Mayo's County Library has converted its collection of workhouse records on to CDROM, and it is now available in Castlebar and Ballinrobe libraries. The project was supported by UNESCO and involved storing the guardian minute books from 1844 to 1899, financial records from 1841 to 1931, letter books, infirmary records from 1906 to 1921 and outdoor relief records from 1874 to 1926.
Local historians and genealogists will find the collection particularly valuable with the archives revealing how the workhouse paupers were treated by contemporary society. They also reflect social and economic conditions in the area during the latter half of the 19th century, including the Great Famine.
In another initiative, Castlebar County Library was filled with budding writers last Monday, Aine Ryan reports. Glenroe's pin-up, Aonghus Weber, arrived to publicise an unusual collection of short stories, which the Mayo county librarian, Mr Austin Vaughan, described as challenging, provocative and inspiring.
Entitled Shooting from the Lip, the collection is a result of an intensive course of workshops directed by a former Mayo County Council writer-in-residence, Re O Laighleis. Funded by the National Reading Initiative, the project aimed to encourage teenagers to write challenging material of concern and interest to their peers.
Both Mr O Laighleis and Ms Bernadette McHugh, co-ordinator of the initiative, are extremely impressed by the conviction, talent and enthusiasm of the Mayo group, who represented 16 schools from the county.
"After I desynthesised the students from the process of essay writing," O'Laighleis explained, "I exposed them to the many facets of the short-story structure." Chosen subjects included perennial issues such as teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and bullying. And while many of the story themes were serious, the participants displayed a marvellous sense of comic relief.
The same night across town, at the Linenhall Arts Centre, a group of local poets were reading from their most recent endeavour. Beyond the Reek is an anthology of 11 Mayo poets, with illustrations by Wayne Harlow, whose poetry is also included. Edited by Jo McCormick Phillips, the publication was funded by Mayo County Council and includes a selection of poems tri Ghaeilge by the Westport poet Caitriona Hastings.