People's Park Athy

The Peoples Park in Athy owes its existence to a past Duke of Leinster. The Kildare Observer of 9th February 1887 reporting on the death of the 4th Duke, Charles William, who had succeeded to the title in 1874, claimed that he had given the Peoples Park to the people of Athy. In fact the Peoples Park was in existence long before Charles William became Duke. The Leinster Express of 15th September 1860 reported on the revival of the Kildare, Queens County and Carlow Horticultural Show after the lapse of 7 or 8 years. It was held in the Peoples Park. Strangely this is the earliest reference I have found to the Peoples Park among the various research notes I accumulated after consulting the Minute Books of the Town Commissioners and various local newspapers accessed many years ago. I am sure a more up to date examination of the newspapers for a decade or so before 1860 would help to accurately identify when the park was provided for the people of Athy. I am satisfied that the third Duke of Leinster, Augustus Frederick, who died in 1874 was the benefactor who created the Peoples Park. He was the same man whom it was claimed in 1836 ‘built a mansion for the Roman Catholic clergy of Athy.’ The ‘mansion’ is the current Parish Priest’s house which interestingly was built for all the clergy to live in community. Michael Carey’s diary of the last century records that the first stone of what he called ‘the Priest’s house’ was laid on 2nd July 1829. The third Duke of Leinster was very generous with regard to contributions to the people and town of Athy. He had a corn exchange built in the town, the foundation of which was laid in July 1855. The building described as one of the most beautiful small buildings in County Kildare was found not to be suitable as a corn exchange due to poor ventilation and poor lighting and was subsequently adapted for use as a courthouse. I have yet to discover the significance of the stone finials which are striking features alongside the dramatic tall granite chimney stacks of the mid-19th century building. Two developments, approximately 16 years apart, might give us some indication of when the park was created. The first development was the building of St. Michael’s Church at the top of Offaly Street which was dedicated in 1841. The church is located on an axis with Church Road and presents a dramatic view of the church steeple, the building of which commenced in August 1856. This lends me to believe that Church Road, or Crib Road as we once called it, may have been laid out and constructed around the same time. The railway line had been extended to Athy in 1846, when the entrance road from Leinster Street was developed to allow access to the railway station. It is possible the road may have been extended further to meet up with Offaly Street. If this was done before the Church steeple was built in 1856 it represents a remarkable coincidence which allowed the earlier road and the later steeple to create the dramatic axial view of St. Michael’s steeple. I tend to believe that the steeple built in 1856 around the same time as the Church of Ireland rectory was part of a development which saw the construction of Church Road and the enclosure of the grounds which were laid out as the Peoples Park. The walls which enclose the Peoples Park are similar in all respects with the wall enclosing the rectory and the wall all the way down to Offaly Street. The Kildare Observer of 19th February 1887 described the Peoples Park as ‘a public park ….. flanked by a row of trees, a boulevard in fact which is most luxuriant and of great natural beauty ….. with trees of 30 years growth.’ This description would tend to support my belief that the Peoples Park was developed in or around 1856. The same newspaper reported on 20th September 1902 how two rare fir trees planted and railed to mark the coronation of King Edward were torn up overnight. On Coronation Day female members of the Duke of Leinster’s family had planned to plant the two trees, but due to their absence the trees were planted by Lady Weldon of Kilmoroney and the local rector’s wife, Mrs. H.W. Waller. The park, estimated to consist of five acres (pre swimming pool and subsequent car park development) was maintained by the Duke of Leinster’s estate for 150 years of thereabouts. The park keepers house built at one end of the park was sold some years ago when the Urban District Council acquired title to the park. Athy’s Peoples Park developed by Augustus Frederick, Duke of Leinster can be seen as his contribution to the movement for town parks in the mid-19th century. Parks for the recreation of all classes were part of a mid-19th century English movement anxious to improve public health measures for the workers and the unemployed who lived for the most part in unsanitary unfit housing. It was a significant contribution to 19th century town life coming as it did almost 100 years after the great age of landscaped gardens built and developed for the aristocracy. Our park today included a children’s playground which continues to remain unfenced, leaving the area which should be restricted to young children and their parents open to dogs and as I observed recently adults drinking cans of beer. Perhaps the Council might consider the desirability of installing protective fencing.