All Ireland Ladies Club Champions

Carnacon Ladies Football Team won their fourth All Ireland Club Final in Longford on Sunday, November 27th, 2011.
Pictured as part of the team are team members from the Killawalla area

Killawalla Woman pens new Book!

A member of Castlebar library staff, Mary Gavin, Druminroe, recently launched her book, “Mayo Libraries - Memories, Tales and Anecdotes.” Well-known media presenter and writer, Leamy McNally officially launched the book.
Throughout the book the author recalls a myriad of human interest stories. In her introduction the Killawalla native author, Mary Gavin, recalls her satisfaction in compiling the book when she wrote “It has been a labour of love. Many long nights and late nights have been spent meeting with former staff, typing up information and scanning photographs. It has been wonderful to correspond with people I hadn’t seen for years.”
The book will be available from Partry and Killawalla Post Offices and from all Public Libraries through out the county and will make an ideal Christmas present.

Local Picture Site

Check out the following web blog that has several beautiful pictures from the Dereendafderg and Killawalla area
http://debzart.deviantart.com/gallery/24994864

Killawalla Magazine

Killawalla Magazine, "Killawalla: Home and Away" is available for purchase at Michael Walsh, Killawalla P.O., Killawalla, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland. The publication itself has in the region of ninety articles and 400 photographs both, black and white and colour. Its articles are a mix of contributions from young people on their experiences working overseas and stories from more senior citizens about their experiences in times past. Anyone who wishes to purchase the book or would like to have it posted to a family friend or relative can contact Michael Walsh, Killawalla Post Office 098 35113. Purchase of book packaged and posted to anywhere in Ireland - €19; Purchase of book and posted to Northern Ireland - €19; Purchase of book and posted to Great Britain - €23.50; Purchase of book and posted to anywhere in USA - €26.40.

The magazine is a treasure trove of wonderful news stories, articles, pictures of Killawalla people at home and away.

Pictured at the launch of the magazine are: Mary Hallinan, Nancy Walsh and Michael Larkin

New Beginnings

Congratulations to the Killawalla young people who started Secondary School today.
Malia Tracey, Sinead Conway & Matthew O'Malley -Tourmakeady
Stephen O'Malley - Rice College, Westport.
Shane Gavin - David's College, Castlebar.
Chloe Kelly & Ellen Malone - Sacred Heart School Westport.
We wish them well and success in their new beginnings.

Mass at Boheh Mass Rock

Fr. Michael Tracey celebrated Mass at Boheh Mass Rock, near Liscarney for a group of pilgrims using Tocher Phadraig on their journey to Croagh Patrick. The Mass was celebrated on August 27, 2011.

Fr. Frank Fahey

We wish a speedy recovery to popular Ballintubber Abbey priest, Fr. Frank Fahey, who is recovering from hip surgery. We hope to welcome him back to the Killawalla area again soon.

Unveiling of Marker at Ballyburke Cemetery

Michael Lyons, Chairperson of Killawalla Community Council, unveiled a special marker honoring the babies and famine victims buried at Ballyburke Cemetery. The unveiling took place on August 15, 2011

Blessing of Marker at Ballyburke Graveyard

Lord God, we gather at this sacred place: a church, a burial place; to pray, to remember, and to celebrate our heritage in the faith.
We pause to pray for all who are buried here – the babies who were with us for just some brief moments and then went home to become angels in heaven.
We pray for the victims of our terrible famine who are buried here. They died of hunger at a cruel time in our history. They died trying to live. Yet they are not forgotten. They have names, faces, and now they live in a place where there is no more suffering or hunger.
We remember the people who gathered here in these ruins to celebrate Mass like we do this evening. They are our forefathers in the faith. They knelt among these stones and hallowed walls to bring their troubles and achievements to the Lord and, He, in turn, nourished them with His word and sacrament.
We celebrate our heritage in the faith here – our ruined church on the path of Togher Padraig. We celebrate our patron saint, whose shadow, as he passed by here centuries ago, passed on a beautiful treasure to us – the gift of our Catholic faith.
This evening, we gather to celebrate our roots – our church, our children, our victims and our faith. Because of them all, we are richer in the faith, more blessed in our gifts, enriched in our history and profoundly more grateful for the gifts and blessings we have received because of them.
May the Lord bless us who gather here and all who lie here. May he let his face shine upon us, both living and dead. And may the Lord be gracious to us in good times and in bad as we celebrate our past, live in the present and hope for the future. We ask this through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
- Fr. Michael Tracey

Mass at Glenmask Shrine

Some fifty people gathered at the roadside shrine in Glenmask on Sunday August 14, 2011 to celebrate their yearly Mass at the shrine.

Killawalla in Famine Times

According to research by the National Museum of Ireland at Maynooth, Killawalla suffered the biggest population decline between the years 1841 to 1851.  Killawalla lost 2/3 of it population.

Killawalla Church