A Memorial for the Famine dead of Athy's Workhouse

Last March I wrote to Councillor Mark Stafford who was then Mayor of County Kildare asking if Kildare County Council would provide funding for the design, construction and erection of a suitable memorial to honour those who died in Athy Workhouse and the County Home and were buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery. That last resting place for so many is just a short distance from the former workhouse from where the emaciated bodies of the famine dead were carted across Lennon’s Bridge on their final journey. I was prompted to write to the Mayor having some weeks earlier read the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission which outlined a shameful period in our nation’s history. In a subsequent Eye on the Past No. 1486 I recounted how in 1994 I made an appeal to the Eastern Health Board at the launch of my book on the history of St. Vincent’s Hospital for that authority to erect a suitable memorial ‘to the forgotten people who lie in St. Mary’s Cemetery so that they can be shown the respect and dignity denied to them while they lived’. There was no response from the Eastern Health Board but Councillor Mark Stafford replied to my letter indicating that Kildare County Council would pursue the matter with representatives from the Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes and that “your proposal will be considered as part of this process”. I interpreted his reply as a clear indication that Kildare County Council would memorialise the forgotten inmates of Athy’s Workhouse and the County Home. Last week’s Kildare Nationalist carried the news that Kildare County Council, following a motion brought to the Council by Councillors Aoife Breslin and Nuala Killeen, had authorised the expenditure of €68,000 for the erection of a memorial in St. Mary’s Cemetery for ‘all those sadly neglected souls that died in the Workhouse and the County Home’. The members of Kildare County Council are to be congratulated for their decision and the hope is that the memorial will be in position in time for next May’s National Famine Commemoration Day. In the meantime Clem Roche and Michael Donovan are continuing their research to identify as many as possible of the men, women and children who died in the Workhouse between 1844 and 1922. Their task is a very difficult one but is an essential element of any commemorative acknowledgement of our town’s past. Several people have contacted me in recent times with regard to the lack of readily available information relating to activities and events in the town. Within the last week two persons, who are quite recent arrivals in Athy, pointed out that it was very difficult for them to know what activities or events are taking place and questioned why there was no town directory and no regular public announcements as to what was happening in the town. In olden days every town had a town crier whose job was to walk through the streets ringing a bell and proclaiming the latest news or announcements. Nowadays what with mobile phones, texting and emails one might readily assume that passing on information should be a much easier task than in years gone by. The problems associated with the use of modern technology however is that not everyone has a mobile phone or computer and the gathering of information for transmission town wide requires the regular co-operation of event organisers, clubs and associations. The gathering of information on a regular basis is the most difficult part of information transmission across a town or district. Once information is gathered it should be a straight forward matter to have it brought to the attention of the general public whether by leaflet drops, a newsletter or local radio. Perhaps the least costly way of disseminating information is to use public notice boards. There is a notice board in Emily Square which if matched by other similar notice boards in the carpark of the town library and a third perhaps at the Arts Centre in Woodstock Street they could be used to keep the general public advised of forthcoming events. Providing notice boards is the easy part of the process. The greatest difficulty lies in availing of the services of a person or persons whose role is to gather in the material. This would require liaising on a regular basis with local organisations to ensure a comprehensive listing of local events and happenings and the preparation of event listings for the public notice boards. This is a task which will require a great deal of commitment and I believe it might best be undertaken by the community and events officer employed by Athy municipal council. If the local Councillors accept it as a community benefit project worthy of support perhaps they would establish this or some other form of public information link for Athy and the South Kildare area. The 21st Shackleton Autumn School takes place on Saturday, 30th of October. This year’s event is again an online event which last year attracted a large international audience. ‘Virtually Shackleton’ is a free event which you can join by contacting the Shackleton Museum at info@shackletonmuseum.com. Next week’s Eye on the Past will give an account of the 2021 Autumn School speakers, their subjects and an interesting recent arrival in the Shackleton Museum.

