The Abbeyleix Climate Action Project has been awarded the prestigious Supporting Sustainable Communities award in the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.
The project saw Laois County Council creatively engaging the community of Abbeyleix with the topic of climate change. Artist and Science Communicator Niamh Shaw was appointed with the support of Creative Ireland and Midlands Science to work with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns for six months, examining aspects of climate change, making videos of work already ongoing, hosting online discussion panels featuring local speakers and international experts, organising interactive citizen science workshops, and building capacity and confidence in the members on science communication and digital storytelling.
Congratulating the team involved with the project, Conor Bergin, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council said “The Excellence in Local Government Awards showcase best practice in local government and recognise the skills, hard work, innovation and enthusiasm within local government that can often go unrecognised. I am delighted to congratulate the team involved with this project in Laois County Council and within the community in Abbeyleix, for the tremendous work done on this creative project. The past year has continued to provide new challenges as we learn to adapt the way we live and work during a pandemic and I think the way this project delivered so many different digital and online events and outputs really sets it apart from other projects”.
Pictured with the trophy awarded to the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project and Laois County Council as winners of the Sustainable Communities prize in the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards 2021. From left: Robbie Quinn, chairman Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Mary White, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Dr Niamh Shaw, Science Communicator in Residence for the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project; Cllr Conor Bergin, Cathaoirleach of LCC; Angela McEvoy, A/Director of Services Housing, Regeneration and Planning LCC; Dr Fiona MacGowan, Ecologist and advisor to Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns. Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022, in partnership with the Heritage Office of Laois County Council, Midlands Science and Abbeyleix Tidy Towns. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The Supporting Sustainable Communities award seeks to recognise projects by Local Authorities that promote social awareness and work with communities to involve them in making their localities a better place in which to live and work. This category celebrates initiatives which promote sustainable communities, development of the community or contribute to improved quality of life in an area.
Welcoming the award Robbie Quinn, Chair of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns said “The impact of the project has been that the members of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns are highly engaged with the issue and there has been an increase in awareness of climate change among the wider community too. We have a bank of over 20 video clips on everything from sustainable travel and food waste to climate anxiety and monitoring the impacts of climate change. It has also resulted in the installation of air quality sensors in the town and the creation of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk, a walk with QR links to animated video clips, so we have a legacy remaining on the ground from the project too”
Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Catherine Fitzgerald MCC performing the launch of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk in 2021, with members of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, Dr Fiona MacGowan, Jackie Walsh, Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Mary White, Mark Clancy and Robbie Quinn, chairman along with Laois Heritage Officer Catherine Casey, Suzanne Dempsey, LCC-Community and Julie Scully, LCC Healthy Ireland co-ordinator at the launch of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The Climate Action Project was supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and Midlands Science. The Climate Action Walk was created thanks to the support of Healthy Ireland, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare Fund delivered by Pobal, administered by Laois County Council.
The Local Authority Heritage Officers Network invites you to a new series of Climate Action webinars. Join us for four one-hour sessions every Thursday, starting on 27th January at 9.30am.
You will hear about positive actions for climate from the heritage sector. Topics will include nature-based solutions, adaptation of heritage structures, risk assessment and will focus on methods that we hope will ignite action for climate right across the country.
Malcom Noonan, Minister for State for Heritage will launch the first seminar this Thursday. Paddy Woodworth, journalist will chair this webinar entitled “Embedding Climate in Heritage”. This webinar focuses on how we work to embed the climate crisis, and mitigation and adaptation approaches into the heritage agenda.
“Despite our heritage being a source of inspiration, livelihoods and significance, it is often missing in discussions on climate change…”.
– Dr. Kate Crowley, PCAN, Edinburgh.
This webinar focuses on how we work to embed the climate crisis, and mitigation and adaptation approaches into the heritage agenda. Our first webinar chair is Paddy Woodworth, author and journalist.
“Peatlands are an outstanding example of nature-based solutions and should be high on the political agenda…We must make peatland protection a more central part of our climate policy.”
– Global Peatlands Initiative at COP26.
Wetlands and peatlands are super solutions for climate, due to their important role for both climate mitigation in absorbing carbon and adaptation by providing many ecosystem services.
Our webinar chair today is Dr Martina Maloney, Chairperson of the Heritage Council.
Nature is “one of the most effective ways” of combatting climate change.
– Inger Andersen, UNEP.
Nature-based solutions are actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems. They address societal challenges, thereby simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
Our webinar chair today is Claire Cooper, Assistant Principal, Science & Biodiversity Unit, NPWS.
