Life in Ballycroy, Co. Mayo, Ireland 1975

Emigration, the closure of schools, poor land and no electricity are some of the challenges facing those who are living in rural west Mayo.
The ‘7 Days’ programme travelled to Ballycroy in Mayo an area where often the landscape provides only intermittent farming as a means to earn a living. Those who have not emigrated believe that the realities of living in this type of rural area are not recognised and the remaining population feels forgotten.
There is joy and celebration at a wedding in the church at Keenagh but the reality is that the young couple have come back to Ireland to be married but will then return to their new home in Coventry in England.
To provide education to the dwindling population three schools in the area have had to amalgamate into one. Children have to travel longer distances and the bus service will only collect pupils where eight can meet at a pick up point.
The Kilroy family explain the difficulties of living in a rural area trying to get their daughter Mary to school and running a household without electricity.
This ‘7 Days’ report was broadcast 4 November 1975. The reporter is John O’Donoghue.

[@Ross-nd6xi]

Poverty back in those times was mad. Can't believe they didn't have electricity in the mid 70s. I'm 24 and from meath. My mam grew up without plumbing or a toilet in her house well into her teenage years in the 1980s. Not long ago at all. Ireland is really struggling these days particularly for my generation but we are much better off than those in times gone by. My grandad was out of school at 12 and working in england at 15 in the 1950s. Im living in the states at the moment with no intention of returning to ireland for a long time because its too expensive and the salaries are too low. Its sad, I miss home

[@atthewhiskey]

Couldn't agree more. The way this Republic has been run the last 50 years is a stain on our great Nation.

[@086DEN]

@109 Countries are you for real?

[@Mostrichkugel]

@109 Countries Ah, don't be giving us that shite.

[@Mostrichkugel]

@109 Countries Babbling gobshite detected. "You must return and fight for your nation" - Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile, that were Pearse's words. Who are you talking to? "It’s time for all European Men to step up and make our ancestors proud". What about the women? Our ancestors are dead, you won't make any of them proud by talking rubbish. What do you want? A Europe of the 1950s with half of each Irish generation having to emigrate?

[@michaelwalsh9145]

@@Mostrichkugel he’s telling the truth while you sleepwalk you’re way into a bleak future.

[@57micheleoc]

I understand why my family left Mayo. However after visiting I feel it is incredibly beautiful!

[@Chahlie]

It's a funny thing- my grandparents left the north of Scotland in the 20's, 2 years bad crops and no fish so the government paid them to go. For me, a Canadian, it's my happy place, where I feel at home, but they would be horrified. For them it was cold and poverty. I sometimes go to the ruined settlement that they left and it's like a dark cloud over it, so many died of TB and just plain moss-eating poverty.

[@billyoconnell6669]

There's a saying " you can't eat the view " . That was just over 100 years since the great famine . The population was decimated and those who stayed had a savage struggle.

[@bill90405]

What has changed in 50 years is that holiday makers choose the pretty bits and that has brought some money into the west.

[@sierra5360]

It’s changed a lot, and with all the issues going on in the U.K., many many many people are returning.

[@Finn-j2s]

My mother originated from Mayo before coming to England for work in the early 50's We would go home, via ferry, every year, during the school holidays. We have contiued our annual return to Mayo up to this present time

[@72mossy]

I was 3 in 75, there was 4 of us born between 72 and 76, 1 in 80, 1 in 87. My dad was a Congo veteran, worked in England in the 60s, came home, met my mother, he worked in the Silvermines near Nenagh, 80s we've had tough times financially, my mother died in 2000 age 55, my dad kept us together, still alive at 83, I remember the yellow freezer buses, nk heat on them, the cars, ford anglia, cortinas, hillman hunter, avenger, Morris minors, vauxhall vivas, datsun bluebird, remember my dad having all these cars back in the day.

[@freebornjohn2687]

Love to see the old cars, I had a Mk 3 Cortina and it was one of the best cars I've ever had.

[@markalexwhite]

I was 3 in 75 too. We had electricity in our house. Shocking to think others didn't!!!

[@markalexwhite]

@@bathtownship F*ck off with your religious crap! 😛

[@aughalough1]

Joining the EU back then made a huge difference, value of produce went up 10 fold.

[@jamesokeeffe3216]

I am at home in any Tipperary town☘️☘️☘️

[@extanegautham8950]

This "uneducated" man @3:37, speak more intelligently, and critically, than most college grads in California in 2022.... here in USA only money matters...by god, what a handsome couple...

