Mayo memories: Recalling 1927 hurricane that created havoc over Mayo

By Tom Gillespie

PART 1

ON Friday, January 28, 1927, a severe hurricane swept over the west of Ireland, inflicting considerable damage to houses, haggards and plantations.

Blowing from a south-westerly direction, Westport, Newport, Castlebar, Ballinrobe and Ballina received the full fury of it, damage to the extent of many thousands of pounds being done, but happily no lives were lost.

It raged for several hours and left a scene of destruction in its trail, being the severest experienced in this country for the past 63 years (1864).

On February 5, 1927, The Connaught Telegraph, reported on the destruction it left in its wake:

In Westport, gaping roofs, streets strewn with broken glass, shattered slates, mortar and bricks, staunch trees torn from their roots, shuttered shops, and with not a pedestrian abroad, such was the spectacle Westport encountered when a hurricane unequalled in the history of the town swept over it with unabated fury and lasted fully 10 hours.

Referring to the storm, many of the older inhabitants solemnly declare that it ‘bate the night of the Big Wind’.

Blowing from 70 to 80 miles an hour, with a sea-driven vehemence, the storm started about 5 a.m. and with unleashed fury swept the town and districts, causing considerable damage to property in its wake.

Practically not a street in town escaped its fury, and gaping roofs, fallen chimney stacks, uprooted trees, twisted telegraph wires, broken lamp standards and glassless windows bear striking testimony of its fierce visitation.

There were numerous miraculous escapes from fatal injury, but a number were not so fortunate, one man having his foot badly crushed by a falling plank, whilst another little boy lies in a serious condition, having been hit on the head by a sheet of galvanised zinc.

A number of the residents of John’s Row had a most trying experience, the back roof of one of the dwelling houses being literally carried away.

In another house the back windows of a bedroom were blown in, and the room was immediately inundated.

Others houses in the same locality were stripped of their tiles, and showers of flying slates, brick and mortar were a frequent occurrence.

A zinc shed had to be secured with ropes, etc., as the hurricane was lifting it from its foundation.

Thatched dwellings at Tobar Hill fared badly, and huge piles of straw and rafter ends met the gaze every now and then.

The house of Mr. P. O’Malley, High Street, had a corner of its roof blown off, while the licensed premises of Mr. Richard O’Malley has now in its roof a gaping hole some four feet in diameter.

Roofs of many houses in Bridge Street were stripped of their slates, the house of Mr. Brown, victualler, suffered badly, and the street being littered with broken slates, glass and mortar. A forge in the Shambles was literally demolished.

Gaping holes are to be seen in many residences in Peter Street, and the debris of much masonry strews the street.

At the Octagon the house of Mr. Jim O’Malley was badly damaged, whilst the licensed premises of Mr. Giblin, Mill Street, have a large rent in their roof. A number of slates were blown off McLoughlin’s studio at Shop Street, and a large shed belonging to Mr. Navin, contractor, was actually demolished.

A number of slates, tiles and chimney pots were blown off the Mercy Convent Secondary School, Castlebar Road, and a glasshouse attached to the building was literally smashed to atoms.

The convent school also fared something similar, and the pupils of both schools were, for safety sake, allowed home at midday.

Some lead was blown off the roof of the Parish Church and a number of slates off the Town hall.

The roof of Mr. Clampett’s residence, Newport Road, was badly damaged, while on the Railway Hotel and entire frontal eave-run was blown away and an iron gate torn from its sockets. Outhouses at the hotel were literally denuded of their slates. A considerable quantity of glass was broken throughout the town and boxes, barrels, etc., were swept down the river.

Two heavy seats outside the Railway Hotel were lifted clean by the storm and dashed against the river wall. One of the town's public lamps, opposite the West Hotel, were smashed to atoms.

Telephone wires opposite the Parish Church and Railway Hotel were broken, while a large tree on the Hotel-Mall was torn from its roots.

A large number of trees were also uprooted in the Demesne, a number on the grove, and one at the back of Dr. Walsh’s residence.

The water in the Mall river resembled a rough sea, and columns of water carried by the whirling storm dashed over the bridge parapet and walls.

A lady passing down High Street had a miraculous escape from serious injury walking along the footpath, and whatever instinct prompted her to take the road probably saved her life. She had no sooner vacated the footpath when a shower of slates fell from a building at the point where she got off the path.

Another miraculous occurrence took place at the Newport Road. A number of motor cars returning from the funeral of the late Mr. Palmer had just passed a point opposite the Protestant Church when a huge tree crashed down across the roadway. Had they been a moment later an appalling accident would unquestionably have occurred.

Considerable damage was caused by the storm at Westport Quay. Roofs of a number of houses and sheds were literally carried away.

The recent extension to the steamer shed received the full fury of the gale and a large portion of it was blown into the sea.

Waves upwards on 30 feet high dashed over the Quay wall at Rossbeg and other points, flooding the roadways and making traffic impossible. Portions of the steamer shed are flooded and quantities of stuff badly damaged.

The Rossbeg residence of Mr. W. D. Coyne, District Justice, was badly damaged. A large number of slates was blown off the roof of the house. The roof of a shed was also blown away. A large breach was made at the Demesne wall at Quay Hill. Mr. Charles O’Malley, contractor, Westport, received a nasty cut over his eye caused by a falling slate in Bridge Street.

A workman named Grady, living near Westport Quay, had his toes crushed to pulp, resulting from a flying plank falling on them.

NEXT WEEK: Buildings collapse into the street.