The monument below is dedicated to Fr. Manus Sweeney, who was exectued for taking part in the 1798 Rebellion.

Fr Manus Sweeney Monument, Achill

The monument was erected in 1944, by a committee, that included Emily, Eva O’Flaherty and Anita McMahon. Other members of the committee were Fr. Godfrey, C.C., Brother Michael Darcy, Mrs. Barrett, Mr. Pat Mulloy, Pat Corrigan, Thady Gallagher, Michael Fadden,  Joseph Sweeney, John Barrett and Miss Malone.

In the Mayo News Article of 28th 1944, Anita relayed the following to the paper

Mrs. Weddall of Keel Sandy Banks, who, throughout, gave the same devoted service that she has given to so many other national projects during the last thirty years; Miss Eva O’Flaherty, of St. Colman’s Dooagh, who instructed by the committee with the task of find a suitable artist for the Memorial fulfilled this duty with the success shown in the present work of art, designed and with sculptured, insets by Peter Grant, A.N.C.A., who was assisted in the building up of the Monolith by Mr. John Kilbane, Achill Sound, and Mr. Pat Corrigan of Dukinella.

The unveiling proved a runaway success, with music, song and speeches, the event would stay in living memory up to this day. One of the people appointed to speak was Pat Mulloy, of Keel. He was supposed to give a talk of the local traditions associated with Fr. Sweeney, but time did not permit on that particular day. This invaluable folklore was not lost in time however, his wife Bridie was a well known folklore collector, whose work is an integral part of the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin.

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