Gweesalia
Coordinates: 54°06′45″N 9°53′57″W / 54.11250°N 9.89917°W
Gweesalia (Geesala; Irish: Gaoth Sáile) is a small village in the barony of Erris in the west of County Mayo, Ireland. It has a population of a couple of hundred, and has suffered much from emigration over the years. The village has one pub, a National school, 2 general stores (Moran's and Munnelly's), and a post office.
Transport
On Saturdays only Bus Éireann route 446 links Gweesalia with Blacksod and Ballina.[1] Onward bus and rail connections are available at Ballina.
Events
Each summer there is a festival which runs between the second and third weeks in August, which attracts many emigrants to return home. The highlight is the point to point beach racing on Doolough beach.
Literature
Geesala is also the setting for John Millington Synge's seminal Irish play, The Playboy of the Western World.
Sport
- Geesala National School is well known as a centre of footballing excellence, having a long history of county titles in both men's and women's gaelic football and is well represented at minor, U-21 and senior levels.
- Geesala Boxing Club is a well known club and has also produced many high calibre boxers such as Henry Coyle and Jimmy Monaghan, with some of its students achieving world titles in Lightweight and Bantamweight divisions, and attracting the attention of such quality trainers as Nicholas Cruz.
