Gweesalia or Geesala (in Irish, and officially, Gaoth Sáile)[1] is a small Gaeltacht village situated on the Gweesalia peninsula in the Electoral Division of Rathhill, in the Civil Parish of Kilcommon, in the Barony of Erris in western County Mayo, Ireland.
Gweesalia Gaoth Sáile Geesala | |
|---|---|
Village | |
.jpg) John Millington Synge bar in Geesala | |
  Gweesalia Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 54°06′45″N 9°53′57″W / 54.11250°N 9.89917°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
The village has a general store, pub, community centre (that contains a boxing club and cafe), post office, St Columkille’s Catholic Church, playground and a hotel.[citation needed]
History
Built heritage
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area include a ringfort and several reputed crannog sites in the neighbouring townlands of An Ráith, Tulachán Dubh and Dumha Locha.[2] Within the village itself, the local Catholic church was designed by architect Ralph Henry Byrne and opened in 1932.[3]
Synge connection
John Millington Synge's play, The Playboy of the Western World is reputedly set in the area,[4] and its first act is based in a fictional shebeen (unlicensed pub) in Geesala.[5][6] The play's "savage hero" is partially based on a man convicted of assaulting a woman on Achill Island in 1894, the details of which were recounted to Synge while on the Aran Islands.[7][8]
Transport
On Saturdays only Bus Éireann route 446 links Gweesalia with Blacksod and Ballina.[9] Onward bus and rail connections are available at Ballina.[citation needed]
Sport
Geesala National School has won a number of county titles in Gaelic football and is well represented at minor, U-21 and senior levels. The village's boxing club has produced such boxers as Henry Coyle and Jimmy Monaghan, with some of its students achieving world titles in lightweight and bantamweight divisions.[citation needed]