Castlebar (Mayo) Drum (Mayo) County Mayo
The Belcarra Eviction Cottage (Heritage Cottage) was the scene of the last eviction in Belcarra, Co. Mayo. It was once the home of the Walshe family.
The cottage was reconstructed by the community and a local Fás scheme, starting in 1997, and was completed in 1999. An immense amount of research was done to ensure the detail of reconstruction was as authentic as possible. Across the road from the cottage is a reconstructed 'tighín', which is a small dwelling built at the time by the neighbours, to rehouse the evicted family. The eviction took place in 1886 and was carried out by the landlord's agents at the time.
The community of Belcarra is very active and as well as the Heritage Cottage, there are many other attractions in the area. There is a beautiful riverside walk close by and the local graveyard is well mapped out at the entrance. This graveyard is not far from the Heritage Cottage.
If visiting the cottage, a visit to the village is worthwhile. A proud village with many amenities and a regular winner in the National Tidy Towns competition. In 2020, the Pride of Place Award was received by the village.
For more information, the community are very active on social media and can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/belcarra.ie
