From the archives: Fire could have destroyed most of Mayo county town street
By Tom Gillespie
ON Sunday, October 5, 1952, the prompt action of two local men and the timely arrival of the Castlebar Fire Brigade, back from a fire in Kiltimagh, prevented the spread of a fire which would have destroyed most of Linenhall Street, Castlebar.
The fire, which occurred at the premises of Miss Josie Moran, was discovered by Mr. Jimmy Waters and Mr. Sean O’Kelly (pictured), who met on the street as the former was going to a football match in MacHale Park.
The young men got to a telephone, called the brigade, and notified Miss Moran’s family, who lived on the other side of the street some hundred yards away. Despite the efforts of the brigade, the house was gutted and the houses next door damaged.
Mr. Waters told The Connaught Telegraph: “I came home from England on a holiday to attend my sister's wedding, and on Sunday I brought my little nephew to see the match in MacHale Park.
“On the way I met my cousin, Sean O’Kelly, and while we were talking I remarked that there seemed to be a lot of smoke over the roof of Moran’s house.
“I drew Sean O’Kelly’s attention to it and we went over and saw flames inside. We both kicked in the door to see it there was anyone inside, and on getting no answer, I ran to Miss Moran’s family across the street, while at the same time Sean O’Kelly ran to Mr. Harry Healy’s and called the brigade.”
Mr. Waters went on: “With Mr. Moran I returned to the house, which by then was like a furnace, so great was the heat. We succeeded in bringing out a scale and then were beaten back by the heat and smoke.
“With Mr. O’Kelly I went to Miss Hoban’s next door and told her that she should collect whatever cash was in the house and that, if all went to all, she would be wiser to do so as the house was already becoming warm and filling with smoke.
“Miss Hoban did as we asked, and Mr. John Roache by this time had gone in to save the cat which he heard crying. He saved the cat and then we all went to MacNeeley’s house on the other side of Moran’s. This house was in greater danger as the wind was blowing towards it.
“The brigade had arrived and in a minute had one line of hose connected up. A few minutes later they connected a second line and they succeeded in confining the fire to Moran’s. They did great work, as did Mr. Roache and all the others who came on the scene.
“As for what Mr. O’Kelly and myself did, that was nothing. We were glad to be of help to anyone in the town.”
Mr. Sean O’Kelly’s story was the same as Mr. Waters, but he added that he thought every second was an hour until the fire station answered his telephone call.
He paid tribute to Mrs. Healy for the manner in which she received him when he told her of his errand and to the Post Office telephone operator for the promptitude with which the call was connected.
The following day, Monday, Miss Moran was confined to bed suffering from shock. She had been in her family house when she got the news and did not know what to do.
The upstairs flat in the house was let to Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McCafferty. Mr. Cafferty was a painter, and all his equipment, together with money and the clothes belonging to himself and his family, were destroyed in the fire. He and his family were out when the fire occurred.
Mr. J.J. McGowan, B.E., who was in charge of the fire brigade at Kiltimagh earlier, and handed over to Mr. Sean O’Connell, B.E., the regular officer in charge of the brigade in Castlebar, said that the fire was very intense. They were fortunate in having a splendid pressure of water and the two jets they started soon got the fire under control.
He paid tribute to the members of the brigade for the manner in which they worked and said great credit was due to their trainer, Mr. O’Connell.
The members of the bridge who travelled to Kiltimagh were: Messers. Jack Mellett, J. Cooney, J.Swift, Willie Basquill, J. Gannon, and for the fire at Castlebar they were joined by fireman Wallie Basquill.