Mayo pub is rising from the ashes of devastating fire
Flames ripped through the High Chapparal pub in Geesala last February.
A Mayo pub that was destroyed by a fire is set to re-open in the coming months after remarkable progress has been made in rebuilding it.
There was shock and sadness when Erris institution, the High Chaparral, was devastated by a blaze in February. The speed and ferocity of the fire was frightening and nothing inside the property survived.
Famed for its traditional music sessions, The High Chaparral was far more than a watering hole, it was a focal point for the community in Geesala and surrounding areas.
There has been a public house on the footprint of the High Chaparral since the late 1800s and the Munnelly family has run the bar since 1949.
Ingenuity, hard work, and community spirit have combined to see the bar rise from the ashes in recent months.
“We should be sending them up to Dublin to show them how to build the Children’s Hospital," quipped local councillor Gerry Coyle, who is a life-long friend of the Munnelly family.
The importance of the High Chapparal to the coastal community was emphasised by Cllr Coyle in the aftermath of the fire.
“Some will say that it was only a pub but it was so much more, it was the central hub for community interaction, it was people’s gathering place, a second home, a safe place, maybe their only place for a friendly word all day, their warm place, their welcoming place, their community, a place that welcomed you in your moment of need,” he said.
A new roof and windows are to be installed this week and it is hoped that the bar could reopen in Autumn.
Blockwork has been completed and gable walls restored.
“It’s going mighty now,” John Munnelly told the .
He praised the efforts of local tradesmen who have helped in the task of bringing the bar back to the community.
“It’s all local lads who have been on the build so far and that has made a huge difference,” said John who is a qualified construction engineer but never had to utilise his qualifications fully until now.
“Everything was destroyed in the fire. The only thing left standing was the old stone walls that would have been built over 100 years ago,” he said.
The indomitable spirit of the Munnelly family will see their pub return to their beloved village again.
“You have to have a go at it. There’s no point looking back, you have to go forward. We’re determined to get it finished and things will be back to normal,” said John.
