Welcome
Chairman of the Office of Public Works
Welcome to the latest edition of Heritage Ireland magazine, brought to you by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
I hope you enjoy the news and features from the very people who care for our heritage sites: the guide staff who enhance the visitor experience, the gardeners who tend to the living collections and the architects who conserve and preserve their existence for generations to follow.
Many of our you will have visited some of our sites this summer. Perhaps you dropped in to an art exhibition, took part in a family workshop or joined a classic guided tour. In hosting you at our many heritage sites we are proud to have you engage in our living history in a very real way. We have had a wonderful spread of dynamic and diverse events across the country already this year and the height of activity is yet to come – National Heritage Week takes place from 17-25 August 2024.
This year’s National Heritage Week theme is particularly apt – Connections, Routes and Networks. We invite you to explore the links between people and communities, to look at what brings us together and what connects us.
John Conlon
Tintern Abbey, Co Wexford Credit: Tourism Ireland
Front cover image
Ilnacullin – Garinish Island, Co. Cork. Credit: Government of Ireland National Monuments Service Photographic Unit.
Glebe House and Gallery, Churchill, Co Donegal. Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Welcome
This year has seen the OPW collaborate with an eclectic and exciting variety of stakeholders in bringing our sites to wider audience. In partnership with Other Voices and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, we presented a reprisal of Anam – Songs for Hearts and Minds. Following on from last year’s exceptional performances, this collaborative project brought together another dynamic and diverse group of Irish and international talent, performing this year at Ormond Castle, Portumna Castle and Gardens, Pearse Museum –St Enda’s Park and Parke’s Castle. You can watch recordings of these on the Other Voices Live YouTube channel.
We also continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the historic addition of two new National Parks in Ireland. Last year, we announced the formation of the Boyne Valley (Brú na Bóinne) National Park. Earlier this year, our Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell, along with Minister
of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, announced Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí, Ireland’s first Marine National Park. We are dedicated to the protection and restoration of its internationally significant biodiversity and archaeological heritage. This includes UNESCO World Heritage Site Sceilg Mhicíl and Derrynane House, the childhood home of Daniel O’Connell.
For now, join us on this journey around Ireland, from an exciting launch at Farmleigh House, along the breath-taking Butler Trail, to a Day in the Life of a guide at Ionad an Bhlascaoid – the Blasket Centre. We are thrilled to see the wonderful contributions to our magazine from all of the authors. It is testament to the passion and commitment of this organisation and we would like to thank each one.
Rosemary Collier Head of Heritage Services and Capital Works Delivery, The Office of Public Works
Charles Fort guided tour. Credit: John Allen. Portumna Castle guided tour. Credit: Fáilte Ireland. Dublin Castle guided tour. Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
Annes Grove House and Gardens. Credit: Kachmarsky
Contributors
Nuala Canny has a BA in History and English and a Masters in Library and Information Studies (both UCD). She had 30 years experience before joining the OPW main library at Stephen’s Green in 2003 and was assigned to the Benjamin Iveagh Library in 2017.She took over collections management in Farmleigh 7 years ago and also oversees the Cholmeley Harrison Archive and Library in Emo Court.
Maelle Champenois is a French native with a background in French literature and media and moved to her adopted county of Kilkenny in 1999. Working for the OPW for the last 22 years, she has managed the dedicated team of guides at Kilkenny Castle since 2018.
Eimear Cuddihy is a member of the Heritage Marketing and Trade Promotion Team in OPW. She attends many overseas and domestic trade and consumer events. She previously worked as a Guide/ Information Officer at Dublin Castle and with IMMA. Eimear has a BA in Italian and English from Trinity College Dublin.
William Derham is the Buildings Curator of Dublin Castle and is responsible for researching, presenting, supporting the conservation of, and interpreting the Castle’s buildings and interiors. He is a graduate of the Dublin School of Architecture, T.U. Dublin, and studied Building Repair and Conservation at Trinity College Dublin.
Shauna Fox has been working for the OPW for eight years across multiple sites. She now works in Heritage Marketing. Her studies include English and History, Film, Journalism, and Marketing, all of which have allowed her to pursue her passions for writing, mythology, Irish history and film.
Rebecca Kavanagh has been working for the OPW since 2017. She initially started at the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin and is now part of the Communications unit’s digital marketing team.
Peter Kenny has over 24 years of experience working as a guide at Kilkenny Castle. Born and bred in Kilkenny, Peter has a passion for local heritage with a particular interest in medieval history and the Butler family. He gives talks about a variety of subjects regularly as part of Kilkenny Castle educational programme.
Joseph Lynch holds a Masters in Environmental History and works for the Office of Public Works in the National Botanic Gardens and previously at St. Audoen’s Church. He has a keen interest in traditional customs, the use of native plants and researching the cultural and social history of the Gardens.
Contributors
Dr. Darach Lupton is Curator at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Kilmacurragh and the John F. Kennedy Arboretum.
Séilí Ann Ní Loinsigh has worked at Ionad an Bhlascaoid – The Blasket Centre for the past six seasons. She is a Gaelic footballer and Irish language tutor, an avid set-dancer and has a deep interest in wellness and self-development.
Michèle O’ Dea is a Senior Conservation Architect with the Office of Public Works. Michèle worked in the private sector in Ireland, the US and Germany before returning to Ireland to complete her post graduate studies in urban and building conservation. She is currently responsible for the care and presentation of National Monuments in the west of Ireland.
Flora O’Mahony is a Senior Conservation Architect with the Office of Public Works. Flora has worked in the National Monuments division of Heritage Services since 2006 and is responsible for the care and conservation of state-owned National Monuments in the South East of Ireland.
Mary O’Neill-Moloney is Head Guide at the National Botanic Gardens Kilmacurragh, with a formal background in Horticulture and Business Management. She set up and developed Rhododendron Week to create a greater awareness of the genus and to provide an extensive educational resource which is available on OPW YouTube and Social Media channels.
Caroline Pegum is Editorial Manager of OPW’s new annual research journal ‘Irish Heritage Studies’. Caroline worked with the Art Management Group in 1997, and has researched two publications for OPW, ‘Building for Government. The Architecture of State Buildings, OPW: Ireland 1900–2000’ and ‘Leinster House: 1744–2000 An Architectural History’, co-authored with David J. Griffin (both 2000).
Charlotte Salter-Townshend is is a Marketing Officer for Heritage Ireland OPW. She studied Public History and Cultural Heritage at Trinity College Dublin. For a decade, she worked a guide at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, designing and delivering talks and tours on a wide range of topics and issues relating to plant life.
Emma Timoney has worked with the OPW since 2016, at Parke’s Castle, Sligo Abbey and Donegal Castle. Since 2022, she is the Supervisor Guide for these sites. Emma has a BA in Anthropology/ Archaeology, University of Oregon (2014) and an MA in Museum Studies, University College Cork (2023).
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Scattery Island Co. Clare
Michèle O’Dea MRIAI Senior Architect Heritage Services - Conservation Office of Public Works
Scattery Island or ‘Inish Cathaigh’ is located some twenty kilometres east of the mouth of the Shannon Estuary and two kilometres from the coast of Kilrush. The island extends to over seventy hectares, of which approximately fifty hectares were farmed into the later twentieth century.
Throughout its fifteen centuries of occupation, in addition to the ecclesiastical heritage, there is a Napoleonic battery; a nineteenthcentury lighthouse and dwelling houses.
One of the most significant events in the modern history of the island was the salvaging of the Windsor Castle in March 1843. Pilots who guided shipping through the estuary noticed an abandoned ship off Loop Head, towed it to Kilbaha and secured its cargo.
On the eastern side of the island, the recently restored Street was once home to the Scattery pilots and the island’s post office. Bobby McMahon and his sister Patricia (Patti) McMahon, the former postmistress, were the last to leave in 1978. The post-box remains in place outside their house. Although the front of the Edwardian post box is missing, the lip above the posting slot is embossed Post Office while the bottom edge bears the maker’s name of W.T. Allen & Co London.
