Mark Carney is due to travel to the homeplace of his paternal grandparents on Sunday

Aughagower in Co Mayo prepares to welcome Canadian PM

by · RTE.ie

The village of Aughagower in Co Mayo is preparing to welcome the Canadian Prime Minister this weekend.

Mark Carney is due to travel to the homeplace of his paternal grandparents on Sunday.

The trip forms part of a two-day visit to Ireland, which will include a stop-off in Dublin tomorrow.

Mr Carney's grandparents, Robert Carney and Nora Moran, grew up around Aughagower and emigrated in July 1925 to begin a new life in North America.

They married soon after their arrival in Canada and had three sons.

Mark Carney's grandparents, Robert Carney and Nora Moran, grew up around Aughagower

During his visit to the village, Mr Carney is expected to attend mass in the parish church and visit the nearby cemetery, where some of his ancestors are buried.

In anticipation of the trip, there has been a concerted effort to mark the occasion and trace the Carney and Moran family heritage.

The fruits of this research are being showcased in a captivating display at the local community centre and have also been published in a commemorative booklet, which will be formally presented to the Canadian leader on Sunday.

Mark Carney is expected to attend mass in the parish church and visit the nearby cemetery, where some of his ancestors are buried

Michael Heraty, of the Aughagower Development Company, said the visit was hugely significant for the area, comparing it to the links New Ross and Ballina had with former US Presidents Kennedy and Biden.

He said that the events this weekend followed a determined campaign by people in the village to extend an invitation to Mr Carney. These intensified after his election as Prime Minister in March of last year.

The village of Aughagower in Co Mayo is preparing to welcome the Canadian Prime Minister

Mr Carney is expected to fly into Ireland West Airport on Sunday morning, before travelling by car to Westport, where he will have a number of engagements over the course of the day.

After his visit to Aughagower, he will travel back to the town to attend a civic reception hosted in his honour by Mayo County Council.

In anticipation of the trip, there has been a concerted effort to mark the occasion and trace the Carney and Moran family heritage

The general welcome for him in the area is perhaps encapsulated by a message from the village’s community council in the booklet members helped prepare for the event: "An áit a bhfuil do chroí, is ann a thabharfas do chosa thú" - Your feet will lead you to where your heart is.