“Real success can only come if there is a change in our societies and in our economics and in our politics.”
– David Attenborough.
Local Authorities work with communities, landowners and politicians to create improved understanding and engagement with our places through the lenses of heritage and biodiversity. A sense of rootedness in a community helps stabilise society and allows actions to be taken for the common good.
Our webinar chair today is Sean McKeown, Director of Services, Kilkenny County Council and member of CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee.
This seminar series is organised by the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network. Local Authority Heritage Officers play a key role in promoting heritage awareness, developing policy and providing advice and information on local as well as national heritage issues.
County Heritage Officers are employed by Local Authorities in partnership with the Heritage Council under the auspices of the Heritage Officer Programme, which was initiated in 1999. The programme celebrated 20 years in 2019. As of 1st September 2021, there is now a Heritage Officer employed in each Local Authority. More information on the network is here.
Construction works are continuing for the Portlaoise and Fort Protector Enhancement Project Phase II at Church Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. These works include the removal of overhead powerlines and associated ESB poles, and the construction of new underground ducts for services. The works area taking place along the path and roadway beside the northern wall of Fort Protector which is a known and legally protected archaeological site. The ground disturbance works are being archaeological monitored, which is being carried out under archaeological licence 18E0339, by archaeologists from Colm Flynn Archaeology.
Discovery of 18th century culvert
During the monitoring of removal of existing road and path materials on the south side of Church Street beside the wall of Fort Protector, an 18th century mortar bonded stone culvert was identified. The culvert had been previously disturbed by utilities services and other constructions, but still appeared to carry water during rain periods. Some of the culvert has been piped with concrete drains in recent times. The culvert was constructed in the late 18th century when stone roads were being constructed in Portlaoise to aid trade and commerce.
Archaeological monitoring of works along the east end of Church Street near Fitzmaurice Place resulted in the identification or previously unknown archaeology. Two stone walls and a ditch were identified under the existing path and road near the corner tower of Fort Protector. The walls likely mark the location of a building and artefacts recovered from the area indicate that the building could date to the 16th century. One of the building walls is parallel to the northern wall of Fort Protector. Historic mapping (see 1560 map below) that survives for Portlaoise shows us what the houses in the 16th century would’ve looked like. The houses would have been Tudor style, storey and a half buildings, with thatched roofs, and central hearths or chimneys.
Laois County Council have ensured that the works did not impact on the archaeological walls which were preserved in situ under a protective membrane and sand.
Image showing walls and ditch identified in slit trench for ESB lighting pillar on Church Street, facing west
A filled in ditch cutting was also identified at the location of the walls (see image above). The ditch was identified immediately against the north wall of Fort Protector. The ditch had been backfilled with soil and stone. The ditch was likely an external ditch around the outer wall of Fort Protector and may date to the 16th century. Several artefacts were identified and recovered from the ditch fill, including post medieval pottery, animal bone, and a military uniform button (see image below).
Image of Royal Irish Dragoon Guards button from ditch fill
The button is a uniform button from the Fourth Royal Irish Dragoon Guards who were stationed in Portlaoise in the end of the 18th century, and mustered to crush the 1798 Rebellion. The button features St. Patricks Cross, and the shamrock, with the Roman Numerals ‘IV’ in the corner indicating the ‘Fourth’ of the regimental name. On the base of the button is the Latin regimental motto ‘Qui separabit’, which translates as ‘who will divide us’.
Image of 16th century green-glazed plate sherd from excavation
The pottery sherd is from a domestic serving platter and dates to the 16th century. This platter or plate would have been used in one of the homes of the English settlers in Portlaoise.
The ditch and walls are not depicted on any maps of the area, although the 1560 map of Portlaoise (Maryborough) shows a building to the north of the north wall of Fort Protector (see maps below). The stone culvert previously discussed had been constructed in the backfilled ditch, indicating that the ditch predates this construction. A road is depicted at the location of the Church Street on the 1721 Parnell Estate map (see below) and subsequent 19th century Ordnance Survey maps. The presence of roads on these maps at the location of the walls and ditch indicate that the walls and ditch predate the 18th century and based on their location and associated artefacts, date to the 16th century. The walls may represent the remains of one of the first settler homes of the Tudor Plantation of Laois and Offaly. The archaeological monitoring of works has afforded us the opportunity to identify and preserve nearly 500 year old archaeology, and to examine the unique heritage of Portlaoise, as Irelands first plantation town.
