In Reply to: Boxing Club building on the Mall posted by Dean on August 17, 2005 at 15:35:22:

From the information I have gathered over the years this building was the Church of Ireland Parochial Hall. It was previously known as the Mall School.

The Rector here around the time of the famine was Barker Stoney. He was involved with the Church Mission Society. This organisation was invloved in the practice of proslytism or souperism.

" While on the works many of them were enabled to pay for soup and give a trifle of cheap meal supplied by the Evangical Relief Committee in this town, as well as by the Rev Mr. Stoney, who supplies a great number with stirabout almost daily at his residence."

Source "The Telegraph." 31- 3- 1846.

I also came across reference to Mr. stoney being involved with The Mission Society in Ballyheane(near Castlebar) around this time.So concerned was the Archbishop of Tuam John Mc Hale about the works of these Evanglical societieds that thew Franciscans were invited to build a monastery at Errew(1840) to try to combat this practice,

Other Franciscan houses were established at Bunnacurry, Tourmakeady and Roundstone aound this time.
In my youth a temporary parcel office was operated here by An Post at Christmas. I remember bringing tins of Mikado, Kimberley and Coconut Creams here for posting to Britain. Each pacl]kage had to have a Customs Declaration form and had to be sealed with red sealing wax.