Visit the Belcarra Eviction Cottage in Mayo

A 19th century eviction cottage at Elmhall, once the home of the Walshe family, who were evicted by the landlord’s agents, has been restored and refurnished as a Heritage Centre, by Belcarra Community Co-Op. The cottage was the scene of the last eviction in Belcarra, where a family of nine were evicted by the Landlord’s agents, the infamous Gardiner, Pringle and Cuffe on Saturday October 2nd 1886. Also restored is the ‘tigin’ which is a single room built at the time by the neighbours to house the evicted family.

The cottage is laid out as it was when in use before the eviction and there are life-sized cutouts in the cottage produced by local artist Bridie Geraghty. You will also find the following: Belcarra’s History of Place Names, Griffith’s Valuation of 1848, 1901 Census of Elmhall and Belcarra, Headstone inscriptions from local graveyards – Guesdian, Elmhall, Drum, Protestant and Projects carried out by the Belcarra community Co-Op: Housing for the Elderly, Tobar an Bhaile, Fishing Area and River Walk.