[@irishmatt1234]

Beautiful family. I hope the years ahead of this video became a bit easier for them.

[@finolaomurchu8217]

Oh they are a beautiful family 💚

[@RichieC135]

I hope they moved to Dublin and got the fuck out of that backwards kip.

[@lauraswann5543]

The lady in the thumbnail, holding the child, is absolutely beautiful, and she doesn't seem to be wearing makeup, it's all natural. She has such a gorgeous complexion, lovely eyes and hair.

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

Yes the Irish are naturally beautiful ❤

[@lauraswann5543]

@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain Thank you very much. I'm Irish.

[@rebeccadanvers884]

I am Spaniard. My daughter spent 2 years working in Ireland, and I often travelled over there to spend time with her. The Irish are the best looking people in Europe.

[@anthonydeacy2266]

We panic if our smartphone goes dead. We have no idea how easy we have it .

[@samnicholson5051]

But unlike in those days there's no pay phones left.

[@Alphae21]

who's ''we''?

[@philomenaquinn1158]

This a long gone time Mayo has become modern and the hard time is beyond us we have a highly educated population,and even a regional airport the young still leave but this time to earn high wages and see the world,I am delighted to live in are beautiful country

[@ronancarr]

A lot of my friend left to study, travel and work but came back to raise their families. Working remotely has removed the limitations of available work and means even places like Clare Island are seeing an increase in their populations.

[@timmyturner5358]

Lack of hospitals and infrastructure still make it hard to love here

[@finolaomurchu8217]

I hope the children grew up to have happy and healthy lives. It is amazing the way school buses are still a problem for certain areas in Ireland.

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

Irish buses have free WiFi and charging sockets. More advanced than London. This video is from 1975.

[@silverkitty2503]

all areas no where in ireland has school buses

[@seanmccabe4401]

@@silverkitty2503 bcjgggbcdvjjvcxvb

[@finolaomurchu8217]

@@Google_Does_Evil_Now A lot of buses are cancelled at a whim, and are packed. In Dublin city, there aren't designated school buses for children. On a rural level, I often hear parents complain about transport. So it does depend on where you live. Having wifi is less important than an actual reliable transport service.

[@iseegoodandbad6758]

Rural people have smooth complexions and angelic faces. City people look like monsters in comparison!!

[@g-dcomplex1609]

i really enjoy listening to their stories and to the different accents/dialects from each area of ireland, i love your archives, regards

[@edmundpower1250]

Wow that poor family at the end. I hope it all worked out for them

[@Idontno307]

My dad was a kid from this time and I love story’s he tell’s me he doesn’t call them hard times but lovely times to day we have it so handy

[@kw2299]

There aren’t many areas of Ireland left now that are white like these pictures. Replacement of the native population well under way.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Don’t worry, you won’t find any of those minorities that upset you so much in northwest Mayo, which is rapidly becoming depopulated.

[@Alexandra_Hill]

Good lord, the yellow bus… I went to secondary school in the late 80s - early 90s and our bus was like that, it wasn’t uncommon for our driver to be half full and the bus to over heat and just die… depending on where the bus died would mean whether we walked the rest of the way or waited 30 mins for another bus. Fun times lol

[@fullyawakeloyah8844]

Give me that life style over this modern world any day

[@xpat73]

My mum was a flight attendant and stopped in Shannon in the 1960s and the poverty in rural Ireland was a shock to her - she was from London. Some kids had rags for clothes and no shoes.

[@jonathandowling7311]

My mum grew up in rural Mayo in the 40s/50s and nobody was dressed like that. Not sure why she saw that at Shannon.

[@liammeech3702]

​@@jonathandowling7311 yeah, my Grandad said after ww2 peope cared less & less about their outward appeared

[@thekravika5258]

Ask your mum was she aware her country was responsible in the main for leaving Ireland in that state?

[@xpat73]

@@thekravika5258 Forty years after independence?

[@thinredline2795]

@@xpat73 Yes of course forty years after independence how long do you think it takes to recover from 800 of brutal oppression? It takes generations.....

[@xpat73]

Now people are leaving the rat race and retuning to rural Ireland.

[@dechannigan2980]

Living off-Grid has become a desirable way of life in some western countries like North America..

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Ironically, the remote working arrangements facilitated by big tech are allowing some people to return to places like Co.Mayo, having spent time away working in cities like London, Dublin etc.

