From Belmullet to Baile Ghib... Gaeltacht families tell their story of their migration to Meath in 1937

Eighty-seven years ago this month, a number of Irish speaking families from the west of Ireland came to live in Meath under a resettlement scheme being undertaken by the Irish Land Commission.

They arrived to Rath Chairn, Allenstown, Kilbride and the largest number, 59, came to Gibbstown.

Now, five members of the first generation of those Gibbstown families, have come together to publish a book documenting the story the migrants to Baile Ghib in 1937.

'Ceann Scríbe Baile Ghib Destination Gibbstown is the title of the book, which has been written and researched by sisters, Máire and Eilín Nic an tSithigh, Máire Uí Chasaide, Máirín Ní Shiadhail and Anraí Mac Garaidh, all children of the first migrants, as well as another local resident, Máire Ní Chonchúir.

It recalls the journey of these families from Fanad and Gweedore in Donegal, Belmullet and Tourmakeady in Co Mayo, Ballinskellig and West Kerry and the Bearra Peninsula in West Cork to Gibbstown, where the large Gerrard Estate was being divided. All who moved were native Irish speakers, many of them with no English.

Sunday March 10th will see the launch of the book in Gibbstown Hall and this will be followed by a number of events in Donegal, Kerry, and Mayo.

The book is the culmination of years of dedicated work recording the journey to Baile Ghib in 1937.

Máirín Ní Shiadhail explains that it began during the 80th anniversary celebration in 2017.

Ronan Carley, who was teaching in the local school at the time, was asked to talk to the older residents which resulted in a documentary film, 'An Bealach go Baile Ghib' which was screened in the Solstice, Navan in 2019.

While making that film, Ronan travelled to the West of Ireland and the areas the Gibbstown migrants had left.

Máirín travelled with him to West Kerry and Fanad. "We toured the areas the families came from and met the people there. It was from that we decided to write the book. Of the group that came together five of us are children of those who made the journey from the west.

In Fanad, Máirín was able to access parish registers and Maire and Eilin have drawn up all the family trees.

"We met every Monday night from 6.30 to 10pm. We would have tea and Eilín made buns every night without fail. During Covid the meetings had to stop but we continued the research. We gelled and worked well together.

"We got great help from Meath County Library, Tom French, Ciaran Mangan, Noreen Murphy and Loreto Guinan.

"We got great support from everyone locally and Cllrs Eddie Fennessy, Michael Gallagher and Sarah Reilly gave us grants from their discretionary funds."

Máirín's own family has roots in both Fanad and West Kerry. "I remember my West Kerry grandmother, Ellen Moriarity vividly. She never spoke a word of English but she gave e a great grá for Kerry. My Father's family was from Fanad. Anraí Mac Garaidh's father was also from Fanad, they travelled on the same bus to Gibbstown."

The families of Máire and Eilín Nic an tSithigh, as well as Máire Uí Chasaide were from west Kerry.

"I remember growing up in Gibbstown as magical. We all had Land Commission houses and 22 acres. We went to a two classroom school with Bhean Ui Brian and Maistir Garvey teaching us."

For many of the migrants learning the English language became essential for doing business with locals. Many struggled with the move to completely new surroundings and quite a number of families returned home, unable to cope. When the migrants first made the move they attended the English speaking Oristown school, where were 180 children crammed into two small classrooms.

The Gaeltacht families were not the only migrants in Gibbstown in those days.

The Gallistigi family from the Basque country, were refugees from Franco's regime in Spain and initially stayed in Gibbstown Castle. They stepped in and offered the Gaeltacht children two rooms in the castle for use as a school. This generous offer was accepted and then Scoil Ultain Naofa was opened in Gibbstown in 1941.

The Gallistigi family were from Bilbao and fled that city in 1937. "The children were all educated through Irish with the rest of us and played football for the local team."

'Ceann Scríbe Baile Ghib; Destination Gibbstown' will be launched on 10th of March in Gibbstown Hall from 2 to 6pm. The first of the Gaeltacht migrants travelled on 10th March 1937. Helen Ni Shé and Dara Ó Cinnéide of Radio na Gaeltachta will attend there will be an exhibition of photographs and music by local schoolchildren.

There will also be a number of events around the country to launch including a launch in the Blasket Island Centre in Dunquin, Co Kerry on 16th March which will also be attended by Helen Ni Shé and Dara Ó Cinnéide and another in Fanad on 22nd March, which will be attended by Paddy Carr, former Principal of Colaiste na Mi in Navan, whose family is from Fanad.

There will be a launch on 23rd March in Gweedore and there are also plans for events in Belmullet, Tourmakeady, Bearra, and Armagh, the home of the McGill family who had associations with the Gallistigi family.