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 Mullingar's Leavy Family building a bridge in Honduras In an unusual project, the Leavy family from Mullingar helped to fund and erect a wooden suspension bridge to replace the one destroyed by hurricane Mitch in Western Honduras. The new bridge over the Copan River will alleviate great hardship for the isolated communities of Maya Chorti Indians who at present have to walk a round trip of eight hours to their market towns where they will sell their produce and visit a health clinic. The provision of the bridge will reduce the trip to a two hour journey each way. Inspired by President Mary McAleese's theme of Building Bridges, the Leavy Family responded in a practical way to an urgent call from their son and brother Aidan who has been working with APSO (Agency for Personal Services Overseas) in Honduras since hurricane Mitch devastated the area in 1998. Rather than organise another ordinary collection, Anna Marie, a noted watercolour artist, and her eldest son Niall decided there and then to embark on a new series of paintings to be offered for sale in the new Arts Centre in Mullingar with all the procedings going to the bridge fund. Daughter Sarah returned home to work full time on the administration of the project and also to allow Anna Marie to devote all her time to her painting, while Rosie, another daughter helped organise publicity. Backing them all up was dad Oliver who helped in various ways to keep the momentum going and the show on the road. The bridge became operational by October last. The Mother and Son Art Sale took place on Sunday 5th March 2000 at 3pm in the Mullingar Arts Centre, Lower Mount Street, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
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