6 August 1997
by Tom Gillespie
The Protestant population of Castlebar parish suffered just as severely from the effects of the Great famine as did their Catholic neighbours, according to research undertaken by Jean Carson of Doogary, Castlebar.
She undertook the research in 1985 while compiling a history of Christ Church, one of the oldest and most historical buildings in the town.
Now a new drive has been launched to raise almost £200,000 to have a major restorations job carried out on the Church which was opened in 1739. And the information in the booklet is being used to highlight the historical importance of Christ Church.
Dealing with a section on the Church of Ireland burials 1848 - 1982 she found that of the 100 burials in the period, an estimated 24 died in 1848; 34 in 1849, 22 in 1850 and 27 in 1851. By 1952 this had dropped to 11 and continued to decrease progressively until 1880.
The booklet states:
"It should be noted that in this period the burials were spread right across the ages falling most heavily on the older, over 65 aged group and the younger, under 5 age group.
"A rather dramatic change occurs in the 20th century, the number of infant deaths drops to almost nil.
"In the 77 year period between 1905 and 1982 only one child under one year old is buried while only four under the age of ten were interred in the same period.
"When one remembers that in the 33 years before 27 children under the age of one, 23 under five and 13 under ten were buried we can see that just how dramatic this change was.
"The obvious inference from these figures is that the medical advances of the 20th century gave children a better chance to reach adulthood."
She continued; "It is also clear from the figures that the population of the Church of Ireland was dropping in this century.
"In the parish of Castlebar the main reason for this is not as many believe a falling birth rate but rather emigration from the parish.
"In recent decades many of the Church of Ireland families in the Castlebar and Turlough parishes have been large, up to 12 in family is not unusual however most of the young people have left the area to work or marry thus leaving the parishes with very few members to fill the void of those older people who are dying.
The fund raising drive to renovate Christ Church is now well underway. However, financial assistance is required if all the necessary works are to be completed.
Donations to the fund can be made to account number 64036555 at the Bank of Ireland, Castlebar.
