The Mayo Peace Park Garden of Remembrance was opened by the President of Ireland Mary Mc Alleese on October the 7th 2008. It is a Memorial to all the men and women of County Mayo who have lost there life in conflict from the last century to the present day, it especially remembers Irish Army Soldiers who have served and died in UN Operations. The Memorial commemorates all those from the county who served and died in wars in the cause of world peace. More than Eleven Hundred young men from County Mayo were killed in Action in World War 1. They fought in the uniforms of Britain, Belgium, America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
On May the 24th, 2010 we spent a morning in the Peace Park with its Chairman and Founder Michael Feeney MBE. Michael’s grandfather died in Flanders in conflict during World War I, the death of his Grandfather led Michael to a lifelong ambition to dedicate a memorial to all Mayo people who lost their life in conflicts throughout the world. The Peace Park is a credit to Michael’s determination to succeed in his ambition, and above all else it stands as a peaceful reminder of the loss that war brings, it is a contemplative and moving place to visit.
In this podcast Michael Feeney gives us a tour of this special Garden of Remembrance and the history of conflicts that are remembered here.
Click play to listen here or download and save to listen later.
For more information about The Mayo Peace Park Garden of Remembrance you can visit their website and enjoy a virtual tour by clicking here. A recently published book ”Remembering Mayo’s Fallen Heroes” it is chonicle of stories, articles and facts about those who died in the world wars and conflicts of the past century . This is a limited production.
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#1 by Martin Coyle on May 29, 2010 - 5:28 pm
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A wonderful Podcast on a relatively unknown part of Irish history of great interest to County Mayo and indeed all of Ireland’s Counties.The Mayo Peace Park has a very impressive polished curved granite wall (similar to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC.) with the names of the fallen and independent memorials,memorial benches and plaques inside the walled Garden of Remembrance and is a still ongoing project.Exceptional.Martin UK.
#2 by admin on May 29, 2010 - 7:01 pm
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Thank you Martin. The Peace Park and Garden of Remembrance is a remarkble place and Michael Feeney MBE is a remarkable man. We would like to extend our thanks to him, his brother Martin and Johnny Mee whom we met during our visit and to all the members of the committe who made this dream a reality. Michael showed us tremendous hospitality while we were there and we know he has more stories to tell which we intend to cover in future podcasts. I bow to your modesty, as it you was you who brought this matter to our attention and we were furtunate in that we could get to cover it so quickly. We also have a podcasts on two men who voluntarily maintain a WW1 memorial in Bray County Wicklow and Our featured Prose Writer Steve Dunford has written extensively and continues to write about the 1798 rebellion and we intend to add more on our fallen heroes in due course.
The Podcast.ie Team
#3 by Captain Donal Buckley on May 29, 2010 - 9:45 pm
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We are very proud of this Memorial, it is the finest County War Memorial in these islands. While not on the same scale It is probably more important than Lutyen’s magnificent memorial in Islandbridge in Dublin because in our post Great War history or post Independence history, we wrote The Great War and our soldiers out of the narrative (and subsequent conflicts) and now we have again remembered them. Let us never forget them again.
Now that the standard has been set every county in Ireland should follow suit and remember their forgotten dead with an appropriate memorial.
#4 by Terrance O'Dwyer on May 30, 2010 - 2:05 am
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Thank you brothers Feeney & people of Mayo. Here in the states, it is Memorial Day….start of summer. We forget….but you remind us……………….gently……… We must remember………
#5 by Ruben on August 15, 2010 - 4:57 am
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Thank you very much for the information . Several irish-argentinean went to fight during the Irish revolution.
#6 by Emily Travers on April 20, 2011 - 3:56 pm
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This is a very thoughtful gesture in memory of those who perished fighting for the country. I believe that this would make the families left behind feel better that they have a place to visit in memory of their loved ones.
Emily Travers
Manila
Phillipines
#7 by Hank Jones on April 26, 2011 - 6:26 am
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It’s good to hear that these brave heroes are given the recognition that they deserve. It’s no easy task to come from a country, but represent another in a war. They have fought valiantly during the war, and have symbolically given their lives for cause of world peace. What’s interesting is that men and women alike were a part of this great group of heroes.
Hank Jones
Phoenix
#8 by admin on April 26, 2011 - 12:57 pm
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Hi to ,
Hank Jones in Phoenix, , Emily Travers in Manila, Martin Coyle in London, Ruben in Argentina , Capt Donal Buckley , Terence O’Dwyer,
Thank you for your comments and to all the wonderful staff at the podcasts.ie, who brought the story to a world wide audience.
The Mayo Peace Park, Garden of Remembrance commemorates, forgotten generations of local born people, who gave their lives in the World Wars and other conflicts wearing the uniforms of Great Britain, America, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand, others died on United Nations Peacekeeping operations, they were volunteers, who left all that was near and dear to them to fight for the freedom of the world. In my opinion, they were the bravest of the best, exceptional people who gave their lives for world peace in their time. The fact that their sacrifice was largely ignored for so long was shameful but we hope that with our project and research that all slights on their memory and service is removed and consigned to the past.
Michael Feeney
Chairman of The Mayo Peace Park
#9 by jason muller on June 2, 2011 - 11:51 am
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This blog seems very interesting. Mayo Peace Park is a symbolic landmark for a lot of people. It should be preserved and maintained. World peace remains a dream for people to create. Are we up to the challenge?
#10 by Tom Moran on January 23, 2012 - 4:22 pm
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Michael,
What an achievement. My only reget: I arrived home in Castlebar the day after the Memorial was dedicated. I wish I had known in time – especially as I worked for the Royal British Legion. Maybe one day I’ll get to shake your hand; I would be honoured.