Newport as chronicled in 1838
By Tom Gillespie
SAMUEL Lewis (circa 1782 to 1865) was the editor and publisher of topographical dictionaries and maps of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The aim of the texts was to give in a condensed form a faithful and impartial description of each place.
The firm of Samuel Lewis and Co. was based in London. Samuel Lewis the elder died in 1865. His son of the same name predeceased him in 1862.
The names of places are those in use prior to the publication of the Ordnance Survey Atlas in 1838.
The dictionary gives a unique picture of Ireland before the Great Famine.
Lewis’ reference to Newport of that period reads:
NEWPORT, or NEWPORT-PTATT, a market and post-town, in the parish and barony of Burrishoole, county of Mayo, and providence of Connaught, 5.5 miles (N. by W.) from Westport (to which it has a sub-post-office), and 140 miles (W. by N.) from Dublin; containing 1,235 inhabitants.
This town, which is situated at the extremely of Clew Bay, was the original port of discharge for the county of Mayo; it is intersected by a fine river, which rises in Lough Beltra and falls into the bay. The river Burrishoole also flows through the parish, and both abound with excellent salmon, for taking which weirs are placed about half-a-mile above the town.
It consists of one principal street and several others, and contains about 230 houses, some of which are well built and of neat appearance.
The trade, formerly very extensive, has, from the difficulty of communications with the interior, been in a great measure transferred to Westport, and at present consists principally in the export of grain, of which, on an average, 1,000 tons are annually shipped to England.
The pier was erected at the expense of Sir R.A. O’Donel and some of the merchants of the town; the quays are extensive and commodious and accessible to vessels of 200 tons’ burden, which can be moored in safety alongside and take in or deliver their cargoes at all times of the tide, and within a few hundred yards may lie at anchor in perfect security.
The channel is safe, and the harbour very commodious: The entrance into the bay, which is called Clew, Newport, of Westport bay, is spacious and direct; and within it are numerous islets and rocks, between which, on each side, are several good road stacks, capable of accommodating several large vessels, with good anchorage in from two to six fathoms.
The market is on Tuesday; and fairs are held on June 8, August 1, November 11 and December 20.
A chief constabulary police force is stationed in the town; petty sessions are held every Tuesday, and a manorial court on the first Wednesday in every month.
The court-house, in which the sessions are held, is a small neat building. The parish church and a Roman Catholic chapel are situated in the town.
In the vicinity is Newport House, the seat of Sir Richard Annesley O’Donel, Bart.
Three miles distance on, on the sea shore, is Rockfleet Castle, a small square fortress, said to have been built by Grana-Uile, better known as Grace O’Malley, and celebrated for her maritime exploits; and about a mile to the south-east of the town is Carrickaneady, one of the castles said to have been built by the Burkes.
Looking up Rockfleet Castle I found the castle in known in Gaeilge as Carraig an Chabhlaigh, described as a tower house.
It was built in the mid-16th century, and is most famously associated with ‘Pirate Queen’ Grace O'Malley, and chieftain of the Clan O’Malley.
The castle has four floors and is over 18 metres in height. It is no longer open to the public for safety reasons. The castle was installed with a metal walkway in 2015, from its adjacent grassland surrounding to its door due to the sheer inconvenience of accessing its entrance during high tides.
Local legend has it that treasure once housed in the castle is now buried in an unknown location somewhere in the surrounding fields. If found, the individual who exhumes it is said to be met by the Headless Horseman, resulting in dire consequences.
The castle was probably built by Risteárd an Iarainn Bourke - Richard Burke (Richard the Iron), 18th lord of Mac William Iochtar.
At high tide it was impossible to get into the tower house without wetting your feet. There are bartizans at the north and south corners of the tower.
Grace O'Malley had inherited a shipping business from her father. In 1546 she married Dónal an Chogaidh Ó Flaithbheartaigh - Donal O'Flaherty, heir to the O'Flaherty title. After Donal's death Grace married Richard (The Iron) Burke in 1566. When Richard died in 1583 the castle came into Grace's possession.
In 1593 she appeared before Elizabeth I and was granted a licence to attack the Queen’s enemies. Legend has it that the door in the top-most room was where the rope from her galley came through from the outside and was tied to her bed.
The interior of the castle is closed to the public at the present time because of work being carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
Today Newport is based in the heart of the Great Western Greenway and boasts a magnificent 19th century red sandstone viaduct, the ancestral home of Princess Grace of Monaco, a beautiful Romanesque church, housing the last stained glass window designed by Harry Clarke, and is renowned for its excellent sea fishing.