Mayo Peace Park & Garden of Remembrance was opened on October 7th, 2008. Years of work went into the creation of this wonderful memorial to the fallen by a committee of dedicated individuals, lead by Michael Feeney MBE, and was one of the first of its kind in Ireland.
The park commemorates Mayo-born people that fought in armies all over the world, eventually paying the ultimate price. Memorials remembering those that fought in World War 1, World War 2, United Nation, Vietnam, Korea, An Garda Síochána, and many more. Michael was awarded an MBE for his services in promoting British-Irish relations by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in the Queen's New Year Honours List in 2010. Michael's story relates to research on his own grandfather, Patrick Feeney, who left to fight in World War 1 for the Allies and was killed in action on Thursday 22 July 1915 near Rue-Tilleroy France and buried in the Royal Irish Graveyard in Laventie, France. Often, soldiers from Ireland were forgotten and Michael wanted to honour those that had given their lives so we can live in peace today.
To spend time in the Peace Park is very moving and a spiritual experience. Since it opened in 2008, many other similar parks have opened across Ireland based on the Mayo Peace Park and have recovered many stories and histories that could have been lost to families.
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