[@oakey43]

All jokes aside, our forest family at the end at least appear fit and healthy and the wee girl seems to be a happy child (I'm sure they sorted a way for her to get to school in the end). Fresh and air and natural food is a powerful thing. Food additives and sustained staring at screens consuming mindless garbage is what can prematurely age us and makes us depressed now imho. Are we the Irish who are a predominantly rural, island, homeloving and family orientated people (as this clip proves) truly that much better off now? I realise i am romanticising what was a difficult time period and location. But you can see why people nowadays can pine for the whole cottagecore/off-grid way of living. Enjoy the weekend everyone! 💚🤠🇮🇪✌️

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

Let's see you out cutting the turf, footing it, turning it, carrying back? Then going out and sewing your spuds, cabbages, carrots, onions. Then after harvest you'll be digging the pit? And don't forget cutting the fields of hay, raking it, tramming it, bringing it back to the barn and stacking it. And going out and fixing the fences. Up at 5am before school or work to put your sheep up the hill, or milk your cows, every day, 7 days. And clean the chicken coop. And clean out the cows. Thankfully for those people still living there they have cars, electricity, shops, and they can choose which parts they want to continue and which parts they want to live in a modern way. The houses in those areas are beautiful and warm. The scenery is amazing. And still wild. And peaceful. And there's a wonderful feeling you get from the land back there. You must feel it inside you. It just feels right. I spent summers not far from there. If you're a tourist I highly recommend it. You can rent fabulous houses, fly in to Knock Ireland West airport, hire a car. The West coast is phenomenal. They call it The Wild Atlantic Way. There are 3 places in the world where they have the wind kite surfing World Championships - Brazil, Hawaii and Achill island, Mayo, just down the road from where this is filmed. Rugged, rural, friendly. You can camp out if you like. Or stay in modern homes. The food is so good. Natural. Great mix of rain and sunshine for growing food and cattle.

[@oakey43]

Im born n reared in rural Donegal 80s and 90s my friend so am well aware. Not just here for summer holidays! G'luck to ya.

[@IveGotAHondaFifty]

Sure this is how it was, my dad grew up in a nice enough house but some of his sisters along with his father and mother lived in a one room house no bigger than a shed until my grandad could build a proper house. Much of the west of ireland has an issue of people moving away as there are not an aweful lot of job opportunities.

[@finolaomurchu8217]

That's exactly as it was.

[@missadda8890]

It was not considered poverty because everything is relative I was born in 62 the era of coal fires, paraffin heaters, hot water bottles, and rented TVs with one then 2 channels but we felt well taken care of my father said all you need in life is food in your stomach, a roof over your head clothes on your back and someone to love and we had that nobody in school was barefoot like generations before us.

[@aaronrider4051]

I'm from Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvanian DANIEL BOONE always said a man needed just a "good rifle, a good horse, and a good wife" to be content.

[@RalphTGP]

@@aaronrider4051 In that order? ;-)

[@annedonnellan6876]

I was told by a tradesman back in ,2005 during the so called Celtic tiger, thar ordinary Irish people in pearse street were living in very basic conditions. While the gimmegrants were demanding more and more

[@RichieC135]

He sounds like as big a prick as you.

[@DA-og4px]

Look at any large road map of Ireland today and north and northwest Mayo still has large areas without a single village listed, similar to parts of central Donegal and north Conamara - some of my favourite places in the country.

[@rerite2]

-- Sounds idyllic to me!

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

It’s becoming depopulated, sad to say. Areas which at one point had strong GAA teams can barely field a junior side.

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

@@rerite2 visit. You'll be very welcome. You can have friendly craic in the pub or cafe, or have a quiet week in wonderful solitude.

[@stephenholmes1036]

​@@rerite2 Try making a living farming there I'm from a poor farm workers family if I had a pound for everytime I heard that!

[@gissellest333]

My maternal grandmother was from Donegal.

[@markmewordz6860]

Nay worries. The plethora of Dublin sponsored 'new arrivals' that you're having to accommodate will never put up with the basic lifestyles and struggles that your forefathers had to endure. Are you seeing it yet?

[@Edin12n]

My great grandad fled county Mayo after being accused of killing the landowners dog - caught a boat over to Scotland and settled in Fife

[@brendanryan1852]

Place probably has a spatter of 3000 sqfoot pads with electric gates now

[@derrickmurphy7632]

Anyone know where these children are now?How did they get on in life and are the parents still alive.Tough area but yet so so beautiful. These videos are priceless.