Above
Scattery Island from the air.
Credit: Clare County Council.
Below
Teampall na Marbh, Scattery Island.
Credit: OPW.
The Street, Scattery Island. Prior to restoration.
Credit: OPW.
For a reward, they received over one hundred pounds each, which six put towards leases from Francis Keane for smallholdings on the island. Over the years, other families joined them; census returns record that six new houses were built on the island up to 1851.
Following the departure of the last residents and successful negotiations by Kilrush Community Development Group (KCDL) to purchase the island, the OPW took ownership of the island in 1989 on behalf of the State and it is now a National Monument in state care.
The OPW has undertaken several phases of works on Scattery. Four houses opposite the pier were restored and adapted for new uses in 2002, by which time they were mostly roofless and at risk of further loss.
Two farmsteads beside the inland side of the northern lagoon have been consolidated and restored, as has the former Keane summerhouse at the north end of the island.
The single storey buildings of the Street consist of coursed rubble walls; brick chimneys, timber joinery in openings supported by timber or stone lintels, and were originally predominantly thatched roofs with additional corrugated metal roofs and slate roofs. The houses are the ‘direct-entry’ type of cottage, which was common in this area.
Carboniferous flagstones were extensively used in the buildings as flooring and threshold stones. Flagstones survived in a number of houses and outbuildings and were carefully cleaned and rebedded throughout.
Reinstatement of windows and doors was based on surviving fragments and details supplemented by historic photographs. Windows are of timber sliding sash style varying with either four or six panes of glass. The choice of colours for the individual houses was based on the recollections of a former island resident who was able to recall the colour of each door in the terrace of the Street.
The houses on the island were for the most part thatched and roped thatching was the dominant style on Scattery c.1900.
By 1970, this style had been replaced on the island by ‘outside scollop’ thatching. However, the decision was made to reroof the buildings in corrugated metal sheeting, as the islanders had left them and as the life span of roped thatch is quite short and requires constant maintenance.
The carpenters and apprentices based in the Heritage Services Athenry depot have made a number of replica pieces of furniture in the vernacular style for the houses. These are based on the furniture from the west coast in the National Museum of Ireland, Country Life reserve collection in storage in Mayo and measurements and drawings of the objects on display.
Acknowledgments:
Terri Sweeney Meade, APA; Ronan Maguire, Architect; Frank Geraghty, District Works Manager; Michael Heraghty, Foreman; Tom Blunnie, GO / Skipper; Heritage Services, Claremorris; M. Fitzgibbon Contractors; C&S Engineering OPW; Heavey Kenny Associates; Inis Environmental; OPW Regional Office Limerick; M&E Services OPW; Dept. HLGH; NPWS.
Above
Scattery Island from the pier. Credit: OPW. Interior of restored house, the Street, Scattery Island. Credit: OPW. Restored houses, the Street, Scattery Island. Credit: OPW.
Donegal Town’s 550th Anniversary
Emma Timoney
To celebrate Donegal Town’s 550th Anniversary, a Steering Committee has organised an exciting calendar of events in 2024. The official launch of the programme took place at Donegal Castle at 5.50pm on Friday 15 March.
Donegal Town is one of Ireland’s most historic places. In 1474, Lady Nuala O’Donnell established a Franciscan Abbey on the shores of Donegal Bay. Around the same time, her husband Red Hugh O’Donnell the First, Lord of Tír Chonaill, founded Donegal Castle. The town of Donegal grew up around
these two great buildings and became the capital of the kingdom of Tír Chonaill.
Under the O’Donnell Lords, who were treated as sovereign princes by the Kings of France, Spain and Scotland, Donegal was akin to being the capital of an independent country for 130 years. Even after the O’Donnell’s were overthrown following the Battle of Kinsale, the town was reputedly the place where the Annals of the Four Masters were written.
Credit: Siobhan MacGowan.
Emma Timoney, OPW Supervisor Guide at Donegal Castle, was MC on the launch night. She introduced the following esteemed speakers:
Bernie Mulhern, Chairperson Donegal Town Community CLG Chamber
Pauric Kennedy, Mayor of Donegal Town
Counsellor Tom Conaghan, Cathaoirleach Municipal District
Joan Crawford, Fáilte Ireland Manager County Donegal
Liam Ward, Deputy CE and Director of Community Development and Planning Services, Donegal County Council
Mary McGettigan, Donegal Town 550th Steering Committee
Dr Matthew Potter, Curator Limerick Museum
The year of celebration was officially launched by Dr. Matthew Potter with the projection of the 550th logo onto Donegal Castle. The castle is illuminated with the logo each night, showing the OPW’s support for this community initiative through the year.
Refreshments provided by Donegal Outside Catering and music by Goladoo.
Michele O’Dea and Rosemary Bradley were the OPW Senior Architects responsible for getting this project to site, along with Conor Byrne M&E Engineer and Cundall Consultancy and Eamon McGauran Contractors.
Marie McCalloig, Emma Timoney and Mary McGettigan at the launch of Donegal 550. Credit: Siobhan MacGowan.
Conor Byrne, Rosemary Bradley, Fiona Meehan, Emma Timoney, Anne McCaughey, Sean Browne, Marcella Hargadon, Mark Keane, Christina Jose Irwin. Credit: Siobhan MacGowan
Restoration Works at The Record Tower Dublin Castle
William Derham
The Record Tower is one of the oldest surviving parts of Dublin Castle, and one of the oldest buildings in the city of Dublin. It was constructed between 1204 and 1228 and was the largest of four round towers that formed the corners of the medieval castle of Dublin. Over the centuries, two of these towers disappeared entirely while a third, the Bermingham Tower, was rebuilt in the 1770s and can be seen from the Castle’s Dubh Linn Gardens today.
During its 800 years, the Record Tower served as a medieval wardrobe, where expensive materials and goods were stored; as a gun platform, with a cannon mounted on top of it; and as a prison, where state prisoners were incarcerated following rebellions, such as those of 1798 and 1803.
Between 1811 and 1813, an extra floor was added to the Tower and it was turned into a repository for important state papers and documents. It was at this time that it became known as the ‘Record Tower’. It continued to fulfil this purpose up until the early 1990s, when the records were moved to the National Archives of Ireland.
In conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, the Office of Public Works embarked on a major project of conservation and redevelopment of the Record Tower in 2017. The works undertaken encompass both the fabric of the Tower itself, the sensitive addition of a new staircase and rooftop walkway, and an interpretative fit-out that will help to bring the Tower and its fascinating stories to life for visitors.
The physical fabric repairs have been sensitively undertaken and – a sign of good conservation – can barely be noticed. The Tower’s windows have been restored, while internal fixtures and fittings have been carefully conserved.
A new staircase is being poured in concrete, in situ, in a small triangular yard, hidden between the Tower and the State Apartments. This will lead visitors up onto the roof, where they will be able to view the Castle and the city from the level of the battlements.
The interpretation will consist mostly of audio and projection elements, which will complement the storytelling expertise of our Guiding Team at Dublin Castle. A selection of original historic objects will also be displayed on the top floor of the Tower, linking visitors tangibly with the past.
This building has stood as silent witness to the nation’s history for 800 years, as it unfolded in and around the historic complex of Dublin Castle. It will re-open to the public towards the end of 2024.
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The Upper Courtyard, Dublin Castle. Credit: Donal Murphy.
Artists Impression of Record Tower, Level 2.
Credit: Bright.
View of the Record Tower from Dubh Linn Gardens.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Opposite page
Record Tower, Dublin Castle.
Credit: Donal Murphy, Office of Public Works.
