Tourmakeady

 
  • Community
    • Óige na Gaeltachta - Youth Club
    • Parent and Toddler Group
  • Contact Us
  • News
    • 2015 >
      • November 2015
      • October 2015
      • September 2015
      • August 2015
      • July 2015
      • June 2015
      • May 2015
      • April 2015
      • March 2015
      • February 2015
      • January 2015
    • 2014 >
      • December 2014
      • November 2014
      • October 2014
      • September 2014
      • August 2014
      • July 2014
      • June 2014
      • May 2014
      • April 2014
      • March 2014
      • February 2014
      • January 2014
    • 2013 >
      • December 2013
      • November 2013
      • October 2013
      • September 2013
      • August 2013
      • July 2013
      • June 2013
      • May 2013
      • April 2013
      • February 2013
      • January 2013
    • 2012 >
      • December 2012
      • November 2012
      • October 2012
      • September 2012
      • August 2012
      • July 2012
      • June 2012
      • May 2012
      • April 2012
      • March 2012
      • February 2012
      • January 2012
    • 2011 >
      • December 2011
      • November 2011
      • October 2011
      • September 2011
      • August 2011
      • July 2011
      • June 2011
      • May 2011
      • April 2011
      • March 2011
      • February 2011
      • January 2011
    • 2010 >
      • December 2010
      • November 2010
      • October 2010
      • September 2010
      • August 2010
      • July 2010
      • June 2010
      • May 2010
      • April 2010
      • March 2010
      • February 2010
      • January 2010
    • 2009 >
      • December 2009
      • November 2009
      • October 2009
      • September 2009
      • August 2009
      • July 2009
      • June 2009
      • May 2009
  • About Tourmakeady
    • Gallery >
      • Tourmakeady in the Snow - Christmas 2009
      • Tourmakeady Ladies GAA
      • Easter Sunday 24th April 2011 Egg Hunt
      • Scenic photos from around Tourmakeady
      • Thrashing Summer/Autumn 2008
      • Tourmakeady - Spring 2010
    • History of Tourmakeady >
      • The Plunkett Era
      • A Letter from Africa
      • Bunnán
      • Colaiste Connacht
      • Father Pat Lavelle
      • Parish Priests
      • Robert Shaw
      • Sean Na Sagart
      • Teach Mhaire Luke
      • Tigh Phaidi
      • Tourmakeady Ambush
      • Tourmakeady and the Famine 1847
      • Tourmakeady GAA
      • What does the name Tourmakeady mean ?
    • Local Poetry
  • Stáisún Standún
    • 2016 >
      • March 2016
      • February 2016
      • January 2016
    • 2015 >
      • December 2015
      • November 2015
      • October 2015
      • September 2015
      • August 2015
      • July 2015
      • June 2015
      • May 2015
      • April 2015
      • March 2015
      • February 2015
      • January 2015
    • 2014 >
      • December 2014
      • November 2014
      • October 2014
      • September 2014
      • August 2014
      • July 2014
      • June 2014
      • May 2014
      • April 2014
      • March 2014
      • February 2014
      • January 2014
    • 2013 >
      • December 2013
      • November 2013
      • October 2013
      • September 2013
      • August 2013
      • July 2013
      • June 2013
      • May 2013
      • April 2013
      • March 2013
      • February 2013
      • January 2013
    • 2012 >
      • December 2012
      • November 2012
      • October 2012
      • September 2012
      • August 2012
      • July 2012
      • June 2012
      • May 2012
      • April 2012
      • March 2012
      • February 2012
      • January 2012
    • 2011 >
      • December 2011
      • November 2011
      • October 2011
      • September 2011
      • August 2011
      • July 2011
      • June 2011
      • May 2011
      • April 2011
      • March 2011
      • February 2011
      • January 2011
    • 2010 >
      • December 2010
      • November 2010
      • October 2010
      • September 2010
      • August 2010
      • July 2010
      • June 2010
      • May 2010
      • April 2010
      • March 2010
      • February 2010
      • January 2010
    • 2009 >
      • December 2009
      • November 2009
      • October 2009
      • September 2009
      • August 2009
      • July 2009
      • June 2009
      • May 2009
  • Blog

What does the name Tourmakeady mean ?                       www.tourmakeady.com

The name Tourmakeady, or Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, means the Bleach field of Mac Ceadaigh. Whereas no trace remains of the family of Keady, the tradition of Flax growing lived on in Tourmakeady to within living memory and the Bleach field was an area where the flax was laid out in the sun, bleached and dyed prior to spinning. It is indeed a coincidence that Tourmakeady is to this day famous for its textile industry for Gaeltarra Knitwear sweaters are to be found in all the world's best known fashion centers and of course they are made here in "the Bleach Field".

