Westport’s role in 1916 to be commemorated

Events to get under way on May 5

Edwin McGreal

The role of Volunteers from Westport in the events around the Easter Rising will be commemorated in a series of events in the town next month.
Major John MacBride, one of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising, is a native of Westport and is a focus of some of the events.
However, perhaps less known is the fact that 31 local Volunteers in Westport were arrested and interned in Frongoch in Wales in the aftermath of the Rising. Many of them would go on to play leading roles in the subsequent War of Independence and Civil War.
The events get underway on Thursday, May 5 and continue for that weekend. All events are free and are open to the public. On May 5, the one hundredth anniversary of Major John MacBride’s execution in Kilmainham Gaol, a exhibition on his life will open upstairs in the Custom House Gallery at Westport Quay.
On Saturday, May 7, historian Anthony J Jordan, a native of Ballyhaunis and a renowned MacBride biographer, will give a lecture entitled Major John MacBride – A National Hero. The lecture begins at 8pm in Westport Quay Community Centre.
On Sunday, there will be a 1916 Centenary Mass in St Mary’s Church in Westport at 12 midday.
Immediately after that, at 1pm, there will be a series of commemorations at the MacBride 1916 memorial, across from St Mary’s Church.

Unveiling
Firstly the centenary of Major John MacBride’s execution will be marked. Then, the centenary of the arrest of 31 Westport men will be commemorated with the unveiling of a plaque in their honour.
After that, the James Street bridge nearby will be named after the Doris brothers, William and Patrick J. The brothers founded The Mayo News in 1892 and were heavily involved in political life in Mayo.
William Doris was a MP while PJ Doris was one of the 31 arrested in Westport in 1916. The brothers were on opposite sides of the split in Irish nationalism at the time of the 1916 Rising - William supporting the Irish Party/Redmondites with PJ supporting the Irish Volunteers/Sinn Féin side.
Westport Historical Society, who are organising the commemorations, are calling on families of those being honoured to come on the day and to inform relations living away from the area about the events.
Families and members of the public are welcome to lay a wreath or flowers during the ceremony at the MacBride memorial.
This will be followed by a wine reception in Hotel Westport, including a 1916 exhibition and music by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
Anyone looking for more information should contact the Clew Bay Heritage Centre (098 26852 or westportheritage@eircom.net) or email James Kelly (oldwestport@gmail.com) or Harry Hughes (harry@hughes.ie), both members of the Westport Historical Society.

Commemorative supplement
To mark the anniversary of Major John MacBride’s execution, the arrest of 31 Westport volunteers, together with other Mayo involvements in the Rising, notably that of Dr Kathleen Lynn, The Mayo News is publishing a commemorative supplement on Tuesday, May 3.
Anyone with pictures or items of interest from that time who would like to share them with us should contact Edwin McGreal via email edwinmcgreal@mayonews.ie or telephone 098 25311.