Recruitment Campaign ‘Where Roots Begin’
Rebecca Kavanagh
The OPW’s new careers campaign, “Where Roots Begin,” aims to attract skilled horticulturalists and heritage guides to its network of historic sites. This initiative highlights the diverse and rewarding job opportunities available at over 70 sites managed by OPW’s Visitor Services.
Several historic sites under the OPW’s management are seeking to expand their teams including the National Botanic Gardens, Phoenix Park, Dublin Castle, Kilkenny Castle, Heywood Gardens, Doneraile Court, Annes
Grove Gardens, Derrynane, and Garinish Island.
The OPW is particularly interested in gardeners with a Level 7 qualification in horticulture and experience in biodiversity-friendly practices such as grassland management, herbaceous borders, and pollinator-friendly planting. Heritage guides who can passionately communicate Ireland’s rich cultural heritage to local communities, school groups and visitors are also in high demand.
Rosemary Collier, Assistant Secretary at the OPW, expressed her enthusiasm for the new campaign: “‘Where Roots Begin’ showcases the invaluable work of our gardeners and heritage guides across Ireland. We aim to open up these remarkable work environments through virtual reality, inspiring those with a passion for Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage to join our team.”
This campaign is part of the OPW’s ongoing efforts to meet its climate and biodiversity commitments while enhancing the visitor experience at Ireland’s historic sites. By recruiting dedicated professionals, the OPW continues to preserve and present Ireland’s heritage at its very best.
To keep up to date on the latest news and job opportunities, follow the OPW on LinkedIn: @opwireland
This page Guide at reception in Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh Conamara - Pearse’s Cottage and Visitor Centre, Ros Muc, Co. Galway.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Gardeners at work on OPW properties. Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
Opposite page
Gardener at work in the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Glasnevin, Dublin.
Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
Promoting OPW Heritage Sites Worldwide
Eimear Cuddihy
The Digital Marketing and Trade Promotion team based in Dublin Castle promotes OPW heritage sites online and in person to the tourism and trade buyers (B2B or business to business) worldwide.
The team also attends many consumer (B2C, business to consumer) events every year, such as Bord Bia Bloom, Holiday World Show and The National Ploughing Championships,
At trade or B2B events, we meet with international buyers and we showcase the incredible cultural and historic value of our heritage sites, sharing the rich and diverse stories from over 70 sites around the Island of Ireland.
The OPW team also host follow up and introductory webinars for travel agents and tour operators. During these online events, we focus on a theme or destination such as IHH, (Irish Hidden Heartlands), to show them sites in this area that could be part of an itinerary for group travel or FITs (Frequent Independent Travellers).
We assist Fáilte Ireland in organising familiarisation trips for travel trade buyers. These visits are an opportunity for buyers to meet the amazing guide staff at OPW sites in person and experience the sites for themselves.
The team travels to overseas in person B2B events in markets that are well established for tourism in Ireland such as North America, UK, France, Spain, Italy and we also promote our sites to new or emerging markets such as the Nordics. In March, OPW was represented at the Tourism Ireland Nordics Workshop where OPW sites were promoted to over 50 top tour operators from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
The team attended the World Travel Market London in November of 2023 and were located on the Tourism Ireland’s stand in the middle of the arena. Some fantastic connections were made here with over 60 meetings taking place over the three-day event.
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A group visiting Doneraile Court and Estate, Co. Cork. Credit: Ballyhoura Fáilte
The Marketing and Promotion Team. (L to R) Charlotte Salter-Townshend, Aisling Heffernan, Eimear Cuddihy, Shauna Fox. Credit: Leon Farrell.
Opposite page Meitheal 2024, INEC, Killarney, Co. Kerry Credit: Valerie O Sullivan.
Throughout the year we follow up with our trade contacts to inform them of sites that are new or reopening following conservation work or have been updated as part of the Strategic Partnership between OPW and Fáilte Ireland, such as the Blasket Centre and the Céide Fields Visitor Centre in 2022.
Up to date digital resources such as Trade Catalogues with detailed information about each site are available for trade and public groups on heritageireland.ie
Irish Heritage Studies annual research journal
Caroline Pegum
In 2023, the Office of Public Works (OPW) announced the launch of a new annual research journal, Irish Heritage Studies, and invited submissions for the first volume.
Established in 1831 (and with antecedents dating back to 1670), the OPW has three principal areas of responsibility: managing much of the Irish State’s property portfolio; managing Ireland’s flood risk; and maintaining and presenting 70 heritage sites, including national monuments, historical properties and their collections. Irish Heritage Studies aims to explore the OPW’s rich history, which ranges from civil engineering, famine relief and loan administration to major building projects, and architectural and archaeological conservation.
Published in association with Gandon Editions, the journal will showcase original critical research rooted in the substantial portfolio of material culture in the care of, and managed by, the OPW: built heritage; historical, artistic, literary and scientific collections; the national and international histories linked to these places and objects; and its own long organisational history. Journal articles will contribute to a deeper understanding of this remarkable collection of national heritage, and investigate new perspectives on aspects of its history.
Irish Heritage Studies is expected to form a valuable record of new historical research findings which will be of national and international interest. It derives from an ongoing curiosity to learn more about the people and histories represented by
the historical properties, landscapes, archives and collections in the care of the OPW.
These properties range from prehistoric megalithic cemeteries, ancient ringforts and early medieval monastic sites to Norman castles and fortified houses and on to an impressive inheritance of Georgian and later buildings, right up to the monuments that preserve our revolutionary history of the twentieth century. In essence, this is the story of Ireland’s architectural history as well as that of the people of Ireland: its folklore, culture, traditions, and lost or overlooked histories.
The survival of collections and archives relating to these places – including OPW’s official papers in the care of the National Archives – offers a great deal of potential for future research. The journal will complement OPW’s ongoing programme of exhibitions, publications, academic partnerships, conferences and visitor engagement, and is designed to appeal to an interested public, specialist and professional readership.
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Wedgewood black Jasperware mantelpiece garniture, mixed pieces with dates ranging c.1780–c.1820. Emo Court & Parklands, Co. Laois. Credit: Office of Public Works.
‘Aviation’ by Gabriel Hayes (1909–78), carved limestone relief, 1942. Lintel over main entrance to the Department of Industry and Commerce, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin. Credit: Office of Public Works.
Opposite page Cormac’s Chapel, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, consecrated in 1134. Credit: Office of Public Works.
With thanks to the Working Group involved in this Project which consisted of Caroline Pegum, Hugh Bonar, Jacquie Moore, Mary Heffernan and Myles Campbell.
Professor Terence Dooley, Director of Maynooth University’s Centre for the Study of Historic Irish Houses and Estates, and a member of the journal’s Advisory Board, said:
“This is an extremely exciting and timely initiative from the OPW which will give established and emerging scholars a wonderful publication platform to disseminate new findings and knowledge relating to the OPW’s properties and collections, and also provide much necessary wider historical contexts to understand a whole range of histories, be they in the field of architecture, material culture, landscape design, social history, prosopographical history and on to research infinity.”
Irish Heritage Studies is supported by an Advisory Board comprised of established scholars, museum and heritage professionals and academics with expertise in various areas of the journal’s scope. The working group are Caroline Pegum, Hugh Bonar, Jacquie Moore, Mary Heffernan and Myles Campbell.
The first volume will be published in hardcopy and e-book formats in spring 2025, and submissions for future volumes are always welcome; visit www.gov.ie/ en/campaigns/irish-heritage-studies for all the details.
Recent OPW conservation works uncover insight into Damer House Construction
Flora O’Mahony
Roscrea is fortunate to possess a wealth of historical monuments, which includes the monastic foundation established in the seventh century to the pre-Palladian Queen Anne style eighteenth-century Damer House. The OPW has been involved with Roscrea since Roscrea Castle became a National Monument in 1908.
Damer House, situated in Roscrea’s 13th-century castle courtyard, was threatened with demolition in the early 1970s until it was rescued by the Irish Georgian Society and restored to the point where it was opened to the public in 1977. In 1983, ownership
transferred to the Roscrea Heritage Society, and the state took over in 1986. The OPW has since undertaken extensive conservation work to both the house and castle.
