Every town has its stories. Some are passed down through families, others live on in old photos and local memories. And then there’s Castlerea’s most unexpected claim to fame… Cindy the Elephant.
If you take a stroll through the Demesne, you might stumble across a small but lovely gravesite dedicated to one of Castlerea’s most famous visitors. Yes, an elephant. And not just any elephant, but Cindy, who arrived in town back in 1958 with the Fossett Brothers Circus and promptly caused a bit of a stir.
Cindy became an instant local celebrity when, during a walk through the town, she wandered into Stephen Mannion’s pub on Main Street. The sight of an elephant in a pub is not something you forget in a hurry, and the moment was famously captured by Patsy Glynn of Glynn’s Photographers. Legend has it there was a bit of a struggle to turn her around, a broken door in the process, and plenty of wide-eyed locals looking on in disbelief. It’s one of those stories that gets better every time it’s told.
After touring Ireland for many years, Cindy passed away in 1972 in Athenry. In a lovely gesture, Castlerea Town Trust offered to have her remains buried in the Demesne. Decades later, in 2014, local man Seán Browne, working alongside local business people, commissioned a plaque and sculpture to honour her memory. The gravesite is a quiet, touching spot and a small but meaningful tribute to a very unusual visitor who left a big impression on the town.
If you’d like to visit Cindy’s resting place, you can enter the Demesne through the gate on the Ballindrimley Road and follow the path until you’re opposite the entrance to Cahill’s SuperValu/Mart. Nearby, there is also a small roadside statue marking her story. The epitaph on her memorial reads:
“Cindy the elephant gone to the great kingdom beyond the skies 1972.”
It’s a lovely example of Castlerea’s character. Warm, welcoming, and just a little bit quirky. Whether you’re a local who grew up hearing the story or a visitor discovering it for the first time, Cindy’s tale is one of those small pieces of history that makes Castlerea, Castlerea.
And if nothing else, it’s not every day you can say your town once had an elephant pop in for a pint.
