This area of County Mayo was formerly part of the Moores Estate.
Shortly after the famine, it was acquired by Lord Plunkett who
was Church of Ireland Bishop for Tuam, Killala and Achonry. The
Bishop and his sister Catherine achieved notoriety the mid 19th
century due to their harsh treatment and evictions of families who
would not convert to the Protestant faith.
The biggest evictions took place in November 1860 when large
numbers of police, together with a company of troops from the
Curragh were drafted into the area.
The 'crowbar brigade' under the command of Col. Knox, the Mayo
HighSheriff, moved in and within three days the villages in this
area were cleared of their tenants and within a mile of the
Catholic Church only one Catholic tenant was left in possession of
their lands. These events became known as the Glensaul
evictions.
The name Tourmakeady, or Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, means the Bleach
field of Mac Ceadaigh. Whereas no trace remains of the family of
Keady, the tradition of Flax growing lived on in Tourmakeady to
within living memory and the Bleach field was an area where the
flax was laid out in the sun, bleached and dyed prior to spinning.
It is indeed a coincidence that Tourmakeady is to this day famous
for its textile industry for Gaeltarra Knitwear sweaters are to be
found in all the world's best known fashion centres and of course
they are made in"the Bleach Field".
The lands were eventually given over to the Irish forestry
department in 1956. In 2000 a section of the wood was set aside to
establish a millennium forest.
When you get to Tourmakeady, drive into the woods at the bridge
over the Glensaul river. When you reach the parking area, make your
way along the path to the waterfall. At the waterfall, take a right
up the hill. Coordinates at the cache site are a bit sketchy due to
trees. You don't have to over climb the fence.
The Julia in the cache title is Mrs Zola's mother who grew up in
this area.
Thanks to Godson, Eoin, now a Godfather himself, for showing the
way.