The Black Mills building on Church street, located beside two other National Monuments – Roscrea’s Round Tower, and the 12th-century Romanesque gable of St. Cronan’s church – which came into State care in 1991 was also the subject of major restoration works in recent times. The Black Mills complex contains the original Cross of St. Cronan.
Opposite page Damer House, Roscrea, Co Tipperary
Credit: Tipperary Tourism
Above
The access scaffold covered the entire north façade for the duration of the works.
Right
A view of the Great Hall of Gate Tower, Roscrea Castle following these works.
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland
The 1970s restoration of Damer House was undertaken with the assistance of volunteers, with further extensive restoration in the late 1980s to address dry rot. Mid-20th century neglect and indifferent care during military use, left legacy issues that required attention. By 2019, the north façade windows were in poor condition, requiring extensive repair due to serious water ingress caused by the deteriorated stone window surrounds. Significant gaps between the stone wall, decorative architraves, and window frames allowed water ingress, necessitating repairs to the timber windows to prevent further damage and loss.
Believed to be built for Joseph Damer, MP for Tipperary from 1735 to his death in 1737, the house is a contemporary of Mount Levers Court in Sixmilebridge. Investigations into the fabric required for the necessary repair strategy of the windows, provided insights into the house’s construction and completion, which had previously been speculative. These supported the idea that the death of Joseph Damer and architect
John Rothery likely halted construction temporarily and effected the way in which the house was ultimately completed. National Monument stonemasons, discovered two distinct construction periods: one for the basement and entry-level floor, and another for the first and second floors. Economies in construction are suggested by the omission of quoins, the absence of string courses, inadequately designed window arches, varying sizes of window jambs, window cills being made from two pieces of stone, and the entrance steps constructed in blocks of stone rather than monolithic steps.
The relatively plain interior also supports the claim that the death of Joseph Damer impacted the subsequent completion of the house, with some reception rooms lacking in expected decorative elements. The top floor may have been intended for a ‘Long Gallery,’ similar to Mount Ievers, but again this was not realised.
The OPW stone masons also found evidence that the house was likely intended to be externally rendered,
Weathered and unsound window jamb. All the timber window boxes and sashes were in poor condition prior to the works.
Stonemason prepares new lintel profile.
Window No. 9 after repair.
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland.
Repaired window No.9 in OPW depot, primed and ready to be fitted on site.
with carved window surrounds projecting some 40 to 70mm from the face of the rubble stone wall - deep enough to accommodate a lime render which in turn would have highlighted the carved stone of the façade. Most crucially it would have made the walls waterproof, which the current walls certainly are not. The standard of the rubble wall construction was also considered indifferent by the masons.
Investigations into the fabric during the work by the design team provided a unique opportunity to document not only the repair work but also the details of the house’s construction. In repairing the window surrounds, only those elements that had failed structurally were replaced. Broken jambs, lintels and keystones that couldn’t be salvaged were substituted with new stone. Less than 8% of the original stone was replaced, with the remainder using reinforced repair mortar and stone consolidation measures. Fortunately, a local quarry in the Slieve Blooms supplied the appropriate replacement stone.
The front door surround is the finest feature of the exterior facades. Its finely carved detailing had been obscured by up to 20 layers of military grade white paint since at least the middle of the nineteenth century. These were painstakingly removed from the carved stone Corinthian pilasters, architrave, frieze and pediment and repaired. This door surround and a total number of 26 window surrounds were conserved and repaired by our craft stonemasons / stonecutters located in our Roscrea depot over a 30 month period and the original window boxes, sashes and internal shutters were repaired and refurbished by Kilkenny National Monuments craft carpenters.
The project afforded our apprentices in both stonemasonry and carpentry to gain valuable work experience under the tutelage of our operational team and the skills learnt will help us in our remit to continue to preserve and protect other such National Monuments into the future.
Completed conservation of the north façade of Damer House.Roscrea.
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland.
Women, Water and Wisdom
The Custom House Visitor Centre, Dublin
Shauna Fox
Fourteen faces look out over Dublin City, their countenances ranging from pensive, to sorrowful, to jolly. These are the River God heads carved into the keystones of Dublin’s Custom House by Edward Smyth. All of them have a story to tell, many steeped in Celtic mythology, tied to the tales of the Tuatha de Danánn and their beliefs, the goddesses they worshipped. Though 13 of them are represented as male, some of their origins are connected with women, particularly the Shannon and the Boyne.
While these mythological women are now hidden behind the male faces displayed on the Custom House, it is important to bring their stories back to the forefront and reveal how women, their association with water, and the search for wisdom all intertwine.
The stories connected to the Shannon and the Boyne are found in the Metrical Dindshenchas*, an early Irish text, which explains the mythological origins of the rivers. Within it there are poems referring to the women linked to the creation of the two rivers: Sinann and Boand.
It is to Connla’s well that Sinann ventures, where magical hazelnuts from the surrounding trees drop into the water. Here, Sinann searches for the one gift she does not possess – imbas, or wisdom – and is subsequently drowned.
Boand goes to the Segais well in search of mystical knowledge, which is guarded by her husband Nechtain, to ensure that no-one but he and his cup-bearers can have access to the “mysterious evil” hidden within its waters. However, Boand challenges
Custom House Visitor Centre night view Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
her husband’s rule and accesses the well, she is then attacked by the water, and drowned.
The rivers created out of their drowning are now named after them.
To understand the deeper connection between women and water, we need to look at the Tuatha de Danánn and their Mother Goddess, Danu. The Tuatha are a tribe of people living in Ireland around 1700BC. It is this tribe who later become known as the Fae. The Tuatha’s name literally translates to “Tribe of the Goddess Danu”.
Both Sinann and Boand are members of the Tuatha de Danánn, a people known for their wisdom, so it is perhaps for this reason that the two women go in search of what they feel they are owed as members of this tribe. But why go to the water in search of it?
Danu is referred to as the Mother of the Gods, and has many gifts to her name. She is seen as the goddess of rivers, wisdom and fertility. It is Danu
who is responsible for the Tuatha receiving their renowned knowledge, passing her wisdom onto her people.
The various interpretations of the meaning behind Danu’s name help solidify that connection between women, water, and wisdom: in the Scythian language Danu is said to mean ‘river’, while in old Irish dán means ‘gift or skill’. So in different languages, in different parts of the world Danu represents both water and wisdom.
It makes sense then that Sinann and Boand would go to the water in search of magical wisdom – a gift they wish to receive from their Mother Goddess.
But why then are they punished or drowned for their search? Danu is viewed as containing a duality within her, both as the nurturing, benevolent Mother Goddess, but also as the destructive Warrior Goddess. Archaeological findings often came across weapons and gold at the bottom of well or lake sites, signifying offerings to the gods. Neither Sinann
Custom House Visitor Centre reception
Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
River Gods
Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
nor Boand offered any gift or sacrifice to the goddess in return for imbas; perhaps the goddess felt insulted that the women would take her gift without anything in return, and drowned them for their insolence.
However, it could also be argued Danu gave them the greatest gift of all –immortality.
In Celtic mythology the Otherworld represents both the Faerie paradise realm and a spiritual realm for the dead. The Otherworld is viewed as the ultimate source of powerful knowledge with its access point found via water. For Sinann and Boand to be consumed by the water, it does not signify death for them, but a life in the Otherworld, and eternal access to the source of imbas forosna. Or rather they are imbas forosna, as they now become the access point to the Otherworld.
The connection between women, water and wisdom is an intrinsic one, one that has seeped from our mythologies into our realities, and is inherently linked to the depiction of the Mother Goddess and her knowledge.
In what way has it become reality, you ask? Well, where do you think we get the saying Mother Knows Best.
