On Saturday 17 November, Sean Lysaght, author and poet officially launched the 2019 Cultural Programme for The North Mayo Heritage Centre. Commenting on the programme, Sean said ‘I was delighted to see how the energy and diversity of this programme was put together, it’s great to see an estate such as Enniscoe and a centre like the North Mayo Heritage Centre developing a series of events and exhibitions which sit so well together and cater for visitors both near and far’.
By the end of this year the North Mayo Heritage Centre will have recorded its 20,000 visitor up from just 7,500 in 2016. Hugh Trayer, Manager of the centre noted ‘The North Mayo Heritage Centre is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the region. By constantly delivering quality events and exhibitions, visitor numbers have increased. The centre is now a proven economic driver within this rural and regional community’.
The first exhibition of 2018 titled ‘Another Place … a Celebration of Mayo Writers’ will begin on 1 March and run until 26 April. The writers of Mayo are going through something of a renaissance from children’s literature to adult fiction to poetry and prose. This exhibition will be a celebration of seventeen current Mayo authors.
Later in the year the centre will host an exhibition titled ‘Enniscoe People’. This exhibition has been researched and curated by the centre with Enniscoe House. ‘I am particularly pleased to see this exhibition come about’, said Susan Kellett (owner of Enniscoe House), ‘the house has been in the same family for thirteen generations and in that time it has become part of the fabric of North Mayo. Generations of families have been associated with the house, the gardens or on the land. This exhibition will bring together many of the names, faces and memories’.
Please click on the link below to bring you to the Cultural Programme 2019(1)
The cover of the programme is a photograph taken on the roof of Enniscoe House, where, carved in lead are some of the names of the people who have worked on the estate over the years. One such name is that of Tom Kelly who carved his name on the 16/12/1977. Tom was presented with a framed print of the cover by Susan Kellett ‘She didn’t even dock my wages when I wrote it back then’ he commented. His son, Peter continues to work with the estate.