Straide

The historic village of Straide lies between Foxford and Castlebar in the heart of County Mayo. The name Strade is an anglicisation of the Irish 'an tsráid', meaning the street.

Located on the N58 national secondary road, Straide is the birthplace of Michael Davitt, founder of the Land League and one of Mayo's most famous sons. A plaque to his memory stands proudly in the village and the Michael Davitt Musuem is housed in the magnificently restored pre-penal church in the village of Straide, and is well worth a visit.

Straide was a place of poverty, death, emigration and misery during the Great Famine, during which Michael Davitt was born, on March 25th 1846. He was christened in this church and is buried in the grounds of the 13th Century Straide Abbey, beside the Museum. Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell formed the Land League at the end of the 19th century to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land on which they worked.

Another famous son of Straide was George Moore (1727-1799), who founded the famous Moore Hall estate at Lough Carra.

Straide has a vibrant community spirit, centred around the modern facilities in the village. It has a recently extended primary school where many generations of local people have received their basic education. The facilities at the Davitt Community Centre are used by the community for meetings, talks, weekly bingo sessions and annual parties for senior citizens, children etc. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul sits on a hill marking the centre of the village and is bordered on one side by the Davitt Lounge and on the other side by The Copper Beech Lounge.

Adjacent to the Church is the historic Straide Friary, a Dominican Abbey, which dates from the 13th century. Originally founded under the patronage of Jordan de Exeter c1240 for the Franciscans, it was transferred to the Dominicans in 1252. There is a 13th century chancel with six small lancet windows in the surviving church, but the rest of the building dates from a 15th-century restoration. The unique carvings in the Abbey depict all the images of the Saints and a Pieata with smiling faces. Straide Friary and graveyard have some interesting tombstones, including that of Michael Davitt himself.

Straide has always been synonymous with a great love and promotion of traditional Irish music with many local families having attained recognition at national level, for their musical prowess and skills.

It is noted too for providing some fine football teams, both at senior and underage level. The local GAA team is Moy Davitt's whilst the well-known local soccer team is called Straide and Foxford United.