The Custom House Visitor Centre runs River God Tours during the summer months, the visitor centre is open year round. More info on heritageireland.ie
Visit celt.ucc.ie for access to the Dindshenchas.
To read the full article, and view the research sources used, visit heritageireland.ie
Custom House Visitor Centre exhibition area. Credit: Naoise Culhane Photography.
River Gods - River Boyne
Celebrating the Legacy of Garech Browne at Farmleigh House
Nuala Canny
In May 2024, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell, officiated at the launch of the partnership with the Browne Family Trust to create the Garech Browne Library and the Garech Browne Room in Farmleigh House.
Above: View of Portico of Farmleigh House. Credit: David H Davison.
Below: (L-R) Chris De Putron*, Tony Boylan*, Minister Kieran O’Donnell, Richard Ryan* and Rosemary Collier, OPW. *Trustees of the Browne Family Trust.
Garech Browne (25th June 193910th March 2018), was the son of Oonagh Guinness and Dominick Geoffrey Browne, Baron Oranmore and Browne and grandson of Hon. Arthur Ernest Guinness, Earl of Iveagh. His remarkably wide-ranging interests, included, but was not limited to, international literature, art, music, philosophy, religions, history, and horticulture. His collections include many precious items of great rarity and of specialised interest. Garech corresponded with many of Ireland’s
greatest writers of the twentieth century and there are many signed and dedicated first editions of their works in the collection.
The Garech Browne Library and exhibition room boasts an impressive collection of books, manuscripts, and personal memorabilia collected by the late Garech Browne during his lifetime. The purpose-built library space houses approximately 20,000 items, ranging from Asian manuscripts and family heirlooms to Irish traditional music manuscripts and contemporary literary and art collections.
Cover of ‘ The Quare Fellow’
This first edition of The Quare Fellow was dedicated to Garech Browne by Brendan Behan went they met in Dublin Airport 20 Jan 1960.
Garech was a friend of Behan whom he met through his mother Oonagh Guinness. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Brown Family Trusts 2023.
The Garech Browne Room at Farmleigh House showcases an array of artworks and personal items reflecting Garech Browne’s life and broad range of interests, including his work in recording Irish traditional music and his passion for Irish and international poetry. Items will be periodically changed to highlight the library’s contents and celebrate Garech’s significant contribution to Irish and international literature, art, and music.
Speaking in May, Minister O’Donnell said:
“This is another example of our cultural institutions, private collectors and donors placing trust in the OPW to ensure a variety of important collections and legacies are shared with the people of Ireland. I would like to thank everyone involved in making this happen.”
In his later years, Garech Browne expressed his wish to endow an institutional repository that would ensure the integrity, care and security of the library’s contents. Trustees of the Browne Family Trusts, Richard Ryan and Tony Boylan, identified Farmleigh as the ideal location for the library, entering into a Loan Agreement with the OPW to make this vision a reality. The Garech Browne Library is currently undergoing the cataloguing process and will soon be available for study and research purposes by appointment. Scholars from both Ireland and around the world will have access to this extraordinary collection, highlighting Garech Browne’s dedication to preserving and celebrating literature, art, and music.
Entrance Hall, Farmleigh House. Credit: David H Davison.
Homes for Wildlife
The Butler Trail
Maelle Champenois and Peter Kenny
Kilkenny Castle.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Butler Genealogy.
Credit: Office of Public Works, Kilkenny Castle Collections.
The Main Guard Courthouse, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Credit: Tipperary Tourism.
The Main Guard, Clonmel
Explore the medieval heartlands of Kilkenny and Tipperary to discover centuries of drama, romance, intrigue and deadly rivalries as you follow in the footsteps of the powerful Butler dynasty.
As the main Irish residence of the Butler Family, Kilkenny Castle is deeply intertwined with the story of one of the most powerful dynastic families in Ireland. The Butler Family left a tangible legacy within Kilkenny city and county but also beyond in the neighbouring county of Tipperary.
Arriving in Ireland with Prince John in 1185, Theobalt Walter, founder of the powerful Butler family, was granted the Pincerna Domini Comtis Moretoniae in Hiberna, the hereditary office of Chief Butler of Ireland, as well as a sizeable amount of land in North Munster. This land later developed into the Palatinate of Tipperary which was granted by Edward III to James Earl of Ormond in 1328.
The Butler Family had an immense influence in Tipperary and left marks of their heritage with multiple castles and buildings that can still be visited today as part of the Butler Trail. The trail provides a unique opportunity to learn about Irish history through the stories of the Butler family and highlights the connections and shared stories between Kilkenny Castle and other OPW sites.
James Butler, First Duke of Ormond, who transformed Kilkenny Castle into a French chateau at the restoration of the monarchy, is responsible for the present Main Guard. At the height of his political power, James commissioned this elegant building in 1674 to serve as the courthouse of the Palatinate. In March 1689, it had hosted James II who rested here on his way to his reception in Dublin. The Main Guard had multiple functions over the centuries and its name is a reminder that the building was once upon a time used as an army barracks.
Roscrea Castle, Roscrea
Originally built in the 13th century, Roscrea Castle remained in the Butler Family ownership for over 400 years. During the Wars of the Roses, the Castle was at the heart of tensions between the Butlers, the O’Briens, the Fitzgeralds and the O’Carrolls. In the 16th century, the Castle was put up for rent by Thomas Butler, 10th earl of Ormond, until James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, sold it in 1703, in settlement of his vast debts.
Cahir Castle, Cahir
One of the best preserved castles in Ireland, Cahir Castle was granted to James Butler, 2nd earl of Ormond In 1375 and became the main seat of a branch of the family descendant from Piers Butler. Reputed to be an impregnable stronghold, Cahir Castle was successfully besieged by the Earl of Essex, a favourite of Elizabeth I, in 1559 during the Nine Years War. The direct line of Butler ownership ended after almost 600 years when the last Lord Cahir died in 1961.
Tipperary County Council has developed Butler Trail resources, including detailed itineraries including OPW sites and other points of interest in the county. There is interpretive signage to guide and inform you along the route in each town. Visit tipperary.com/the-butler-trail.
Butler Family coat of arms, Main Gate Kilkenny Castle.
Credit: Office of Public Works.
Roscrea Castle, Co Tipperary. Credit: Chris Hill.
Cahir Castle, Credit: Liam Murphy.
Swiss Cottage, Cahir
Located near Cahir Castle this early 19th-Century cottage orné (ornamental cottage) was commissioned around 1810 by Richard Butler 1st Earl of Glengall, it is attributed to the English Regency architect John Nash, who was to design other Butler properties. This fairytale like building was used by the Butler family to escape the formality of their aristocratic lifestyle but also to entertain their guests during the summer time.
Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir
One of the finest example of Tudor architecture in Ireland, Ormond Castle was originally granted to Edmund Butler, 6th Chief Butler of Ireland in 1315. The Castle has a strong association with Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, who is responsible for the addition of the Elizabethan manor attached to the medieval structure.
Thomas spend lavishly on intricate woodcarving and ornate plasterworks, a unique surviving example of early decorative plasterworks in Ireland. Ormond Castle was a favourite residence of the main branch of the family until the death of Thomas’ grandson, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde in 1688.
Credit: Office of Public Works.
The Swiss Cottage.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Ormond Castle.
Credit: Government of Ireland National Monuments Service Photographic Unit.
The Butler Trail offers a different way to approach heritage by presenting a variety of historical sites and monuments with a common thread; the Butler Family. Although the trail is specific to the Butler family and the county of Tipperary, it does remind us that castles, mansions and other heritage sites are rarely standalone monuments but rather are set within an historical ecosystem with multiple connections and common themes crossing centuries and borders creating multiple opportunities to expand our learning.
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, Artist Unknown.