[@Mostrichkugel]

As they used to say, you can't eat landscape.

[@derrickmurphy7632]

@@Mostrichkugel lol or a nice view never put the grub on the table

[@stephenholmes1036]

pretty views don't fill bellies

[@darraghmcnulty3432]

They all got on very happy in life. Grandad passed away in 2011. The girl in the video is my mother.

[@derrickmurphy7632]

@@darraghmcnulty3432 ah thanks for the reply.The wee girl (your mother)is probably around my age.well I wish ye all health and happiness. Sorry for the loss of your grandfather in 2011.

[@danieltinney8082]

The Irish are a beautiful race of people

[@grantlawrence611]

Kids look happy. Isolation in that type of community is so much preferable to the population dense cities that produce so much suffering from being disconnected from nature. At least for me, I am not just talking I lived on the Navajo reservation and nearest store was 60 miles of 2 lane treacherous driving. The main draw back was lack of medical care and water which was destroyed by uranium mining so they made the bountiful wells undrinkable.

[@brutallyremastered4255]

That is very sad and depressing: concerning the water.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

It’s a disgrace that anyone living in the richest country in the world should be left without potable water. It’s the most basic of basic rights, given that we’re all done for without it.

[@owenmcgee8496]

It's official: life in Ireland is too cheerful. Now please excuse me while I climb on my horse, tilt my hat and ride off into the sunset.

[@noelmaher4633]

This is what Green Ryan has in store for you....

[@sc2539]

Mayo and indeed all of Ireland is unrecognisable from those days. Despite current problems, Ireland is very modern and very safe compared to the UK or US which seem to be self imploding.

[@NelsonHarper-pe8vt]

My ancestors came from County Mayo to New York state in the 1850's. CAn't imagine what it must have been like during and after the potato famine

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Rough. Mayo was one of the worst affected counties, the phrase, “Mayo, God help us” originated back then.

[@honeyfungus4774]

I hope things are better now for the African Ukranians living in the area.

[@bernadineperry8340]

They look quite happy. Electricity is great if it were used and not misused like all things useful a hugh money maker for some. I went to school in that time and had to walk to catch the school bus I loved every minute of it. Not many mod cons back then but what you never had you didn't miss. We had a simple upbringing in touch with nature and our neighbours wish I could go back from this crazy world we live in now.

[@garsm2290]

At least then Mayo wasn't crammed with holiday homes for rich Dubs and 'Wild Atlantic Way' signs.

[@robertcarey8237]

My grandmother Catherine Forken and grandfather Patrick Carey came from Mayo to America in The early 1900s . I would love to hear from anyone that might be related . My grandfather had to brothers and a sister that stayed In Ireland

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Carey is a common name in Bangor Erris, not far from the area in the video.

[@jamesfagan7823]

I always had a love for Mayo Achill sound West Port camping and cycling 🚲 and shifting the local girls sucking Guinness up a straw and licking the Stamps of joy deep into the nigh at the little disco in Achill sound in the renovated cottages

[@aurora3655]

I mean…this is exactly the same accent as Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Maybe just a bit stronger.

[@kierandoherty1600]

Loads of irish settled there years ago. I follow a guy called justin barbour (adventurer/camping stuff) from newfie i think, and he sounds more irish than canadian

[@aurora3655]

@@kierandoherty1600 my friend from back home who’s last name was hanrahan; apparently the name means chicken thief lol! His ancestor’s s punishment was to be sentenced to be placed in a Nova Scotian colony by the English.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

It’s just the other side of the pond, you actually fly over it to Dublin or London. And it has very similar issues, economic dislocation, youth emigration, a lack of industry locally etc.

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Lovely family.

[@alarmerads]

Long time since I was in Ireland. It was the late 60:s. And i Loved it. I travelled round the republic as well at The Aran islands and i Loved it. I happened to know someone who lived in Dublin and that was an important point. A remenber more or less empty villages in county Clare. Many had moved to England for work and left where older bachelors that i met att the lokal pub. Sometimes there were music and singing there and i remember i sung a swedish song . Dogs barking and young men shouting political words on the local street. It was the time of what come to be called the trouble up in northern ireland: Sinn Fein and IRA and protestantical groups where active even in Dublin

[@crystalawen]

Walking half a mile in normal weather is no problem..