The Community Monuments Fund will have €5 million in 2022 to invest in archaeological heritage and help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
Old St Peter’s Church and Graveyard in Portlaoise benefitted from funding under the Community Monuments Fund in 2021
Core Aims of the Fund
The core aims of this Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and presentation of archaeological monuments. It will:
enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support
build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change
encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.
Project promoters are encouraged to incorporate a traditional skills training element in projects.
Streams 1-3
The Community Monuments Fund has 3 Streams:
Stream 1 will offer grants up to €85,000 aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments
Stream 2 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.
Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/online) at archaeological monuments (including COVID 19 public health measures).
Eligible Projects
The Community Monuments Fund provides funding for projects in relation to:
Archaeological Monuments that are included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended)
Archaeological Monuments that are identified in the Sites and Monuments Record compiled by the National Monuments Service.
Eligible projects will be drawn from the following categories:
projects proposed by a Local Authority in relation to archaeological monuments in public ownership , where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
projects proposed by a Local Authority on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of relevant archaeological monuments where there is a tangible public benefit
projects with a clearly defined heritage focus and community or public benefit proposed directly to the Department by a State-funded organisation working in the heritage area.
Killabban Medieval Church was conserved by the community the the help of the Community Monuments Fund in 2020 and 2021
How to Apply
Application Form A below should be submitted to Laois County Council by Tuesday 15th February 2022.
Doreen McPaul, Attorney General of the Navajo nation, visited Mountmellick this week with her family to explore her Laois Roots.
Doreen McPaul, Art Hobson, Denise Hobson Ryan with Paddy Buggy of Mountmellick Webmill Digital Hub and Trudy Carmody of Experiencing Ireland during the family’s recent visit to Mountmellick. (Photo Courtesy Doreen McPaul)
Ms McPaul, who was in Ireland to receive a Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad from President Michael D. Higgins, stopped off in Mountmellick on a whistle-stop tour of family in Ireland and was shown around by Trudy Carmody of Experiencing Ireland and Paddy Buggy, Manager of Webmill Digital Hub Mountmellick.
Speaking after she received the award for charitable work with the Irish Cultural Centre and McClelland Library in Phoenix, Arizona in raising funds for members of the Navajo Nation impacted by Covid 19, Ms McPaul said “For the first time in my lifetime my two cultures were intertwined in the most beautiful way … I was so proud to be Navajo and so proud to be Irish.”
Doreen McPaul receiving Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish Abroad from President Michael D. Higgins (Photo Courtesy Doreen McPaul)
Trudy Carmody, an active member of Laois Tour Guides Forum had contacted Ms McPaul last year and offered to help her trace her Laois family, following a press report about the family’s Mountmellick connections.
Trudy said “genealogy is such an important way for members of the Irish diaspora to connect with their roots and we were delighted to help Doreen trace her father’s family. I was so touched to meet Doreen with her Dad Art Hobson and sister Denise on their visit and look forward to showing them around more of Laois on their next trip home to Ireland”.
Local TD and former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan on this remarkable story.
“The life story of Doreen McPaul is truly remarkable, and her presence and her distinguished award is fully deserved. I am delighted she took the time to visit Mountmellick and her ancestors and I would hope she will return soon.
The fact that the Attorney General for the Navajo Nation can claim Mountmellick heritage proves beyond doubt that the Irish footprint is everywhere and truly global. “
Traditional Navajo necklace presented to Trudy Carmody by Doreen McPaul, Attorney General of the Navajo Nation during her visit to Mountmellick. (Photo courtesy Trudy Carmody)
Paddy Buggy, Manager of Webmill Digital Hub in Mountmellick said “Mountmellick Development Association were delighted to welcome Doreen McPaul, her sister Denise and father Art Hobson to visit our museum as they learned more about their ancestral home. We look forward to welcoming them back in the near future to meet with the ladies responsible for our marvellous museum.”
Writing on Facebook Ms McPaul said “Our Quaker & Kerr roots are tied to Mountmellick, Ireland in County Laois. Divine intervention connected us to Trudy Carmody. Our great-great grandparents were neighbours here. Small Irish world! She & Paddy kept the museum open late for us tonight and treated us extra kind. Super special unplanned stop in this amazing town. Would love to spend much more time here…next trip!”
Caragh Burns-Sharma, Chair of Laois Tourism said “Congratulations to Ms Mc Paul on her richly deserved award and well done to Trudy Carmody on her ever fantastic research and connection building. Welcoming tourists to Laois and helping them discover the story of their ancestral roots in Ireland is a key part of our tourism offering. Our visiting diaspora often become frequent repeat visitors which is a huge opportunity for our sector.”
