New light shone on great Mayo patriot Michael Davitt following research

New research into the life story of Land League founder Michael Davitt adds greatly to the knowledge and understanding of the Davitt story.

That's according to Yvonne Corcoran Loftus, Curator of the Davitt Museum in Straide.

The museum today hosted a function where the results of research carried out by genealogist Brendan Walsh was presented in book form to more than thirty of his descendants.

These included some of his grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

The oldest descendant attending was a granddaughter, Edina Davitt Jones (91).

She was accompanied by her sons, Alan and Bernard (great grandsons).

The youngest Davitt attending was five-year-old Annie Cahill, a great granddaughter of the Land League founder.

A great grandson, Michael Davitt, travelled from Vienna with his children, Emily and James.

According to Yvonne Corcoran Loftus, Curator of the Davitt Museum, the extended research has “illuminated elements of the Davitt story that were largely outside the public domain."

It has also unearthed new information on family members in Straide, Swinford and Scranton, Pennsylvania, and uncovered potential new Davitt lineages.

Curator Corcoran Loftus said the research verifies a lot of what is already known but some new information emerged.

It now appears that the eviction of the Davitt family – which led to their emigration to Lancashire – took place earlier than 1850 as heretofore suggested.

It has also emerged that Davitt’s mother was a native of the parish of Straide and not Turlough as was thought previously.

Ms. Loftus said the completion of the research adds greatly to the knowledge and understanding of the Davitt story.

“It’s a body of work that will stand the test of time," she predicted.

The research work was funded by the Creative Ireland Programme, coordinated by Austin Vaughan, which comes under the auspices of Mayo County Council.