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

Nearby is Achill island, also in County Mayo. There a modern video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGG4noiqrr6ZkMk Some people still line the old way, but there are also modern homes in the villages. On the island is a supermarket, and there are a few shops in a few of the villages. You can rent a holiday home, or stay in the hotel. You can hire a car and see a lot, or a bicycle. It's a wonderful place to visit. The people are friendly, the pubs are a bit of craic in the holiday seasons.

[@silliaek]

I spent a summer on Achill Island in the 90s and it felt like the ends of the earth

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

@@silliaek what did you do there? Would you go back, have you been back? Can you relate to it in these videos?

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Funny thing, I met an Austrian lad who spends every summer there, calls Achill Island “paradise”. I guess it’s a matter of perspective.

[@21stcenturymuse27]

Yeah with no grid you don’t have a shit load of bills, not a slave to money.

[@RobinKoenig1917]

Still have to eat though, pay for fuel for a vehicle, buy clothes/other necessities. The man in the video was talking about having to hold on to his job like...

[@21stcenturymuse27]

@@RobinKoenig1917 yeah, they used to fish and farm/ ride a horse, bike, walk, or take horse and cart. Still had to work to live but less middle men taking their shekels.

[@RobinKoenig1917]

@@21stcenturymuse27 you ever Work substance agriculture? You think that was a fun time? When a bad harvest ment starvation? Back giving out at the age of 50? Plough feild for 12 hours a day and see how wonderful it is you fucking moron

[@Steeplehammer1]

The intro panorama is Lough Tay in Wicklow. Weird, maybe this section follows a section about Wicklow?

[@reggie18b]

The little girl has a proper mother and father, a family, a home, and a culture. I find the lifestyle of modern Western children far more pitiable, even if they have all the junkfood and electronic devices that they could possibly want and then some.

[@christopherlynch9006]

Fine handsome Western European people, self reliant and stoic

[@jayd1974]

I’ve moved over to Castlebar Mayo last October from Manchester as my wife wanted to move home.I’m of Irish decent my dad was from Meath and left Ireland at 15.Love Ireland but by christ would love to be back in Manchester more work and opportunities than Ireland and the west of Ireland in particular

[@jgdooley2003]

I had a similar experience in Galway city in the 1970's jobwise. I was very lucky to get a job in a local factory at relatively good pay and conditions. I had to move East to Dublin when that job closed in 1994. Now Galway city is a jobs magnet with plenty of high skilled jobs available but a very high level of education required to make that vital first entry into a good job. The big drawback with the West is the almost constant rain, I do not miss that.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

It's a shame in a way that you couldn't have made the move back in the 2000s, Castlebar was buzzing back then, there was a lot of growth and opportunities around. Unfortunately, the recession back in 2008/9 coincided with the death of one of the major investors in the town, and the going into administration of a few of the others, so it has never really recovered. Hence there being no nightclub in the town now. Of course, it would help if the local youngsters didn't spend their money in Westport every weekend. I grew up there, and it was a great place to spend one's childhood/teenage years- very little crime, everyone knew each other, lots of fresh air around, massive games of football involving young and old! At least the housing is cheap, I suppose. Can't say that of Dublin, the commuter belt or the other Irish cities now. Was in Manchester many times to watch football, always liked the place.

[@annbourke4736]

Run off back to Manchester and stop whining and putting the Irish down.

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Beautiful. We haven't forgotten you.

[@hilltop521]

The lady at the beginning of the video looked like the last Taoiseach

[@pats3071]

English is almost definitely the second language of that father.

[@Mostrichkugel]

Very definitely. Irish would come much easier.

[@michaelwalsh9145]

Did you ever listen to U.K. accents? Many of them have trouble speaking their native language at least the Irish have an excuse that it wasn’t our native language.

[@MikeyJMJ]

I doubt it. He has a strong accent that's all. Only small pockets of south west Mayo and the islands (Gaeltacht areas) had Irish as their first language. Back then it wouldn't have been much different. North Mayo despite being more rural was more anglicized due to a stronger British presence (Foxford etc)

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

There’s a small Gaeltacht in NW Mayo, An Eachcléim.

[@DM-ze9qy]

@@TheLastAngryMan01 - There's also a Gaeltacht in Carrowteige and surrounding villages.

[@ShambhuYadavPhD]

People were happier than now ??? What do you think @CR's??