Genealogy forms an important part of the Irish Tourism industry, with increasing numbers of people tracing their Irish family roots with the help of organisations like Experiencing Ireland and Mountmellick Museum. While a huge array of information is now available online, many visitors welcome the personal approach offered by a genealogist and tour-guide like Trudy to help them to really connect with the home place of their ancestors.
Laois County Library Service and Laois Heritage Office are delighted to announce that work is commencing on the Ronnie Mathews Archive Collection. The collection, acquired earlier this year by Laois County Council, was compiled by the late Ronnie Mathews, a well-known and highly respected local historian and author from Portarlington. The collection contains records and artefacts relating to the history of Portarlington and environs including maps, photographs, business records and much more. It reflects the original collector’s knowledge and passion for local history, from the earliest times to recent years.
With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.
This important local collection will now be processed in conjunction with Eneclann, Ireland’s leading history and heritage company. Professional archivist, Orlagh Connaughton, will list, describe and physically reorganise the collection contents to facilitate future access and display. This collaboration between Laois Heritage Office and Laois County Library Service is supported by Creative Ireland Laois, as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Tim Mathews, son of the late Ronnie Mathews said “I think it’s great news that a start is being made on archiving my Dad’s collection. He was born and lived all of his life in Portarlington, and loved the town, and spent over half of his lifetime collecting and researching items relevant to the town and county. He would be very proud and honoured by Laois County Council’s acquisition of his collection. Everything in the collection is original, be it maps, letters, photos, postcards, etc., and many items are well over 100 years old. Archiving these material and preparing them for future display to the public will give people an insight into life in the town over the last few centuries.”
With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.
Ronnie Mathews collected documents, maps and artefacts relating to Portarlington over his whole life, with the collection also including some items collected by his father. JT Mathews, established in 1866, was a bakery, confectionary, tea rooms, hardware and general provisions, and was in business for over 130 years. Ledgers and account books from the business shed a fascinating light on many aspects of life in Portarlington in the past and are also part of the collection. Among the interesting artefacts are a series of glass plate negatives showing all aspects of Irish life dating from around 1910; a cannon ball reputed to be from the site of Lea Castle outside Portarlington; and a hand painted chess board with the crest of the Dawson family of Emo Court. Materials also include a map of Patrick Street dated 1889 and a large collection of postcards by Wynne of Portarlington -showing Portlaoise (formerly known as Maryborough), Mountmellick, Monasterevin and more.
Laois County Librarian Bernie Foran said “Acquiring archives is an important first step in preventing loss of memory, but processing of archives is an essential step in ensuring that memory is shared and lives on. By processing the collection to the highest archival standards, Laois County Library Service ensures that this remarkable local collection can be accessed by this generation and preserved for the generations to come.”
With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Over the coming months the collection will be carefully archived and catalogued, and arrangements made for any necessary conservation, as well as preparing materials to be made available for research and for future display as part of Laois Local Studies.
Laois Local Studies was established to collect, preserve and make available for reference, material relating to the history and heritage of County Laois. It is home to the Laois Collection, a specialist collection on the local, social, political, economic and geographic history of the county. A dedicated member of staff is available to assist and support members of the public with their research and queries. The collection and service are open to all by appointment. Laois Local Studies is part of the Laois County Library Service, funded and governed by Laois County Council. Further information at www. laoislocalstudies.ie and/or 057 8594985.
The effigy of Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle was returned to Carlow Town on Wednesday October 13th, 2021 after a sojourn of approximately two hundred years in Portarlington, Co. Laois. For the last thirty years or so the effigy was on display in the People’s Park, Portarlington, Co. Laois. Over the past couple of years Carlow County Museum, operated by Carlow County Council, have coordinated the conservation of the 16th century effigy and its relocation back to Carlow Town and Hartpole now resides in Carlow County Museum.
Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle, High Sheriff of Carlow, and Laois in the 16th century died in 1594. As was his wish, he was laid to rest in the Church of the Blessed Lady the Virgin Mary in Carlow. This was the church associated with St Mary’s Abbey, which is placed by a number of sources somewhere between the present-day St Mary’s Church of Ireland church and the Castle Hill Centre. The remains of Carlow Town’s oldest graveyard are still to be found in this area.
