When World War Two ended, farming in Ireland was in a very depressed state with the land in a very low state of fertility due to constant cropping due to compulsory tillage and lack of fertilizers.

To try and remedy this a group of young Agricultural Scientists came together and formed an organization to be known as Macra na Feirme or Young Farmers clubs. The organization quickly spread throughout the country and among the first clubs to be formed was Newport.

Newport branch very quickly made a special niche for itself with the aid of very eminent lecturers provided for it by the R.D.S. and various bodies. The winter months were filled with classes and on it's first Summer it was decided to hold an Agricultural Show which was held on the last Wednesday of August and it was to continue to be a feature of Parish life for the next thirty one years. Every year it attracted many thousands of people to the town from all parts of the county.

Macra catered not only for the educational needs of the farmers but also for the social needs and the Farmers Dances were the most looked-forward-to events in the social calendar but it was quickly realised that there was more culture than agriculture and in mid Summer an annual Feis was held which brought competitors from all parts of the country.

On 8th. June 1952 the Young Farmers decided to honour the memory of Fr. Manus Sweeney, the Catholic Curate of Newport hanged for his part in the 1798 rebellion and a vivid impressive flashback into the tragic history of '98 was witnessed by the thousands of people who filled the streets of the town.

Mr. Michael J. Egan Solr. read a script by Torlach Ó Huid and as he finished reading, twenty mounted redcoats made a colourful show as they charged across the bridge followed by Fr. Manus Sweeney sitting on his coffin in his father's cart surrounded by twenty footsoldiers in uniforms of the period with shouldered guns, while, waiting at Newport House gate was Sir Neil O'Donnell mounted an a white charger who led the way through the throng to the top of the street where

the gibbet was erected. Here Fr. Manus was hanged and as his body dangled from the rope,

scarcely a whisper was heard. An interested spectator that day in Newport was Mrs. Guy Cooper, great, great granddaughter of Henry Stevens, one of the famous brothers executed in '98, also the occasion was favoured by a special leading article in the Sunday Press devoted to the work of Newport Farmer's Club.

In 1953 the martyrdom of the Burrishoole Nuns Honoria Magaen and Sr. Honoria De Burgo was commemorated by the club with special ceremonies. The club was honoured by having President Seán T. O'Kelly with the Archbishop of Tuam Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Walsh and the Bishop of Achonry Most Rev. Dr. J. Fergus.

The ceremonies opened with Mass in the Abbey and at three o'clock the crowd gathered at Burrishoole bridge to see a pageant enacted on the hillside opposite where back in time 300 years ago the hunted people gathered to hear Mass when they were surprised by over twenty mounted Cromwellian soldiers who galloped from the old bridge to confront the people where a bitter fight took place to protect the priest. The statue to commemorate the martyrs was unveiled on the bridge that day.

On another year it was decided to remember the work done by Michael Davitt and the Land League and this took place on Show Day when two "houses" erected on the hill opposite were the scene of an eviction. It was clearly demonstrated to the crowd what the poor people must have suffered when their homes were torn down. The sheriff with police, battering ram and all, came into view and then using the battering ram, knocked their home to the ground. When viewed from the showgrounds it was a very touching scene.

The Macra na Feirme club in Newport held centre stage for all of it's thirty one years and carried out a very full programme every year until it had to discontinue it's show due to Government rules concerning livestock but despite it's heavy workload at home it's members were active in every farming activity in the county and many of it's members played a major role in the co-operative movement in Mayo and were very influential in having the Creamery & Store in Castlebar and the Co-Op Store & Mart in Westport.

Newport 19

Macra na Feirme 1952 or 1953

Back Row : John Joe O'Malley, Tony Nixon, Mick Gannon, Josie O'Donnell, Liam Walsh, Mick Lavelle, Peter Mulchrone

Middle Row : Pat Gannon, Walter Sammon, John Collins, Joe McManamon, Paddy Lavelle, Paddy Mulchrone, Dominick Kelly, Tony Gallagher.

Front Row : Tom Geraghty, Seán Nixon, Willie Sammon, John McNulty, Tom Garavan, Pete Donnelly, Dominick Grady.

The success of the Macra club and it's great influence on Parish life for thirty years is a great reminder of the important role that rural areas can play in the community, this is very evident today in the work being done by places like Cuilmore

and Derradda, where the young men and women have breathed new life into their areas and the many projects they have undertaken will be a lasting reminder of their good work.