Local history: Disappearing landmarks in Castlebar

By Tom Gillespie

LOOKING back at the many landmarks that have disappeared in Castlebar since I was a lad, many spring to mind that were iconic in their day.

One that would have been very much in my bailiwick was the diving board at Lough Lannagh.

This was a magnet for youngsters in the 1950s and ‘60s, where we learned to swim in what always seemed to have been long, sunny summers.

Another location we frequented was the Wimpy Bar (pictured) on Ellison Street, now Paul Heverin’s Irish House pub.

Across the road was Tansey’s bus stop pub (pictured), later Flannelly’s Lounge and now Dealz.

It was in that order that I recall my association with these three locations as I was growing up.

We learned to swim during the summer in the late 1950s when the Irish Water Safety Association gave instructions daily over a week in summer.

We were lined up in our togs on the left hand side of the concrete base of the diving board and on the count of three we pushed off into the shallow water.

While we each held a float in front of us, we all submerged and with the water gushing into our faces we emerged spluttering and disorientated.

But after a few lessons we got more proficient and became used to keeping our eyes open underwater and controlling our breathing.

However, it was some time before we were brave enough to actually dive off what was left of the diving board - two metal beams jutting out over the brownish water.

The water under the diving board was deep but you had to be careful to dive only straight out or to the left.

Underwater to the right were some pieces of scaffolding used many years earlier to extend and heighten the diving board during a regatta on Lough Lannagh.

There was a small plantation of palm trees to both the right and left of the diving board, planted by the Castlebar Development Association.

In recent years a dramatic and welcome transformation of Lough Lannagh has taken place. The area now attracts hundreds of walkers daily enjoying the 1.9 kilometre loop walk or the children’s playground and links to the greenway to Turlough.

This is the jewel in Castlebar’s crown and great credit must go to the local authority for their foresight and commitment to the project.

The diving board is gone and all that remains is the base on which it stood. But it still brings back fine memories every time I walk by it.

As we grew older we progressed from Lough Lannagh to the Wimpy Bar on Ellison Street. I believe the premises was earlier a gents clothing shop run by Padraig Flynn’s father.

The Wimpy was novel in its day where you could purchase a burger, chicken and chips and a mineral and eat them on the premises. The cooking was undertaken downstairs, with seating upstairs for the customers. It was a meeting place for the teenagers of the day.

Next door to the Wimpy was Kilkelly’s and over the door was a large clock, again a landmark in the town, but now sadly gone.

I believe the only ‘public’ clock left in the town now is in the window of Gabriel Downes’ Garage in Spencer Street - correct me if I’m wrong?

Tansey’s Bar was a noted watering hole in Castlebar. Run by sisters Jessie and Sammy Duignan, it attracted a loyal group of customers and the snug inside the door was a favourite but was reserved strictly for regulars.

Bus passengers used the facility and there was a ‘waiting room’ where items were left in, paid for, to be bussed to somewhere or collected.

The Connaught Telegraph was printed at Cavendish Lane on a Wednesday night. It was always an all-nighter and my final duty before hitting the bed was to carry bundles of papers to Tansey’s at around 8 a.m. in time for the 8.30 a.m. bus. The bundles had to be placed on the window sill outside and the bus conductor would load them onto the vehicle.

One of my colleagues told me of the morning he was catching the bus to Westport, with his girlfriend, now his wife, and while waiting for the bus to arrive they ordered two hot whiskeys as the morning was rather chilly.

How were they served?

One of the sisters let the hot tap in the sink behind the counter run for a few seconds and duly made the ‘hot’ drinks for the couple.