Taughamaconnell monument to remember Californian governor

1842, Roscommon, a young man leaves a small town in Roscommon to seek a better life, like so many did, in America. The young John Gately Downey could not have known then what life would have in store for him, that he would become Governor of California, or that 167 years after his departure from Ireland and more than a century after his death, a monument would be erected in his honour, in his home town of Taughmaconnell. Minister for Housing and Local Services, Michael Finneran this week confirmed that funding has been secured for the erection of a monument to Governor John Gately Downey in Taughmaconnell, County Roscommon. Minister Finneran said that the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government had committed to providing half the funding required for the monument which would cost some €11,000, the rest of the money has been provided by the Taughmaconnell Historical Society, with the assistance of Roscommon County Council. 'I"m delighted to confirm that my Department will be able to provide this funding to allow the erection of this important monument to one of Roscommon"s greatest sons, Mr. John Gately Downey, former Governor of California'. Minister Finneran was accompanied by local County Councillor, Trevor Finneran MCC and Chairman of Taughmaconnell Historical Society, and local resident, Mr. Michéal Moore. Minister Finneran said: 'The City of Downey, California is named in John G. Downey"s honor, and a monument has been erected in Governor Downey"s honour there for some time, it"s only right that he should now be honoured in his birth place'. John Gately Downey, (1827-1894), was born in Roscommon but moved to Maryland, America as a 14-year-old, however it was when he followed the goldrush to California that he really made his name and eventually became the first foreign born Governor of California in 1860. It"s interesting to note that the current Governor Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger is only the second foreign Governor of the state.