Inauguration of Allihies Mine Museum
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| Michael J.Sullivan, US Ambassador, planting a tree outside the proposed Mine Museum, eagerly watched by l-r: Teddy Black, Fr. Liam Comer, John L. O'Sullivan, Maud Levis,. Ambassador Sullivan, his wife Jane, Joe Walsh, P.J.Sheehan, Michael Manning, and Jim O'Keeffe, T.D. |
After performing the opening of the Beara Way Cycling Route at Cahirkeem, Michael J.Sullivan, US Ambassador to Ireland, made his way over the hill and into the picturesque village of Allihies to a warm welcome. His duty here was to officially commence the activities of the Allihies Mine Museum Project, which he said would link the past with the future.
Teddy Black, MC, introduced the Church of Ireland, Lay Reader, Maud Levis and Fr. Liam Comer, PP Allihies, who read prayers to bless the building where the Mine Museum would be located. The Chairman of the Project Committee, John L. O'Sullivan, welcomed everyone in Irish and went on to give a brief outling of what stage the project was at and what an honour it was to have the Ambassador to formally inaugurate forthcoming development. He thanked the Church Of Ireland for handing over the Church to the Museum Committee and also the land owners the Hodges Family. All the dignitories namely, Joe Walsh, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, P.J.Sheehan, T.D.M.C.C., Noel Harrington, M.C.C, Jim O'Keeffe, T.D., Michael Manning, Bord Failte all spoke glowingly of what the Mine Museum would mean to the area and paid tribute to the hard working committee to date and wished them well in their future plans. Noel Harrington, M.C.C, himself a Bearaman, spoke of how the mine touched the whole of Beara. Indeed his ancestors were miners who imigrated to Butte, Montana. As a member of Cork County Council, he commended the Project Committee who had met with the Council some time previous looking for funding, for their professionalism and enthusiam and he pledged that money would be forthcoming in the very near future. By special request by the Ambassador, Connie Murphy was asked to say a few words, who spoke glowingly about him and how they met. He was delighted to have met such a great unassuming man and it indeed was a great honour to have him in Beara today to perform these important functions which will enhance the Beara Peninsula even more.
Finally, Ambassador Michael J. Sullivan, thanked the organisers for the invitation to perform such an honourous duty in the area which was his ancestral home. He spoke of the miners and mining and stated that his Great Grandfather was one of those who imigrated to Calumet, Michigan in the 1860's even though the majority emigrated to Butte Montana. He thanked Riobard O'Dwyer for carrying out the research for him that links him with this area. He reiterated his pledge of being Ambassador to Beara in the US when his term of office ceased next month. He wished all Mothers a very Happy Mother's Day - being that it was Mother's Day in the US. He then planted the tree outside the proposed Museum and cut the tape to officially launch the further activities of this wonderful project.
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Cutting the tape at Allihies Mine Museum
L-R Tadgh O'Sullivan, P.J. Sheehan, Joe Walsh, Ambassador Michael J. Sullivan, Jane Sullivan, Jim O'Keeffe, John L.O'Sullivan, Michael Manning, and Noel Harrington. |
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Pictured at the signpost outside the Mine Museum in Allihies Pointing to the Left: Mountain Mine - 1 Mile Pointing to the Right - |
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Ambassador Sullivan and his wife went on the the special reception held at the Community Centre where he met with some of the miners and indeed the people of Allihies.