The effigy (a carved likeness of a person) is cut from a single block of Co. Carlow limestone, depicting a knight in full armour. The knight’s head, now missing, was resting on a helmet, his hands are folded over his chest. A dog lies at the knight’s feet, whose head is also missing. A Latin inscription carved along the side of the effigy once read “Hic jacet Robartus Hartpoole, Conestabulrius de Catherlagh, Septuagenario maoir, interiit iii die Octobris 1594”, (translated to say: ‘Here lies Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow, he died on the 3rd day of October 1594, being more than a septuagenarian’. Some of the inscription still remains including the date 1594. This effigy was placed on top of his tomb.
The 16th century effigy of Robert Harpole, a national monument, receiving a steam cleaning in the People’s Park, Portarlington, Co. Laois, in advance of his move to Carlow County Museum. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.
The effigy was rediscovered in 1809 and was moved from Castle Hill to Oak Park, Carlow, to protect it. Sometime later in the 19th century it was moved by descendants from Carlow to Kilnacourt House, Portarlington, Co. Laois. This move was possibly undertaken by a canal boat as the River Barrow was a thriving business thoroughfare. In the mid-20th century, the effigy ended up in the possession of Laois County Council. They, with the assistance of local people displayed the effigy in the People’s Park under a roofed steel construction. Unfortunately, despite this public display, the effigy has suffered damage from anti-social behaviour, damage from its frequent relocations, its exposure to the weather, and the splitting and localised polishing of the stone. The effigy is also a recorded National Monument, LA005-032, and therefore comes under the protection of the National Monuments Acts 1930 – 2014.
Carlow County Museum, Members of Laois County Council, the Laois Heritage Office, the National Monuments Service, and the National Museum of Ireland, began to discuss what should be done to conserve the effigy and its long-term care. After commissioning a conservation report, and the agreement of all the agencies involved, it was decided that the effigy should be conserved and relocated to Carlow County Museum, a designated museum for the display and collecting of archaeological finds associated with Co. Carlow. The Museum is also located in the same town in which Robert was buried in 1594. Both the National Monuments Service and the National Museum of Ireland issued licences to allow the works to take place.
Earlier this year the Museum applied to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under their Community Monuments Fund 2021 grant scheme and was successful in receiving a grant to cover the conservation and relocation of the effigy. Gebel and Helling Stone Conservation, Cork, and Tipperary, were the appointed contractors and works took place in both Portarlington and Carlow County Museum from Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th of October. It was appropriate that they works took place in October as he died in October 1594. In Portarlington the effigy was treated and given a series of steam cleans to remove paint, graffiti, dirt, and organic growths. Then he was delicately separated from his concrete plinth and as he is now in two large sections, weighing up to 200kgs, he was mechanically lifted onto a large trailer for transport to Carlow. In Carlow County Museum a new plinth has been constructed to accommodate him and the stonemasons worked carefully to locate him onto his new plinth. Over the next while the display area around him will be enhanced to details his history and his conservation.
Ms Julia Gebel, Gebel and Helling Stone Conservation, injecting conservation resin into some fissures in the Robert Harpole Effigy. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.
Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator, Carlow County Museum, and project coordinator said “we are delighted to welcome back to Carlow Town, after nearly two hundred years, the effigy of Robert Hartpole. While he is a controversial character, he was the Constable of Carlow Castle, from hence he shaped and influenced our town and county during the 16th century. The effigy is a piece of our town’s heritage and a fantastic specimen of our local limestone and probably local craftsmanship. Its conservation and relocation has been a cooperative multi-agency approach with the care and conservation of the effigy remaining the priority throughout the process”.
Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, said “We were delighted to work with our colleagues in Carlow County Council, the National Museum and the National Monuments Service to restore this enormously valuable piece of Carlow heritage to its rightful home. The decision to display the effigy in the town park in Portarlington was taken many years ago and while it certainly saved the effigy from being lost forever, it was not an appropriate place to display such a sensitive monument. Hartpole had no connection to Portarlington, and a grave monument – especially that of a 16th century Knight – should be protected and presented to the public in a sensitive and responsible manner. This project has been a testament to the strong ties of co-operation that exist between Laois and Carlow and we look forward to continuing co-operation on a range of heritage issues. We are grateful to the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for their funding support for the conservation and relocation project, through the Community Monuments Fund.”