[@jacquikelly7929]

Very attractive family, people had good looks then, not so much now.

[@johnvelas70]

Irish women have the most perfect noses.

[@mcscotty1625]

I am not quite sure what the problem was walking 2 miles to the bus stop. I walked a lot more than that to get to school from a Scottish farm in all weathers in the 1970'. Sometimes the postie would give me a lift in the back of the van or a neighbour on the tractor. My father had to walk much further in shorts all year round even when it was well below zero.

[@brick_videos]

Mayo has something in the region of 238 days of rain per year, and the school term doesn't go through summertime. The weather in Scotland is bad but it's nothing like the west of Ireland. The girl was talking about liking school so obviously she was making the walk. It's alright to talk about how it was tough

[@adrianc1264]

That's quite an idyllic life that family had, they wouldn't have known it though

[@stevefallon8788]

County Mayo, God help us!

[@sophiaherschel567]

Went to Ireland for the first time in 1981 and the last time in 2014. Unimaginable how the country changed during that time and to be honest, not for the best. Especially the west coast between Galway and Clifden got completely destroyed in the 90s. I really love you irish people, but you defiled your once beautiful country.

[@doloresaquines1529]

Sophia. Even worse now! Mass immigration of the worst kind. Ireland is a woke dictatorship now. Expensive and poor service. I am Irish btw

[@aliciagabriel8408]

I am happy to know that Ireland is one of the most prosperous and modern countries in Europe. , greetings from Chile

[@garryclarke1234]

Really hope it turned out okay for them all

[@joanofarc708]

Before the godless baby killers we have today

[@brendanryan1852]

You left out the sodemites

[@joanofarc708]

@@brendanryan1852 careful what you say mate big Bro is watching

[@joanofarc708]

@@brendanryan1852 the truth is now hate speech

[@brendanryan1852]

@@joanofarc708 Their time to put us in the gulags hasn't arrived just yet, but it will soon.

[@laetitialogan2017]

That's a fact

[@pija9505]

I know those people from furnace... Amazed to see them way back them.. kilroys.. without shcool ect.. id tell yu they have more uncommon sense than most the city slickers and happyer too.. dont mind the lights of the night.. go to bed.. read the paul chapter of blow out the lamp.

[@fergal33]

Almost positive the first shot here is of Lough Tay in the Wicklow Mountains.

[@crumplezone1]

I am born in England but my fathers grandmother ( Helen Hussey) left County Mayo to come to England, I suppose I can see why, but I always feel a pull to Mayo and have never been there

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Go, it’s great, particularly if you like scenery and outdoor pursuits. The greenway for cycling would be one, the international four day walks in Castlebar and salmon festival in Ballina are other good options.

[@scottblack9213]

Could be 1875!

[@Earhairy]

"Could be 1875!" Yes. The cars, buses and cameras could have come straight out of the 1870's.

[@shane7103]

That's a handsome man at 3.20. Brando-esque even

[@Drumm3rB0y]

Was that you 😂

[@shane7103]

@@Drumm3rB0y If it is I'm over 90 and commenting on KZbin videos 😂

[@donnasmyth45]

He's gorgeous!

[@brianfitzpatrick9949]

Brian Lacken is actually a mayo native

[@paulmcdonough1093]

that boy will be my age now if still alive i am from liverpool my junior school was opposite my house i am lucky

[@ZuluPapa1000]

At 3.00 he said his child would have to walk half a mile to the main road to meet the school bus. Sure children living in towns all over Ireland have to do likewise.

[@tomward7479]

Aye but because there wasnt enough pupils the bus wouldnt stop there

[@michaelgaskell7408]

It isn't bleak,and it certainly isn't barren.People don't know how to use their eyes or ears.

[@mickconners9377]

What a handsome fella he is!!!

[@rebeccadanvers884]

Both are beautiful. That family look like angels. Their complexions are heavenly

[@arthurconan1899]

Hands was a fascinating series.... This is Hardship...

[@sanchoodell6789]

Home education (Éiducáisiún Baile) would have been an alternative option for these more remote communities.

[@stephenholmes1036]

how ? everybody works tbe land my mammy wouldn't of had the time

[@ko0974]

Parents more than likely did not Finish primary. ..Dad out all day mom has other kids and work on the land..They had no electricity,no fridge, washing machine, TV, etc. So don't think that would have worked so how or other.

