to the street for one day of the year, and it involves the show of donkeys, that is mares, foals, jack donkeys, mules, jennets and in particur Saturaylar a display of donkey carts. The idea of getting the donkey cart back again is because this particular item is practically gone off the face of the earth, so an idea was put forward that they should be brought back and put on display on one day, and that children might get the once-in-a-lifetime chance of a trip in a donkey cart. It is a wondrous sight to see several carts going around a circuit in the field at Lahardane Fair. Hopefully, in time to come, this particular item will gain in popularity, and make Lahardane, perhaps the donkey capital of the country.
Lahardane in fiction
Lahardane is the name of the house in the 2002 novel, The Story of Lucy GaultThe Story of Lucy Gault
The Story of Lucy Gault is a novel written by William Trevor in 2002. The book is divided into three sections: the childhood, middle age and older times of the girl, Lucy. The story takes place in Ireland during the transition to the 21st century. It follows the protagonist Lucy and her immediate...
, by William Trevor
William Trevor
William Trevor, KBE is an Irish author and playwright. He is considered one of the elder statesman of the Irish literary world and widely regarded as the greatest contemporary writer of short stories in the English language....
.
The novel is set on the south coast of Ireland and, other than the name, there is no connection with the Mayo village.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland