Mayo councillors propose civic reception for Canadian Prime Minister
Cllr Brendan Mulroy said a civic reception should be afforded to Mark Carney should be visit his ancestral home in Aughagower
WESTPORT councillors have proposed that Mayo County Council offer the Canadian Prime Minister a Civic Reception should he visit his ancestral home in Aughagower.
There is strong speculation that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to make an eagerly anticipated visit to Co Mayo, with the picturesque village of Aughagower at the heart of the planned trip in June.
A former Governor of the Bank of England, Carney became the Prime Minister of Canada in March, 2025 after assuming the leadership of the Liberal Party and won the General Election one month later. His grandparents Robert and Nora Carney were both originally from Aughagower outside Westport and emigrated to Canada in 1925.
Speaking at the monthly meeting of Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr Brendan Mulroy called for him to be afforded a civic reception if he does visit west Mayo.
“There are a lot of rumours it will happen in June and if Mark Carney does set foot it will be historic if we had a civic reception in Aughagower. I am told reliably that it will happen in June. It would be unique to have it in Aughahower and an opportunity to put our best foot forward as well,” he said.
His motion was supported by Independent councillor John O'Malley who described Mark Carney as a good friend of Ireland and he will be welcomed should he decide to visit Mayo. He also reiterated a call for Mayo County Council to upgrade a road leading to his ancestral home which Cllr O'Malley pointed out is in a 'terrible state'.
“If Prime Minister Carney comes we need the road done to his homestead because he will want to go up there to see it. That is the road after Diggar Jays [Pub] which is a dead end road but it is in a terrible state and you don't want him going off to Canada with an awful story.
“I want to make sure you have some funding left for that road to be tarmacadamed and as soon as you hear the announcement he is definitely coming,” he told council officials.
Speaking at the reception at the Irish Ambassador’s residence in Ottawa to mark St Patrick's Day, Prime Minister Carney spoke with emotion about his family’s story of immigration from Aughagower to Canada and recalled tracking down his grandfather’s baptismal record from St Patrick’s Church in Aughagower.
The Prime Minister went on to tell the captivated audience about how, when Governor of the Bank of England, he kept a map of Co Mayo on the wall of his office to remind him where he came from and it was clear to all present that he is extremely proud of his Irish and Mayo heritage.