John Kelly, Editor of Carloviana, who has researched Hartpole and was anxious that the effigy be conserved said “the Robert Hartpole that emerges from history is rightly viewed as a rapacious land grabber, a ruthless soldier of severe temperament and having of a single-minded ambition to climb to the top of the social ladder. However, Hartpole also had a more enigmatic side. In common with other figures of the period he had ambiguous loyalties; he retained his Catholic faith, he married a Gaelic Irish woman, an O’Byrne from Tullow, and in at least one account is said to be a ‘maintainer of rebels’.”
The effigy of Robert Hartpole can be viewed on permanent display in Carlow County Museum where admission is free.
Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle, High Sheriff of Carlow and Laois, now on permanent display in Carlow County Museum following his relocation and conservation through a multi-agency project. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.
A new mural artwork celebrating the people and spirit of Rathdowney will be launched at this year’s Culture Night on Fri Sept 17. The launch event will take place at the Church of Ireland Parochial Hall, The Square at 4pm. The mural is designed and created by Portarlington based artist ADW who will also give a brief introduction on the processes and background to the project as part of the launch event. ADW began this mural project by getting to know and understand Rathdowney from a socio-cultural, historic and economic perspective. The mural is inspired by the people, culture, heritage, new communities and natural hinterland landscapes of Rathdowney, as well as creative imagination and artistic license.
ADW began dabbling in art & creativity while still in primary school. After five years studying animation in Ballyfermot College, Dublin, he moved to Britain to work in the computer games industry. In 2005 he returned to a booming Ireland. However, in the fallout from the economic crash of 2008, he was made redundant from his full-time job as a 3D artist. ADW took advantage of this time and returned to his creative roots and began to produce his own art full-time.
In 2019 ADW’s mural for Cruinniú na nÓg Laois garnered local and national attention and was inspired by the 1992 Irish film ‘Into the West’ where some of the film’s iconic scenes where shot at the Savoy cinema in Portarlington. The cinema had become old and drab in the hub of the town since closing over 25 years ago. His mural artwork has not just visually reanimated the old cinema but has becoming a talking point with local recollections of the shooting of the film and a new sense of pride in one of Portarlington’s landmark buildings. For more on ADW’s work, see Instagram photos and videos at www.instagram.com/adwart.
The mural artwork is commissioned by Laois Arts Office in consultation with members of Rathdowney community and in association with The Walls Project, a creative arts agency who specialise in the delivery of large-scale public and private commissioned artwork across Ireland and Europe. It is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Special thanks to Cllr John King, Clodagh Kennedy (Art/CSPE/SPHE teacher at St Fergal’s College), Rev Richard Seymour-Whiteley, and Howard Coburn (Flynn’s Medical Hall) for their enthusiasm and contribution in realising this project.#
Culture Night takes place on Fri Sept 17 and for all information on Laois’s Culture Night programme, go to www.culturenight.ie/laois.
Culture Night is brought to you by the Arts Council in partnership with Laois County Council.
Further details from the Arts Office, Laois County Council at artsoff@laoiscoco.ie
The plane last seen in public in Portlaoise over 100 years ago, when it was one of the first planes in Ireland to take to the skies, returned home to Portlaoise on Sunday. A huge gathering of well-wishers, heritage and aviation enthusiasts gathered in the spacious grounds of Laois Music Centre to view the newly restored plane, to hear the story of its journey so far and to hear music composed in honour of Portlaoise’s other great aviation hero, Col. James Fitzmaurice.
Laois County Council Chief Executive John Mulholland; Cllr Thomasina Connell, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Conor Bergin and Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage Society with the plane at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Addressing the gathering, Cllr Conor Bergin Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council said “The Plane was designed and built in Aldritt’s Garage Portlaoise by Frank Aldritt and his sons with the help of master carpenter John Conroy – the first plane to be built and take to the air in what is now the Republic of Ireland –and here today we celebrate the vision, creativity, imagination and originality of those Portlaoise men of the past. But it’s also important for us to celebrate the achievement of the people who have rescued this priceless artefact from obscurity.”
Members of the Aldritt family at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The Cathaoirleach continued “we must remember Joe Rogers, who first highlighted the continued existence of the plane in a private collection in England; Teddy Fennelly and Alan Phelan who pursued the plane and persuaded the owner to part with it and allow it to return home; Brendan O’Donoghue and Johnny Molloy who painstakingly worked on the craft to restore it to its shining glory and Tim Costelloe who informed and inspired all those involved from the start of the project, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for all aspects of Irish aviation and in particular in designing the replica engine we see on display here today with the plane.”
