Ballyhaunis Blog

Tom Googan is a drummer in a San Diego band called 4th Guy Shining.
His father was from Ballyhaunis and he is a cousin of Patrick Gallagher - another Ballyhaunis (Derrintogher) man who was killed in the Vietnam war fighting in the US army.

From http://www.gallagherclan.org/military.aspx

“Born 1944 in Derringtogher, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, Patrick Gallagher emigrated to New York in 1962. He became interested in politics and canvassed for Bobby Kennedy. In April 1966, he was drafted into the US Marines and was sent to Vietnam - something he kept from his parents at home.

Patrick saved the lives of three comrades on 18 July 1966. Four of them had been manning a defence post at Cam Lo near the border with North Vietnam when it was attacked by Communist forces.

Patrick kicked a grenade out of their position before it exploded and, as the citation for the Navy Cross he was later awarded read, “another enemy grenade followed and landed in the position between two of his comrades. Without hesitation, in a valiant act of self-sacrifice, Corporal Gallagher threw himself upon the deadly grenade in order to absorb the explosion and save the lives of his comrades.” He was also awarded The Congressional Medal of Honour.

Unfortunately, on the day he was to collect his awards, he was being buried, having been killed in action in Vietnam”

The 31st. edition of the annual Ballyhaunis Pparish publication, Annagh , went on sale to the public on Monday, December 8.
The 138-page issue is a bumper production, packed with pictures, old and new, and with some fine articles, many of them of great historical interest.
The 2008 edition includes all the usual club reports, detailing all the activities from the local organisations throughout the past 12 months.

Anybody wishing to submit articles for next year’s publication, photos, old or new, or other items of interest are advised to forward same to annaghmag@eircom.net or, if it is more convenient, you may leave material in to Halpin’s, Main Street.
If any reader would like to send a copy of the parish magazine abroad to friends or relatives, it is of course an ideal Christmas gift for folks living abroad.
€25 will cover the cost of magazine and postage to anywhere in the world.
Further information can be obtained from the magazine treasurer John Halpin, Main Street.

A visitor to this site is looking for info on their grandfather, Michael Culkeen from Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo. Died approximately early 1930’s. Was married to Bridget Prendergast, four children, Tom, Martin, Luke and Mary (born 1929). Probably buried at St. Patrick’s. My mother would like more info on his death .

Anyone with information - please post it here in the comments.

The 2006 Irish Census 2006 show significant changes to the population of most Mayo towns.

Castlebar now has a population of 10,655 according to Census 2006. The town saw population growth of 3.6 per cent in the last four years.
Ballina had a six per cent jump in population between 2002 and 2006. The population of the north Mayo town is now 10,056.
Westport saw a decline in population of 2.8 per cent; the town now has 5,163 inhabitants. The next largest town in the county, Claremorris, saw a jump in population of 23.5 per cent. It now has 2,595 inhabitants.

Ballinrobe saw its population grow by more than a quarter in the last four years. The south Mayo town now has 2,098 inhabitants and saw growth of 29 per cent since 2002. Ballyhaunis is the 6th largest town - and has a population of 1,708 according to the Central Statistics Office, which means a jump of 23.7 per cent in 5 years

Population growth for other East Mayo towns was not as marked. Swinford has 1,502 inhabitants, but saw growth of just 0.3 per cent. Kiltimagh saw more significant growth, at 9.6 per cent, taking its population to 1,096.

The next largest town in the county, Belmullet, saw its population grow by 12.8 per cent to 1,074. Foxford, with a population of 1,058, experienced growth of 20.5 per cent between 2002 and 2006, according to the CSO.

Knock now has 745 inhabitants, and saw a 25.2 per cent rise in its population since 2002. Charlestown saw a 10.2 per cent jump in population, with 745 inhabitants. Newport now has 590 residents, and saw population growth of 12 per cent.

Smaller towns which experienced a very high rate of growth in the last four years include Balla, whose population increased by 32.3 per cent. There are now 586 people living there.

Shrule grew by 30.4 per cent. It now has a population of 425. Kilkelly saw the highest rate of growth of any Mayo town at 69.1 per cent. The town now has 389 inhabitants, according to Census 2006. Louisburgh, meanwhile, saw its population more than double. It now has 314 inhabitants, after growth of 51.7 per cent.

Bangor Erris now has 295 residents, after population growth of close to 11 per cent.

Elsewhere, the population of Crossmolina dropped by half a percentage point to 930. In Killala, a drop of 12.5 per cent in population was recorded, leaving the population at 569. Gob an Choire (Achill Sound) saw its population drop by almost 15 per cent, leaving 302 residents.

Ballindine experienced a population slide of just over 16 per cent, leaving 249 inhabitants. Ballycastle now has 215 inhabitants after experiencing a drop of almost 14 per cent. Kilmaine saw a 22.8 per cent drop in population, leaving 142 inhabitants. Cong saw the largest population drop of any town in Mayo with a fall of just over 30 per cent. The population is now 101, according to the CSO.