Mayo memories: Dean Jackson - caring pastor and charitable welfare worker
By Tom Gillespie
DEAN Joseph Jackson M.A. came to administer in Castlebar in 1923 - over 100 years ago.
Shortly after arriving in the county town he became involved in many organisations such as the local branch of the British Legion. As secretary and organiser of the branch he played a major role in the erection of the eight houses at Mons Terrace - four single and four two-storey, which he saw to completion despite numerous setbacks.
The homes were built for ex-servicemen of World War I. Such was his input into the scheme, it was proposed at the time that it be named after him, but he preferred it to be called Mons Terrace after the battle of Mons in World War I.
Courtesy of the Castlebar Parish Magazine I can republish the report of the official opening of Mons Terrace in September 1929, when the chairman of Castlebar Urban Council, T.F. Durcan, handed over the houses to the chosen tenants, all of whom had seen action in Belgium.
Councillor Durcan said the town of Castlebar owed a debt of gratitude to Rev. Mr. Jackson, who persevered with the building project when previous plans, some 10 years earlier, had fallen through.
The Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust were responsible for the building of the houses and the Trust was represented by Colonel Robinson at the function.
Col. Robinson said the great objective of the Land Trust was to provide decent houses for those who had fought in the Great War.
Castlebar, he said, might well be proud of its ex-Servicemen, if only for their association with the 88ths - well known as the Connaught Rangers.
The contractor was J.P. McCormack who was complimented for the expeditious manner in which the contract had been carried out, down to the minute detail and the very high standard that was reflected in the finished houses.
The first tenants of the houses were Charles Hanley, Michael Kenny, Michael Worthington, William Gavin, Michael Guthrie, Richard Dunne, James Cunningham and Thomas J. Sweeney.
Mr. Sweeney, who was a plumber by trade, decided not to take the house, as the terms of the letting prevented him from erecting a workshop there.
Mr. Michael Cunningham was allocated the house later. Tom and Bea Kelly were subsequent residents of number seven as Tom was reluctant to move in initially.
In his memories, Dean Jackson recalled he was a keen angler, having his own private fish hatchery in his backyard at The Rectory in Spencer Street - now the residence of Dr. Dara Corcoran.
Later, Castlebar Angling Club, who had the salmon and sea trout fishing rights in Lough Beltra, had the fishery.
The dean recalled regularly meeting the postman from Castlebar delivering the post in the Beltra area on foot. If the postman had a heavy bag of mail, he would take it and leave it at Glenisland, thus leaving the postman with a much lighter load to carry on his way there.
He reckoned that the postman, who walked 18 miles each day, must have covered the circumference of the earth several times on foot as he refused to use a bicycle.
On another occasion, while serving in south Mayo, he was asked to preach the Harvest Thanksgiving Service in Turlough Church.
His mode of transport at the time was a Sun-Villers motorcycle, which unfortunately broke down at Brize.
He walked to Balla where he hoped to hire a sidecar. While waiting for the transport he sent a telegram to the rector in Turlough advising him of the delay and requesting him to meet him on the road from Balla to Turlough. He was rather puzzled when no rector appeared.
The Dean eventually arrived at the rector’s house and while on his way up the avenue he met a man with a small child in a go-car coming down. When he inquired of the rector had he received the telegram, he said he had just received it. It had been delivered by the man with the go-car.
He wrote of Castlebar aerodrome, which was located not too far from Mons Terrace - where Baxter is located. Captain Dykes was the first air force officer to be in charge of it.
An officer of the British Army, Major Chads, was killed when the plane he was travelling in crashed at Maryland.
The County Home (workhouse) he described as a shocking place. The women patients had no boots and sat on stools all day long.
He also remembered the old gaol on the Westport Road and standing in the cell where Fighting George Fitzgerald was imprisoned.
He recalled meeting the famous Lynchehaun, who was by then a patient in the home, who told him the story of how he was convicted and sent to Maryborough Prison in Dublin, of his escape from there to America and how he won a wager by returning to his home in Achill and arrived back in the States without being caught.
Having told the story he asked the Dean to give him a copy of the Bible and a pack of cards. When asked what he wanted the Bible for, he replied it was a great book for doing crosswords.
Rev. Jackson was elevated to the position of Dean of Tuam in 1945 where he ministered until 1966. On his retirement he went to Bangor, Co. Down, where he died in 1970.
The Connaught Telegraph described Dean Jackson as a caring pastor; a most energetic, charitable welfare worker, a highly accomplished musician; an authority in horticulture and a keen sportsman.
It also said he was one of the most popular ministers of the Church of Ireland ever to reside in Castlebar and his departure would be a big loss to the town.
Dean Jackson’s wife was formerly Ray Heaney, a member of a well-known Castlebar family who resided near Burleigh House on Ellison Street.
She was a talented musician and regularly played the organ at services in Christ Church.