A day in the life Information Officer at Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir/The Blasket Centre
Séilí Ann Ní Loinsigh
Resplendent views of the Blasket Island Archipelago are my reward for cycling up the steep hills of the Dingle Peninsula on my journey to work each day in Ionad an Bhlascaoid – The Blasket Centre, located at the western edge of the Dingle Peninsula in Dún Chaoin.
The islands are rugged and windswept, the first place where the Atlantic meets land and the Blaskets are regularly battered by crashing waves and powerful gales. I often reflect on the community who made those undulating slopes rising from the sea their home. The island is tiny, but the cultural contribution of its people is immense.
Technically, my job title is ‘Information Officer’, but I prefer to think of our team as Sharers of Stories and Conveyors of Culture. We have the privilege of connecting the current generation with the language, literature & legacy of the people of the Blasket Islands.
We have a huge mixture of visitors every day. They include tour groups and independent tourists from Ireland, Europe and North America as well as many Irish language students spending a few weeks on the Dingle Peninsula. Some are familiar with the Blasket story already but for many, the Blasket Centre is an intriguing new discovery.
We greet all visitors, give introductory talks about the history of the Islands to groups in our beautiful theatre, sell Blasket books from the bookshop, maintain the cleanliness of the exhibition and toilet facilities and answer visitors’ many questions to the best of our ability.
I find it fascinating how specific aspects of the Centre appeal to different people. Some take an interest in the authors. Others are drawn to the insights on the challenges of daily life on the Blaskets and others still are intrigued and inspired by the many pieces of art displayed throughout the exhibition. All of our team are constantly delighted by the positive reaction of our visitors to the Centre.
The Blasket Centre with island in the background. Credit OPW.
Blasket Island, Co.Kerry.
Credit: Therese Aheran for Tourism Ireland.
The Blasket Centre, Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Visitor Centre, Co Kerry.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Images on following page Séilí and visitors at the Blasket Island Visitor Centre.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
I recall one woman who was so enchanted by An Turas, Róisín De Buitléar’s grand, colourful, stained glass installation, which abstractly depicts journeys around the Great Blasket Island, that she herself was, inspired to create a patchwork tapestry made of the scrap fabric from the saris that she fashioned for her grandchildren.
The Blasket Centre is a soulful place. If I had to choose just one of the many elements that makes Ionad an Bhlascaoid so culturally special and significant, it would be the Irish language. A proverb states that ‘Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam’ - a country without a language is a country without a soul. The writings of the Blasket Islanders have significantly contributed to the preservation of the Irish language. Irish is the daily, spoken language of the team at the Blasket Centre – something that many visitors find fascinating in itself. I absolutely love speaking with and learning from my friends and colleagues who have an amazing wealth of language, proverbs and sayings.
Each day that the weather allows, ferries travel from Dún Chaoin and OPW guides will be on the island, providing tours of the village, answering questions and ensuring the safety of the many visitors who come from all over the world to enjoy the natural beauty of An tOileán Tiar – The Western Island.
On such days, a fellow guide and I will stroll down the iconic, ‘instaworthy’ path from the clifftop to Dún Chaoin pier. We pass clumps of sea pink blooming on the cliff face, with swooping fulmars gliding overhead and the salty air of the Atlantic greeting us from the turquoise water below. We often comment on just how blessed we are to have such an extraordinary place for a day’s work.
On the island, each of us guides deliver a unique and distinctive tour of the deserted Blasket village, reflecting our own styles and particular interests. We are also fortunate that we can vary the content of our tours depending on the group’s interest in the islands and the different aspects of island living. For
instance, musicians are often intrigued by the story of Port na bPúcaí, whilst visitors with Irish heritage are keen on the history of immigration and the ‘American wake.’
Each day is varied, whether in Ionad an Bhlascaoid or on the Island. Most days are wonderful, some are challenging (e.g. midges in August) but always interesting. I really enjoy sharing the stories and heritage of the remarkable people of the Blaskets for, as island author Tomás O’Crohan wrote, “ their likes will not be seen again”.
Wollemi Pine Exciting developments in
the conservation of one of the world’s most endangered trees
Dr. Darach Lupton
In a world in which extinction and loss of plants and animals is a recurrent and depressing theme there are occasional glimmers of hope and examples of extraordinary survival. One such was the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) of Australia, discovered alive in a remote gorge of Wollemi National Park and previously only known from 20 million year old fossils.
In 1994, David Noble, an Australian botanist came across a group of trees in a remote gorge in Wollemi National Park in New South Wales, just 150km from Sydney. This chance discovery of the Wollemi pine, a distant relative of the Monkey Puzzle tree, was a major botanical sensation. It was soon realised that it represented a wholly unknown living relative of a group of fossil trees dating back over 200 million years. The fact that only 89 individuals were known underlined their extreme vulnerability.
A major propagation project to replicate the trees and send them across the globe followed, with all proceeds being channelled into conservation measures within the Wollemi National Park of the Blue Mountains. As a conservation measure this has proved extremely successful in both ensuring the species survival, and discouraging collectors to search for the tree as it is now so readily available.
Unfortunately the risks of fungal disease to the native grove of 89 trees, as well the rise in bush fire intensity and prevalence, means that its long
term security is still uncertain. Whilst we have been growing this species in Ireland for the past 19 years, both in botanic gardens and in private gardens. The planting of twelve new trees in Ireland in late 2023, represents an exciting new chapter in conserving the Wollemi Pine.
Recent advances in DNA technology have, for first time, allowed the recognition of six distinct genetic strains amongst the surviving 89 wild trees. Formerly the population had been considered to lack any diversity at a genetic level.
In 2022, 174 young Wollemi pine trees, representing the six genetic strains grown by the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney were shipped from Australia. The trees were carefully looked after at Forestry England’s tree nursery at Bedgebury Pinetum in south east England. Six trees remain at Bedgebury, while the remaining trees have been distributed to 28 botanic gardens across the UK and Europe.
In 2023 the John F. Kennedy Arboretum, Co. Wexford and the Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens in Co. Wicklow were selected at suitable sites for this global conservation initiative. Twelve trees, representing two sets of each genetic strain were donated to the Office of Public Works – six to the JFK Arboretum and six to the Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens. The twelve Wollemi Pine trees will be monitored, in collaboration/
co-ordination with the other 28 European sites for the meta-collection.
The climate crisis means that across all continents many trees like Wollemi pines are facing urgent threats to their survival. We know that 34 per cent of conifers are now endangered and our ongoing work to research, propagate and save tree species is more vital than ever. Growing genetically diverse plantings of these trees is vital to maximise their adaptive ability to climate change and crucial for the meaningful long-term success of restoration projects.
The importance of the JFK Arboretum has gained international standing in recent years. In addition to our participation in the Wollemi Pine meta-collection project the arboretum has made signification contributions to the International Conifer Conservation Programme – a global leader in study and conservation of endangered confer trees. In 2022 over 10 acres of new planting established some of the world’s most endangered conifers at the arboretum. Comprising of 1300 trees, representing 24 endangered conifer species the planting is the single largest planted collection of the International Conifer Conservation Programme in the world.
John F Kennedy Arboretum is one of the 32 National Historic Properties under the care of the Office of Public Works (OPW). Dr Matthew Jebb is the Director of the National
Botanic Gardens sites including John F Kennedy Arboretum. Curator Dr Darach Lupton, Site Foreman Kevin Naughton and HEO Delia Hickey oversee the management and operations of the site.
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John F Kennedy Arboretum OPW Team. Credit: Aidona Photography
Kilmacurragh, The National Botanic Gardens. Credit: Fáilte Ireland
John F Kennedy Visitor Centre, Co. Wexford. Credit: Bernard Van Giessen.
Opposite Page Wollemi pine closeup. Credit: Bernard Van Giessen.
Aughnanure Castle Gets Weaving
The guide team at Aughnanure Castle
On 5th June 2024 the staff at Aughnanure Castle, Co. Galway, were delighted to welcome 45 children from four schools around Lough Corrib to the O’Flahertys’ castle for their first of a series of collaborative workshops and fieldtrips: a project dubbed LoughCorrib471.
