Tourmakeady Hall
Halla Tuar Mhic Éadaigh (Tourmakeady Hall) was built in 1951. At the time, the local priest, Fr. Fair requested every household in the community to give a voluntary day’s labour in building the hall under the supervision of local contractor Myles Joyce. Horse and Cart was the mode of transport at the time. A lot of hard work was done mixing concrete with shovels to fill the foundation and build the walls. At the time, the main dance hall and toilets were built. The venue was a very popular place for dancers because of its maple floor and people travelled from various parts of Galway and Mayo to attend dances there. The Brose Walsh Band & Pat Friel were regular bands at the Hall. Big Tom & Gloria were some of the well-known national bands that played there at the time.
In the mid-fifties a local drama group was formed, and people came from all over Connemara and North Mayo to attend dramas there. In 1960 Eamon DeValera opened the drama festival in the hall. It’s on this same stage in the hall that the late Mick Lally R.I.P. made his acting debut when he was a student in S.N. Trianlár. He was a fluent Irish speaker and a great advocate of the language. A wonderful line drawing hangs in the hall as a small tribute to his involvement in drama and love of Tourmakeady.
The hall was in the possession of the Dioceses of Tuam until 2010. At the time a local development company was formed - Coiste Cultúr Teanga & Forbartha Thuar Mhic Éadaigh Teo and the title of the building was signed over to the company to manage on behalf of the community. Great credit is due to the then secretary of the company Deirdre Cavanagh RIP who was instrumental in firstly applying for planning permission to get the building extended and renovated. Credit also to her committee colleagues who helped and supported her and whose application for funding to Roinn Gnothaí Pobail Tuaithe & Gaeltachta at the time was successful.
The renovations consisted of a new roof, new multi-purpose hall, new kitchen and toilets, new training room, extra meeting room upstairs, office and storage plus all new electrical wiring and plumbing. In October 2010 all renovation works were completed, and the Hall was officially re-opened by the then Minister for the Gaeltacht Eamon O Cuiv. The same year the committee were successful in securing a Development Office for the area supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta. This office is located in the hall.