Hollymount, Co. Mayo, Ireland

Hollymount, Co. Mayo was the setting for the Mellett family. Maria was the eldest of eight. However, when her brother Patrick was born 24 Sep 1882 is was understood that he would inherit the farm "112 acres and a small home" and all the others would need to move out and "find his/her own way". This may seem harsh but that was the way things were during those times.

So Maria set out for Gallway, her brother Michael to Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, her brother John (Jack) to Castlebar, her sister Mary Theresa (Tess) to Boston, Massachusetts, Margaret, Bridgett, and Thomas also traveled off the farm.

Here you see the main street of Hollymount in the late 1800" and in the colored insert, how that street looked in 2007 when Wayne and Jamie traveled there during their first trip to the Emerald Island.