Although in fact Tourmakeady is only a small townland, it contained in the past the residence of the Landlord, Archbishop Thomas Plunkett and so the Post Office was situated convenient to his house. The postal area of Tourmakeady became recognised as being the area between the Partry Mountains and Lough Mask and extending from Dereendafderg (The little Oak Wood of the Red Ox) to Derrypark (The Field of the Oak.) In ancient times Tourmakeady was indeed covered in forest with oak predominant.

In Pre-Christian times much of present day South Mayo was divided in three parts or Partraigh. Partraigh an tSléibhe was the area between Craogh Patrick and Lough Mask. When the Catholic ecclesiastical areas or parishes were being named this area became known as Mount Partry; however Baile Ui Bhanín or Ballybannon was the recognised name of the gentle slopes of mountain on Lough Mask shore where many hundred years ago lived a Mac Ulkin, a member of the Staunton family who came from the shores of Lough Carra - possibly Moore Hall. The Moores were later landlords of this area. They were a Catholic family and were one of the few families of good landlords. However their goodness was their downfall for in the famine years of the 1840's when things were very bad in Ballybannon they did not press their starving tenants for rent and subsequently became bankrupt and had to sell out. Ballybannon was part of the Barony of Carra and it extended from Cappaduff to the Northwards. Southwards from Churchfield was the Barony of Ross which up to recent years was part of Co. Galway. Part of this area was owned by a Maurice Fitzgerald in 1333.

Other parts were owned by the Joys also known as Seoighs or Joyces. This country became known as Joyce Country and Joyces abound to the present day, as indeed do Stauntons in Baile Ui Bhanáin. Churchfield or Páirc a' Teampall was from Teampall Machaire Chaoile after St. Caoile. There is also a blessed well in Cappaduff called Tobair Chaoile.

Thomas Plunkett was the eldest son of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He came to Tourmakeady about 1807 and built a fishing lodge. He gradually bought up the small local landlords and evicted many of the tenants. When George Moore got into financial difficulties Plunkett bought him out. In 1839 Plunkett became Bishop of Tuam and set himself the task of converting Tourmakeady to Protestantism. His sister Katherine set up a Protestant school and many tenants were threatened with eviction unless they agreed to send their children to her school. During the famine years Katherine ran a soup kitchen for those who turned Protestant. She was known as Cáit a Bhrotháin (Kate of the Soup) and the term Sooper was applied to those who changed their religion. The local parish priest Pr. Pat Lavelle started a campaign to expose the Plunketts. He instituted a number of court cases against them and received a great deal of publicity in the English Press of the time. Bishop Plunkett died in 1866 and is buried in the Protestant Churchyard in Tourmakeady.

In 1847 George Moore gave some of the remaining portion of his land in Baile Ui Bhanáin to Archbishop Mc Hale to found a monastery to help counter the influence of the Plunketts. In 1848 the Franciscans started a school there which continued until 1927, when the Irish Government took over the school and built a new school Coláiste Mhuire, Tourmakeady. Coláiste Mhuire was an all Irish school specially provided to teach Irish to would-be National Teachers. It is still today an all-Irish school but catering for the local girls with a very high standard of education.

In the early 1900's Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam gave a house in Baile Ui Bhanáin to The Gaelic League to found an Irish Summer College. This college flourished from 1905 to 1950 and was known as "The Cradle of the Gaelic League". Scholars came from all over Ireland and from many European Universities to learn Irish. Among the pupils of Coláiste Chonnacht was Sinéad Flanagan,wife of Eamonn De Valera. Also involved in the college was Patrick Pearse and his brother Willie, The Dillon brothers Myles and James, Thomas Clarke and many others.

In 1950 Gaeltarra Éireann, a state sponsored body set up to give employment in Gaeltacht areas, took over the College and started a knitwear industry which has become the most important influence in Tourmakeady. In recent years Gaeltarra Knitwear has become a private company and is among the world famous fashion houses. They have built a new modern factory, moving from George Moore's Baile Ui Bhanáin to Plunkett's Tourmakeady in the ould townland of the famous Bleachfield.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.