Swinford’s Spirit of Place installation unveiled

MAYO’S latest Spirit of Place installation was officially unveiled on Friday, July 10, in a moving and fitting tribute to Swinford’s victims of the Great Famine and the town’s unsung heroes.

The Swinford community gathered en masse to form a route from the town’s church to the Paupers’ Graveyard where the unveiling of ‘Procession of the Souls’ took place, led by the Midfield Pipe Band and the students from Catholic University Washington, who participated in the Spirit of Place programme and bore US, Irish, Mayo and Swinford flags. 

Mass was celebrated at the Paupers’ Graveyard by Bishop Kelly and Fr Meehan, with a reflection by local poet Martin Dyer.

Joanne Grehan, Head of Enterprise and Investment at Mayo County Council, outlined that the wider Mayo community over the years, and Swinford this time around, are fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Travis Price and his students from Catholic University, Washington, on another Spirit of Place project.

“The tremendous turnout of people from Swinford and the wider east Mayo area, at the unveiling event, is a clear indication of the great support for this significant project in the town,” she said.   The unveiling ceremony was followed by community celebrations in Swinford Cultural Centre, and the venue was packed to capacity to enjoy traditional entertainment from Comhaltas Ceoltairi Eireann, singing by Astrid Ni MhongΡin, an exhibition of traditional Famine heirlooms by Tom Hennigan of Hennigan’s Heritage Centre and Terry McDonagh’s reading of his poem Famine, written for the occasion. 

Community spirit

It was truly an occasion that cemented the vibrant community spirit so evident in Swinford, with the creation of the Procession of the Souls installation, and Swinford now joins a whole host of worldwide destinations where Spirit of Place has created a lasting legacy project, connecting local communities with their history and heritage. 

In Swinford, this significant project is just the start of a greater Famine Walk to be developed in the future. Cathal Kelly, Swinford businessman and community advocate, outlined that as a local community, the people of Swinford were blown away by the dedication and commitment shown by Travis Price and his wonderful team, from Catholic University Washinton.

“From the start of this project in January to the unbelievable build in late June and early July, they demonstrated to us what can be achieved through co-operation, imagination and hardwork,” he said.

“Their outstanding achievement is now here for all to admire and experience and is a legacy they leave to us here in Swinford that we will protect and appreciate for generations. Thanks also goes to Joanne Grehan and her team from Mayo County Council, for believing in Swinford and introducing us to the Spirit of Place concept. None of this would be possible without the continuous great work of the Swinford Tidy Towns and the wonderful community momentum they have created over the last number of years,” he added.