Enjoying the plane at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
As well as being a valuable artefact on its own right, the Portlaoise Plane is linked to Portlaoise’s other major aviation story: A young James Fitzmaurice records in his memoirs that he witnessed the construction of the plane and was also present when it made its first short experimental flight. This early exposure to the excitement of flight was credited by Fitzmaurice with inspiring him in his career as a pioneering aviator. This links the Portlaoise Plane directly with the first east-west transatlantic flight – elevating the story and confirming the place of Portlaoise as the centre of Irish aviation history.
Members of the restoration team, from left: Brendan O’Donoghue, Alan Phelan, Teddy Fennelly and Tim Costello at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Chairman of the Heritage Council Michael Parsons speaking at the event on Sunday said “The Heritage Council encourages national and local exploration and appreciation of Ireland’s rich natural, built and cultural heritage. The Portlaoise Plane tells a story of exploration, bravery and derring do, that should make the Aldritt, Conroy and Rogers families very proud of their ancestors. All of us in Laois and Ireland can join in celebrating this great story of these pioneers of Irish Aviation. The Heritage Council commends Laois County Council for its warm support of the Portlaoise Plane. I personally wish that the plane will soon be on permanent display where it belongs – here in Portlaoise”.
Members of the Irish Air Corps at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
All speakers paid tribute to Teddy Fennelly, aviation enthusiast and author of the book “Fitz and the Famous Flight. John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council said “Teddy has rescued both the aviation story and the plane for the people of Portlaoise. He has motivated everyone with his selfless drive and enthusiasm and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for saving and helping to restore this vital part of our heritage.”
Speaking about the Plane and its restoration, Teddy Fennelly thanked the many people who had helped along the way, mentioning in particular the staff of Laois County Council’s Portlaoise MD, who have generously assisted with the safe storage of the plane in Portlaoise for the past number of months. He also paid tribute to the Management and Elected members of Laois County Council who he said had always supported heritage projects in Laois and had been generous in their support of this project to date.
Brendan O’Donoghue, lead restorer of the plane; Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage and Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, General Officer in command, Irish Air Corps at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The Portlaoise Plane event was bookended by the performance of extracts from “The Impossible Dream” composed by Martin Tourish to commemorate the life and achievements of Col James Fitzmaurice. The music which was commissioned by Music Generation Laois with funding from Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017 – 2022, was performed by members of the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra, accompanied by Martin Tourish and Siobhan Buckley.
The Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra performing at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
MC of the event Alan Phelan commended the young musicians and their tutors, paying special tribute to Rosa Flannery, coordinator of Music Generation Laois and the driving force behind many unique creative projects in the county. At the end of the event, Alan asked Brendan O’ Donohue who spearheaded the restoration of the plane, and Tim Costello who carried out much of the research including the design of the replica engine also on display with the plane, to stand, and those gathered showed their appreciation of the two men with hearty applause.
Chairman Alan Phelan with his family at the Portlaoise Plane Event. From left: Anita, Phyllis, Alan, Aoife and Aisling Phelan. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The event was attended by representatives of the Irish Air Corps who paraded on at the start of proceedings and by members of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association Post 27 Portlaoise Branch, who provided a special guard of honour for the plane while it was in situ. General Officer in Command of the Irish Air Corps Brigadier General Rory O’Connor was an honoured and welcome guest. A fly-past of light aircraft from the Lime Tree Airfield just outside Portlaoise lent a further special aviation flavour to the historic event.
The fly over by aircraft from the Lime Tree Flying Club at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.Members of the Conroy family at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Col Fitzmaurice Archive
In addition to restoring the Portlaoise Plane, Teddy Fennelly has been collecting original archive material relating to the flight and Fitzmaurice for many years – the first East West Transatlantic Flight was major international news both in Europe and the US, and was front page news on the New York Times for 19 days after the flight. Now, with thanks to Heritage Council funding, much of the collection has now been conserved by specialist paper conservator and digitised, and the and the Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee has ensured that the newspapers will be made publicly available through the digital archive of the Laois County Library Service.
The archive project was brought about through the collaborative approach of the Laois County Council Culture Team – the piece of music commemorating James Fitzmaurice is another –showcasing how the culture Team members from the Heritage, Libraries, Arts, Music Generation and Archives work together through the Creative Ireland programme, to become more than the sum of their parts, and producing truly imaginative, ground breaking work.
