In Reply to: Re: Freestone family who lived in #4 Knockapuntha Rural + RAF airlfield posted by yoasties on September 26, 2012 at 21:09:45:

I have some answers I think regarding “The Yews”. I don’t believe the Freestones ever owned the property in question. In December 1912, the house and adjoining farm was put up for sale and was described as a “well-appointed gentleman’s residence”. It was owned by John Fogarty who had a number of businesses in the town: a pub in Castle Street and a hotel in Spencer Street. Mr. Freestone is described as the occupying tenant. The sale was subsequently withdrawn and even though it was sold in 1919, the Freestones continued to reside there. – Mrs. Freestone advertised for a female servant in 1924. The family appears to have left the town by 1926 as a Mrs. Dywer was living there by then.
As regards Michael Collins, he may have stayed with the family as Collins was in Castlebar the first week of April 1922 to speak at a Rally located on the Mall. There’s no mention of the Freestone’s attending and by all accounts, it was a stormy affair. Revolvers were drawn and there was an attempt to rush the platform. A Mrs Fogarty from the Commercial Hotel, Spencer St was shot in the shoulder after the event – coincidently, she was the wife of John who owned the house on the Westport Road.
The house still exists and is screened by large trees (not sure if they are yew trees).
One question - what was in the letters?