Crossing the 471 metres at the Lough’s narrowest point between Kilbeg pier to the north and Knockferry pier to the south, organisers Corrib Beo brought the National Schools of Claran, Clydagh, St Annins, and Collinamuc, together with Helena McElmeel Architects,
artists Joanna McGlynn and Jennifer Cunningham, to start exploring the communities, ecology, built, archaeological, natural, and cultural heritage of the lake through arts and crafts; and received a full tour and workshop in Aughnanure Castle.
Aughnanure is one of the finest Gaelic Irish tower houses on the shores of Lough Corrib and indeed the west of Ireland. With an OPW guide, the group were shown the interior spaces of the restored castle as well as the remains of the banqueting hall with its fine Gaelic Renaissance carvings of grapevines,
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Aughnanure Castle Banqueting Hall Window.
Credit: Government of Ireland National Monuments Service Photographic Unit.
Opposite Page Aughnanure Castle, Co. Galway.
Credit: Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark.
and were regaled with stories of its past including the famed ‘stone of treachery’ from which the O’Flahertys sometimes despatched their unsuspecting visitors down to the caves below.
After the guided tour, the schools were given an exercise in basket-weaving, which used to be fundamental to life around the lake. The neighbouring townland is Ardnasillagh – the rise of willows; and willow baskets were used to lift stones in the construction of the castle; the ceilings and windows of the castle display some fine examples of wicker centring dating back to its construction in the 15th century.
At Aughnanure the staff look forward to the future of educational outreach programmes like this as they promote the importance of our built heritage in the hearts and minds of all the schools that attended.
Lough Corrib471 is funded by the Arts Council Ireland and will culminate in an installation this autumn in partnership with ‘Architecture at the Edge’ and the Headford ‘Something in the Water’ festivals.
Rhododendron Week at the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow
Mary O’Neill-Moloney
Every April, the gardens at Kilmacurragh are marked by the splendor of their two centuries old Rhododendron collection bursting into flower. The significance of these venerable trees is down to the site’s long association with the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin.
The Acton family, who built Kilmacurragh, established a long and fruitful friendship with David Moore and later his son Sir Frederick Moore, successive curators at Glasnevin. From the early 1850s, the Moore’s advised the Acton family on gardening matters and supplied the latest introductions of the great plant hunters, particularly from the Himalayan range. For over 70 years a regular exchange of plants resulted in Kilmacurragh becoming one of the best stocked private Gardens in Ireland. Today the collection boasts 180 species of rhododendrons and over 420 varieties.
Since taking over the management of the site in 1996, the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland have both restored, and greatly expanded the collection. Now an annual event in the calendar at the gardens, Rhododenron week in April, showcases the highlights of the collection and explores the stories behind them.
This year a series of events took place in situ and online including guided tours and video stories on ‘Historic and Plant Highlights’ available on Office of Public Works YouTube channel.
In collaboration with the RHS Rhododendron Camellia and Magnolia Group, Seamus O’ Brien gave an online lecture on ‘The Moores of Glasnevin’ and also led a walking tour of the gardens themed ‘The Rejuvenation of the Historic Rhododendron Collection at Kilmacurragh’.
The gardens at Kilmacurragh are open all year around and admission is free. Free guided tours take place, daily at 12:00 and 15:00 from midMarch to mid-October.
Kilmacurragh, The National Botanic Gardens, Co Wcklow.
Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Above
Rhododendron Reflections at Kilmacurragh.
Credit: Jonathan Hession.
Opposite Page
Rhododendron Close Up at Kilmacurragh.
Credit: Jonathan Hession.
Left
Anam Other Voices Music Series at OPW sites
Heritage Marketing Team
After the incredible success of last year’s first-ever series of Anam - Songs for Hearts & Minds, the Office of Public Works, collaborated again with the South Wind Blows, the production company behind Other Voices. South Wind Blows is one of Ireland’s leading creative production companies and have been at the forefront of music television and cultural programming for over 30 years.
These incredible Irish landmarks were magical backdrops for a diverse line-up, spanning indie, pop, folk, and traditional sounds.
Anam featured a debut from Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker who opened Anam at Tipperary’s Ormond Castle, alongside multi-instrumentalist polymath Uly and finger-picking guitar sensation Muireann Bradley.
A host of extraordinary Irish and international acts were selected to perform across four intimate historical venues around the country.
The brand new four-part series visited Dublin’s beautiful Pearse Museum in St Enda’s Park, 17th-century Parke’s Castle on the northern shores of Lough Gill in Leitrim, Carrick-on-Suir’s Elizabethan manor house of Ormond Castle and Jacobean Manor House, Portumna Castle in Galway.
The live performances were streamed worldwide on the YouTube and Facebook platforms of the Office of Public Works and Other Voices.
Audience members were selected by competition to attend and experience these unique events.
You can watch the performances on the Other Voices Live YouTube channel.
Parkes Castle, Co Leitrim. Credit: Fáilte Ireland
Ormond Castle, Co. Tipperary. Credit: Fáilte Ireland.
Oisín Leech performing at Portumna Castle. Credit: Giacomo Di Blasi
Pearse Museum, St. Enda’s Park, Dublin. Credit: Aidona Photography.
Events
Stories from the Gardens
Joseph Lynch
“Stories from the Gardens” is an exciting new project at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin where an exhibition will be held exploring the connections people have to the Gardens. The exhibition will be open to the public during National Heritage Week 2024 and will run until the end of September. This project is a unique opportunity to highlight the rich social history and cultural heritage a site like the Gardens builds up over time, reflecting the incredible transformation the country has undergone in the same period.
In the last one hundred years alone the Gardens have experienced many changes and recording the visitor story and experience has been overlooked in many ways in favour of recording its botanical and horticultural significance. The questions we are interested in exploring now are why people come to the gardens and equally what keeps them coming back? We would like to discover what visitors like about the gardens and what memories it evokes in them.
visit as part of a horticultural society or gardening group or just because they are keen gardeners or admirers of some of the seventeen thousand plant species growing in the gardens and visit throughout the year to observe their annual transformations.
Botanic Gardens are not just simply beautiful spaces, they are so much more to a wide range of people; from the ordinary person on the street who visits to enjoy the plant displays and collections, to those with an avid interest in plants, who regularly attend the extensive events programme of lectures, workshops, talks and tours as well as our special and very popular offerings at Halloween and Christmas with our Eco Christmas Market.
Opposite page Glasshouses at the Botanic Gardens.
Credit: Lawrence Collection, National Library of Ireland. Snowball fight at the front gate of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin.
Credit: Lawrence Collection, National Library of Ireland.
People’s connections to the Gardens can have many different facets. Perhaps a family member worked here over the years. For some it is their daily walk while for others a weekly stroll on a Sunday afternoon. Families also tend to come to the Gardens to mark important milestones in their lives, whether that be celebrating communions, confirmations and weddings or remembering those they have lost, providing a focal point for local communities in the area.
Many people are connected by study or employment at the gardens, some
The Gardens are also an important centre of conservation and research – the National Herbarium houses a collection of 600,000 dried plant specimens, rare books and botanical art collections and library as well being the location of the new national seedbank database. All sorts of people from all walks of life converge on the gardens due to their common and varied interest in plants with horticulturalists, scientists, ecologists, environmental organisations, sharing the space with artists, writers, historians, performers, students and teachers alike.
A call out was made to visitors to find out why and how people relate to the Gardens and we have received submissions ranging from admiration of our plant collections and the beauty of the Gardens, to important events that happened to ordinary visitors on significant historical dates, tales of
children letting their imagination lead them to many an adventure on a hot summers day and stories of first and everlasting love which began in the Gardens. The glasshouses are also huge draw for their architectural resonance and historical significance forming a major part of many peoples’ experience.
