About NewportNewport nestles on the shore of Clew Bay which is famous for its 365 Islands. Newport has the distinction of the Black Oak River flowing through its centre and is a pleasant seaside resort and part of an attractive and unspoiled coastline.
Newport was established in the early 18th century by the Medlycott family. James Moore, working for the Medlycott Estate, designed the Quay at Newport in a formal layout. The Medlycott family's land agent was a Captain Pratt. Captain Pratt introduced linen manufacturing to the town under the management of immigrant Quakers who relocated to Co. Mayo from Ulster. It would appear that, although the immigrant Quakers consequently found living conditions in Mayo too difficult, the linen industry picked up in the mid-18th century and for the next forty years or so the town prospered around the industry, but in the early 19th century it again fell into decline as it was superseded as a port by the town of Westport some miles to the south. At the end of the 18th century, the Medlycott Estate was taken over by the O'Donel family who built Newport House overlooking the harbour, which is now a hotel.
The O'Donel family who took over from the Medlycotts were Protestant but George O'Donel's wife was a Catholic and he donated three acres of land on Barrack Hill to the Sisters of Mercy to build a convent in Newport. It was noted that when the foundations were being dug out for the new convent in 1884 many coins and buttons were unearthed, the buttons bearing the inscription of "Pratt". In 1887 the convent was completed and St. Joseph's Convent National School opened with a roll of 211 girls and 34 boys. The school was a great success and numbers continued to grow. The nuns were a popular addition to Newport and local merchants donated gifts to the convent. In 1894 a school to train girls in the lace making industry opened and provided a successful industry until the lace market collapsed after the 2nd World War. Due to rationalisation, the sisters vacated the convent in 1977 and took up residence
in a rented building in the town. The convent then had its own secondary school but in recent years, Newport pupils travel to secondary schools in Westport. |
