COLUMN: Memories will be made again in The High Chaparral

I'm not sure Oscar Wilde ever had the pleasure of spending a night or two in Erris. The poet and playwright from Dublin could speak fluent French and German, published books and plays and went on lecture tours to Canada and America at the end of the 19th century, but never had the pleasure of walking the beaches in Ballycroy, gazing at a sunset in Portacloy or having a pint in Binghamstown.

He did however, leave behind him a quote that caught my attention this week. I was scratching around looking for a few words to capture the impact of the recent fire which destroyed The High Chaparral in Geesala.

I was trying to come up with something which would signify the sadness of the situation while also looking to the future, but that train of thought wasn't sitting comfortably in my cranium. Of course, the burning of the iconic building was sad, but thankfully there was nobody injured and there is a savage determination to rebuild, so there was positivity to be found – as is always the case in Erris.

The wonderful kingdom which dances on the edge of the Atlantic has endured many rattles over the centuries, but we always shake the shoulders, put on a smile and come out fighting. There is never an appetite to give up, never a time when the chin remains on the chest, there is never time to wallow (in public anyway).

It's the same with The High Chaparral. I was at the laptop when news came through that the pub had burned down. Pictures and videos soon came flying in and it was like a punch in the gut. The famous pub in the centre of Geesala was no more. Thoughts immediately went to the Munnelly family and the pain they must be experiencing.

Phone calls to friends exposed the raw shock and sadness in Erris hearts, but it wasn't long before thoughts turned to the future. “They'll rebuild it surely,” was inserted into the conversation early and I'm sure it won't be long before that becomes reality.

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However, as the days pass and the initial shock of the fire eases, thoughts turn to the memories made when friends from near and far gathered in central Geesala over the years.

Personally, the Munnellys have been part of my existence for decades. I have great memories of them all, but some of the clan were more embedded in the head than others. Eamonn Jnr in my class in Our Lady's; John and Ollie were mighty men in the dressingroom when teenage football dreams were central, while Tony was a shining star with Kiltane and Our Lady's and famously won an All-Ireland minor medal in 1985.

The Friday after Mayo won that national title the celebratory cavalcade arrived in Geesala and I'll never forget Denis Gallagher TD singing 'The boys from the county Mayo' on a stage outside The High Chaparral in front of a huge crowd. It was an unforgettable time of life. In later years, we arrived there with silverware after a fantastic Erris Gaels team won the County Cup and more recently the homecomings of Henry Coyle, Fiachna Barrett and the reunion of the St Pat's Bangor team have all been centred around The High Chaparral.

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Therefore, when I was scratching around for words to capture the impact the fire had on the community I realised that there was a lot of sadness, but it wasn't the over-arching emotion. The pub may be no more, but the memories and the friendships will live forever.

As I said, Oscar Wilde may not have crossed the bridge in 'Corick or entered the barony at Doughhill under the mountains in Ballycroy, but he did leave us with words that may be appropriate.

“Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us,” he once said, and he was right. Buildings may come and go, people may come and go, but memories live on forever. The High Chaparral may have burned down but the recollections of good times and good people will never fade. Erris is a special place and all who visit soon come to that realisation. Oscar Wilde didn't know what he was missing.