Memories will be ‘made again’ - owners of Mayo pub destroyed by fire thank local community

The owners of an iconic Mayo pub which was destroyed in an early morning fire say that great memories made in the pub will be made again.

The High Chaparral pub in Geesala was destroyed after a fire ripped through the pub this morning leaving just the shell of the building still standing.

The alarm was raised just before 5am this morning when a man travelling to work noticed flames coming from the roof of The High Chaparral which has been run by the Munnelly family for the last 75 years.

WATCH: Devastating fire burning Mayo pub down to the ground

In an emotional post on the pub's Facebook page, the Munnelly family said that the Erris pub was not just their business but it was also their home and their customers were their family.

“It’s with heavy hearts we write these words.

“In the early hours of this morning our pub was engulfed in flames. It wasn’t just a business to us, it was our home.

“Our customers weren’t just customers, they were family. Our pub was the heart of the community where great memories were made and will be made again.”

The family also thanked everyone for all the messages and phone calls they received following the tragedy and 'to each and everyone of you for your support now and throughout the years'. They also expressed a special thanks to the fire service who 'worked diligently to put the fire out' and to the Gardaí and the ambulance crews who attended the scene.

The fire spread quickly through the pub and despite the best efforts of fire brigade units from Belmullet and Achill, they could not stop the fire from spreading. The building was empty at the time and there were no injuries.

The local population woke up to the devastating site of the pub completely destroyed by the fire with the roof completely burnt and smoke smoldering from the ashes.

Local councillor Gerry Coyle told The Mayo News that the local community are devastated to see their last pub burnt to the ground.

“It is devastating to see the place burnt to the ground. The fire spread so fast you would not believe how fast it spread. I was here before 6 and it was riddled at that stage. The fire brigade did their best to keep it at bay but they couldn't.

“It is smoking away here and it is devastating. It is the last pub in Geesala. We had lots of great celebrations here over the years with festivals and boxing and sad days too. Everything was in there,” he said