[@lindahughes4409]

Poor Mayo

[@iseegoodandbad6758]

Much different to the USA in the 70s lol.

[@MimiYouyu]

Jez his awful voice.

[@alllovingcowherdboy4475]

is that inter mitten farming going on still...

[@doloresaquines1529]

And the "bungalow blight," in Achill. Holiday homes, rarely occupied! Blight on tje landscape.

[@TomInIreland110]

I’m second generation Dublin. Mum’s side are all from Mayo. We go back most years together, but I can see why ppl left unfortunately. I’d love to see something for young people to stay and put down roots there again.

[@peteymax]

Bad interviewer. Him: Mary do mind not going to school? Mary: Yes Him: So you don’t care.

[@Beanbag777]

Keenagh is still fairly bleak

[@Mostrichkugel]

Mayo - God help us.

[@lgaff2378]

The first shot in this video isn't Mayo. Its Lough Tay, in Co. Wicklow.

[@richardgiles2484]

This is not that long ago and today people moan about having to walk half a mile. Way to much free stuff today off the government and people not working ecspect everything for free

[@sandraethell1471]

If the Irish Government could subsidise water tanks for rainwater, solar panels and batteries, and composting toilets it would be a big help to rural people. Perhaps there could be roving school teachers who supervise a correspondence school program. If this was too expensive then a mini van to transport children twice a day would be useful.

[@BirdFlypath]

Curious -1975 ,no electric light .I was not aware of that.parts of Kerry yes Children walking miles to school a hundred years ago is all very well when there is a big clan of them going not one on her own

[@josephmullen3254]

Hi what screen recorder are you using pls thanks because its very good quality

[@patlafferty1911]

The birds stopped singing the dogs stopped barking the people stopped talking the lough calm and still

[@charliekavanagh1217]

Where would you get the like of it happy days No covid or rising prices not much in the pocket but we were happy

[@bizzjoe]

Cool

[@gaughantony]

From a north mayo family on both sides and my aunt is from Ballycroy

[@kristinesharp6286]

Why can’t they just pick up students not matter how few there are?

[@luddite2702]

Where is mick dunne the famous commentator.

[@kippersmcgee4272]

So there were tree schools and now there is only one tree school.

[@haimbenavraham1502]

Ar'a sure we're spoiled.

[@calftobeefwexfordpaul1482]

Before ireland was ruined.

[@rerite2]

How do you mean? Please share. I'm thinking about moving from USA to Ireland. So far, several Irish citizens have told me, in so many words, I better hurry before all the Irishness disappears. Your thoughts?

[@calftobeefwexfordpaul1482]

@@rerite2 mass immigration of economic migrants added with a complete lack of personal sovereignty due to eu bureaucracy which has destabilised the farming,banking and education systems has destroyed the once peaceful and stable country its not the beautiful safe ireland it once was regardless what a few brainwashed puppets might think

[@jacknapier6668]

Yes before Ireland was ruined with all this convenient technology and easy access to education. Look at how miserable their life’s are. Ireland wasn’t ruined just how we perceive it cos most of us are stuck in the past.

[@calftobeefwexfordpaul1482]

@@jacknapier6668 run along with that unrealistic argument to say things are better because 3 people seem miserable,the country was not overloaded with imported crime, overloaded with cars and so on and so on , technology has its down fall at many levels so I wouldn't be promoting that as a victory, there was no online bullying back then, no international online scam artists back then there was no invasion into people's private lives with social media, people where more grounded then, respectful, and wanted to help more before all them distractions your missing the main argument here and it's not even up for debate really and that's ireland was alot safer and better place to raise a family in back then period.

[@cian434]

@@rerite2 They are a load of racist people who don’t like immigrants because they aren’t white basically

[@irelandmyisland]

love it

[@aaronrider4051]

1:44 stupid policy

[@nightheron5892]

My family comes from NW Mayo. Left during famine and it apparently didn’t get much better a hundred and twenty years later!

[@kazzi7887]

Mine are still there and it is better

[@mariapierce2707]

@@kazzi7887 good!

[@missimccarthy8408]

It is definitely better than it was in 1840. We are not being starved to death for a start! 🙄

[@nightheron5892]

Apologies, I meant no disrespect

[@annbourke4736]

How dare you all my family are university education and everyone has got computers and internet and my 95 year old mum can tex on her mobile.Shit like you want to keek us inferior and in the gutter.I find your comment disgusting.

[@noelodwyer]

🦷