We hope to produce a story led, visually arresting exhibition that will seamlessly fuse stories from our own archive and collections, with memories, stories, connections and experiences from staff and visitor alike.
Events -
National Biodiversity Week 2024
Biodiversity Week – Homes for Wildlife
Charlotte Salter-Townshend
On 16 May, the eve of National Biodiversity Week, the annual OPW biodiversity conference ‘Homes for Wildlife’ took place in Dublin Castle, attracting an attendance of over 500 in person and online.
Invited speakers represented a range of State agencies and environmental NGOs, including National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Inland Fisheries Ireland,
the National Biodiversity Data Centre and BirdWatch Ireland; these were supplemented by presentations from various OPW business units.
From 17 to 26 May, more than 40 Biodiversity Week events took place across OPW heritage sites nationwide. Many our most biodiverse-rich habitats, such as bogs, lakes and seminatural grasslands exist at these sites. Our built heritage itself also provides homes for species such as bats, barn owls and swifts.
Welcoming National Biodiversity Week, Kieran O’Donnell T.D., Minister of State with Responsibility for the Office of Public Works, said:
“We are proud to be able to showcase our rich natural heritage across these sites, which are maintained by OPW staff to the highest standards of excellence. I wish to commend them for the hard work they undertake year-round and for organising such engaging and creative events.”
Families found plenty to enjoy across the week, with a range of workshops, tours, trails and other fun activities on
offer. Other events included in depth talks on biodiversity and conservation by leading experts.
Lorcán Scott, Biodiversity Officer at the Office of Public Works, said:
“Under the OPW’s stewardship, these sites support a myriad of habitats and species that we want to ensure are there for future generations to cherish… the OPW is demonstrating we can play our part in addressing the global biodiversity crisis, and the expert work of our gardeners and guides play no small part in this mission.”
In John F. Kennedy Arboretum, Co. Wexford, children learned about the wonders of our natural world by creating a ‘mandala’, a circular design that radiates out symmetrically from its centre. Using a range of colourful plant materials and working outwards from a Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi pine), participants learned all about this critically endangered conifer. Dubbed ‘the dinosaur tree’, fossil records show that Wollemi pines grew 200 million years ago, alongside the dinosaurs. John F Kennedy Arboretum plays a
crucial role in endangered conifer conservation. The site is home to single largest planted collection of the International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP), with 1,200 trees and representing 21 endangered species.
At Parkes Castle, Co. Leitrim, botanist and ecologist Dr Dolores Byrne led a hands-on, family friendly exploration of the biodiversity around the castle and along the lakeshore at Lough Gill. Children had the opportunity to collect invertebrates on the lakeshore, allowing them to meet and get to know Lough Gill’s bugs and fish.
Meanwhile, at Glendalough Monastic Site, Co. Wicklow, OPW and NPWS staff teamed up to run a Biodiversity Treasure Hunt. A shared plan and focus is crucial to our endeavours to protect and promote biodiversity.
The 4th National Biodiversity Plan (launched earlier this year at National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin) strives for a “whole of government, whole of society” approach to the governance and conservation of biodiversity.
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely. Local communities play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, and their involvement is crucial for the success of global conservation efforts. This engaging calendar of events served to highlight the importance the wildlife alongside which we all coexist, inspiring appreciation and the will to protect it.
Communications and Visitor Services commissioned videographers to capture footage of the events. You can watch these on the OPW YouTube channel.
A big thank you to everyone who took part in Biodiversity Week this year. We hope to continue to celebrate the wonders of nature at OPW heritage sites for many years to come.
Nature Mandala workshop at John F Kennedy Arboretum. Credit: Peter Cutler
Biodiversity Week walk at Corlea Trackway with Stephen Tobin (OPW guide) and Adam Mulvihill (Biodiversity Officer, Longford County Council).
Credit: Peter Cutler.
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A female kestrel perches on a wedge shaped tomb at Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Co. Sligo. The iconic outline of Ben Bulben is visible in the backdrop.
Credit: Sally Siggins.
Events
Heritage Week 2024
Charlotte Salter Townshend
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We are thrilled to announce two days of free admission to over 80 heritage sites on the 17th and 18th August, the opening weekend of National Heritage Week 2024.
Speaking at the OPW Launch of National Heritage Week at Clonmacnoise Monastic Site, Minister of State for the OPW Kieran O’ Donnell said:
“With more than 80 sites across the country, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. We hope that the public take full advantage of the range of creative, engaging, and imaginative events on offer for all ages.
A thread that runs throughout National Heritage Week and the wider work of the OPW heritage services is to stimulate interest, meaningful inclusion and community connection. The OPW is pleased to support National Heritage Week to ensure individuals, groups and families can get out and explore all that the country and its heritage attractions have to offer. Our free admission days allow greater numbers of visitors to connect with our past and hopefully gain a
deeper appreciation of the breadth and variety of sites cared for by the OPW. Clonmacnoise Monastic Site ties in perfectly with the theme. St Ciarán founded the monastery at this particular location due to its connections. It is accessible over roads but also via the River Shannon. A centre of learning, it became a university of its time, with a network of students all over Europe.”
The year’s theme is Connections, Routes and Networks. Events explore the ways we are connected to each other through physical or cultural connections.
Physical routes dot the landscape, roads, paths, boreens, rivers and canals, and remind us that societies have always strived to connect. Discover a pathway into our past at Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre in the form of a togher – an Iron Age road – built in 148 BCE. More recently, at Derrynane House, a 190-yearold poem by Daniel O’Connell’s daughter led to the discovery of a lost pathway in dense woodlands to the north of the Liberator’s house.
The exploration of our intangible heritage through this theme allows us to understand our connections through sport, pastimes, hobbies, family connections, religion and traditions. At Ionad Cultúrtha an
OPW launch of Heritage Week at Clonmacnoise. Nicola Gleeson, OPW Clonmacnoise, Minister Kieran O’ Donnell, Virginia Teehan, CEO of The Heritage Council, Tom Moore, OPW Clonmacnoise. Credit: Ray Ryan.
Phiarsaigh, Connemara – Pearse’s Cottage, you can explore what drew Patrick Pearse to Connemara – the area’s unique landscape and the ancient Gaelic culture and language which is still alive today.
Meanwhile, in Dublin, visitors to Pearse Museum – St Enda’s Park can see where the leader of the 1916 Rising, Patrick Pearse, and his brother Willie, lived and operated their pioneering Irish-speaking school from 1910 to 1916.
An initiative of the Heritage Council, supported by the Department of Housing,
Local Government and Heritage, National Heritage Week focuses on engaging with heritage in all its forms whether as individuals, families, communities or organisations.
Our events this year include a collaboration between OPW and NPWS guides at Glendalough Monastic Site and Visitor Centre, a communitygenerated exhibition of the social history of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin and an expert-led exploration of medieval pilgrimage in Tipperary at the Rock of Cashel.
* Free admission to all fee-paying sites except for Kilmainham Gaol Museum. For a full list of OPW Heritage Sites, please see heritageireland.ie
National Heritage Week runs from the 17 to 25 August 2024.
Visit www.heritageweek.ie for a full list of 2024 events.
Acknowledgements
A sincere thank you to the Editorial Team and all the contributors to this Summer 2024 issue of the Heritage Ireland magazine. The knowledge and passion for heritage across the organisation is wonderful to see, and we welcome submissions for the Winter 2024 edition.
Maeve McCormack, Assistant Principal, Visitor Services
Editorial Team:
Aisling Heffernan (Editor)
Charlotte Salter Townshend (Deputy Editor)
Fiona Meehan
Sinéad Maye
Deirbhle Hegarty
Connie Keaveney
Graphic Designers: Penhouse Design
Printers: RV International
Trim Castle
Credit: Tony Pleavin
Battle of the Boyne, Oldbridge Estate.
Credit: Enda Cavanagh