1916–2016 Memorial Stone, Moyode

This bilingual memorial stone features the word ‘Éire’ beneath a sunburst. It was unveiled by the Liam Mellows 1916 Commemoration Committee on 10 April 2016, to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. It is located c.640 metres from the ruins of a derelict ‘big house’ known as Moyode Castle – formerly the seat of the Persse estate.

At about 4pm on Wednesday, 26 April 1916, Liam Mellows, hundreds of members of the Galway Brigade Irish Volunteers and Cumann na mBan marched to the ‘big house’, having abandoned the model farm near Athenry. ‘A Nation Once Again’ was sung next to the camp fire, while missions were undertaken to procure food and intelligence. After leaving Moyode on Friday afternoon, a smaller group of rebels proceeded to Limepark House and disbanded there in the early hours of Saturday, 29 April 1916.

At a commemoration attended by c.1,000 people at Moyode in 1924, the yard where the rebels had gathered was described as ‘hallowed ground’ by 1916 veteran, Eamon Corbett.

Developed by: Galway County Council, in partnership with the Heritage Research Group at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

Bibliography: McCarthy, Mark, Mannion, Marie & Wrynn, Shirley (Eds), Galway County 1916 Rising Heritage Trail: Go Explore the Historic Sites & Memorials (Galway County Council & GMIT, Galway, 2017).

GPS coordinates: Dr Mark McCarthy, GMIT.

Webmaster for digital heritage initiative: Hilary Kiely, GMIT.