Committee member PJ Kavanagh with his family, Niamh, Noah and Suzie at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.Members of the UN Veterans Post 27 at the Portlaoise Plane Event. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee
The Portlaoise Plane event on Sunday was the final event of the year for the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee, which is made up of Teddy Fennelly, Alan Phelan, Michael Parsons, Louise Cahill, PJ Kavanagh, Sean Murray and Catherine Casey. The work of the group continues and more on the projects and plans of the Committee can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Fitzflight. More on the Portlaoise Plane Restoration Project is at https://portlaoiseplane.com/.
Committee members, from left: Teddy Fennelly, Sean Murray, Michael Parsons, chairman of The Heritage Council; Louise Cahill, Alan Phelan and Catherine Casey at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021. Picture: Alf Harvey.Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage Society; Michael Parsons, Chairman of The Heritage Council and Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer with the plane at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Registration for this year’s Know Your Locality Course is now open! The course will run online over 5 evenings in March, with a fieldtrip to the Rock of Dunamase at the end.
Register online with the Irish Heritage School here.
It is amazing what you can discover about your local area from the snug safety of your home.
Laois Heritage Office with the support of Creative Ireland is delighted to offer a FREE online course delivered by Irish Heritage School that will take you step-by-step through the available online sources that will allow you to paint a picture of the geological, archaeological, and historical events that happened close to where you live. While the course will look at examples from throughout Ireland, it will focus on the geology, archaeology and history of your county. As such the course is aimed toward local people who are enthusiasts of natural and cultural heritage.
Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “We are delighted to be working with the Irish Heritage School again to bring this hugely popular course to more people with an interest in the Heritage of Laois. In recent times we have all become much more aware of the beauty and value of our own local place, and this course taps into that interest. We hope it will equip people with the tools they need to research their locality and look at their own patch with new eyes. We are really grateful for the support of Creative Ireland in Laois, which allows us to bring this course to the public for free.”
Stephen Mandal, Irish Heritage School leading a field trip at the Rock of Dunamase looking at the geology, landscape, archaeology and history as part of Know Your Locality. Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
The course will be delivered through five online tutorials every Tuesday and Thursday over two and a half weeks commencing March 7th 2022. We will begin by looking at the very bedrock under your feet, examining the geological processes and glacial events that shaped the landscape and formed the soils. The course then focuses on the impacts of humans on that landscape over time, from pre-history to the last century.
The first workshop includes a summary of the course content and format. A list of resources and links will be sent to the participants so that they can study their own locality. Workshops will focus on a different aspect of geology, the landscape and archaeology of Laois each week, from the formation of Ireland to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland, with a focus on each workshop on teaching a set of online research skills. The course will also outline how these skills can be used to make your own submission to the ‘KnowYour5k’ initiative of the Heritage Council and National Museum of Ireland. Through this and other citizen scientist programmes, course participants can make a real contribution to the conservation of our heritage by recording what is in their local area, what the local community values and raising awareness of its importance.
Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022 in partnership with Laois County Council.
The Laois Short Film Inaugural Bursary aims to foster talent and activity in film making in County Laois and is funded by Creative Ireland in partnership with Laois County Council. The Bursary is for a short drama or documentary film of 10 to 12 minutes duration to be shot in the county.
The 2021 Bursary is now open for submissions with a deadline of 4pm on Friday 6th August
This year both short documentary (10-12mins) & drama (10-12mins) are being accepted.
Also, a core member of each team applying for the bursary, ie Writer/ Director/ Producer, must be from or living in Laois.
COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS
This Bursary is highly competitive and we are asking for the widest range of stories possible. We are interested in screenplays that reflect aspects of Irish experience across different generations/gender/ethnicities, class and landscapes. It is important that Laois features on screen and so we would like to hear about locations you are thinking of using.
The successful team are encouraged to hire local crew to work on the shoot.
You can access the guidelines & application form here:
The Heritage Office of Laois County Council with funding from the the National Biodiversity Action Plan, plans to undertake a survey of wetlands in Laois.
Wetlands includes rivers, lakes, bogs, fens, wet woodlands, wet grassland and a range of other wet habitat types. All are hugely important for Irish biodoversity and have become increasingly rare with changes in agriculture and loss of habitat to development.
Proposals are now being sought from suitably qualified professionals to carry out the two phase survey. Phase I (to be completed in 2021) will comprise desktop research and phase II (to be completed in 2022) will involve field survey of a selection of the most important or threatened sites identified in Phase I.
Both phases of the project will involve communication, collaboration and engagement with local people – community groups, landowners, NGOs, agencies, local authority staff and others in relation to the value and importance of wetlands.
The Project is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
Details of the project and how to tender are at the etenders website.
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