Memorial, plaques and signs in and around South Kildare

Kildare County Council has recently embarked on a survey of memorials, plaques and signs throughout the County of Kildare.  They are part of our cultural heritage, marking as they do people of the past, historic events or heritage landmarks of town and countryside.  This is the first attempt to collect this information and when the project is completed it is intended to make its results available to the general public.  In turn the public’s help in identifying and recording local memorials, plaques and signs is sought.

The Heritage Officer of Kildare County Council has prepared guidelines for the survey.  While advising that graveyard memorials are not included almost every other form of commemorative memorial or plaque is deemed worthy of recording.  Even what the guidelines describe as ‘significant street names and laneways’ are to be included.  Interestingly bench marks, armorial plaques and mile markers also come within the ambit of the survey.  The Council’s Heritage Officer Bridget Loughlin who is overseeing the survey would like to get the following information.  The memorial/plaque name, where it is located, a brief description with any background information and a photograph, although I suspect the latter while helpful is not essential. 

In recent years probably more plaques have gone up in or around Athy than in any other time in the past.  Nelson Street has a plaque to Johnny Lynch, musician, while the Dominicans are honoured with a plaque on the entrance wall to the former Dominican Church.  The Christian Brothers are remembered with a handsome memorial in Edmund Rice Square, while the Sisters of Mercy have the riverside car park opposite the Parish Church dedicated to their Order.

Until recent years the Town Hall had a large plaque commemorating the founding of Macra na Feirme and its founder Stephen Cullinane but it was removed when the Macra monument was unveiled by President Robinson some years ago.  I wonder where that plaque is today?  The impressive Town Hall has in more recent years received plaques honouring the local men who fought in the 1914-18 war, as well as a plaque honouring Ernest Shackleton, the polar explorer.  This year as part of the centenary commemorations of the 1916 Rising a plaque was affixed to the west wall of the Town Hall. 

A few years ago the Enterprise Centre arranged for tourist plaques to be placed on the more important buildings in the town.  Whites Castle, Canal Harbour, Crom a Boo Bridge, St. Michael’s Church of Ireland church, Methodist church, St. Vincent’s Hospital are but some of the buildings highlighted in this way.

Bench marks will be seldom recognised but offhand I can recall bench marks on the Town Hall, Crom a Boo Bridge and St. Vincent’s Hospital.  There are a few more around the town awaiting to be identified.  Memorials are less scarce and in the main square of the town we have the water fountain presented to the people of Athy by the Duke of Leinster.  Just behind it is the more recently unveiled memorial to the men and women from the locality who in 1798 sought religious and civil liberty. 

Would the stone archway taken from the ruins of the cavalry barracks in Barrack Lane and reassembled in Woodstock Street come within the definition of a memorial?  I would think so, as undoubtedly will the superb canal lock gate which adorns the roundabout on the Dublin Road.  The various pieces of sculpture provided by Kildare County Council under the percentage scheme for major capital projects must also be included in this survey.  Examples are to be found at the Flinters Field site, at Butlers Row and the Fairgreen housing site.

What the Council refers to as ‘significant street names’ may pose problems when it comes to their inclusion or exclusion from the survey.  I cannot imagine that any one street name is any less or more significant than another.  Our principal street names commemorate members of the Duke of Leinster’s family, while many of the laneways bear the names of long forgotten property owners.  The building boom of the Celtic years which came somewhat later to Athy than elsewhere resulted in the creation of a lot of housing estates with names which do not resonate historically or otherwise with the ancient town on the River Barrow. 

If you can help the County Council in its countywide survey of memorials, plaques and signs do contact Bridget Loughlin, Heritage Office at the Council Offices, Naas, ph. (045) 980791 or email Bloughlin@kildarecoco.ie. 

Another project recently initiated by Kildare County Council is a building survey of the county which seeks to identify buildings of historical interest or architectural merit.  Athy has a wealth of such buildings and indeed in the opinion of many is the most interesting town in the county of Kildare in terms of its layout and architecture.  If you are contacted by the team involved in the building survey do give them every help in identifying and recording the building which may be your home or your business address.  It is purely an architectural survey and is in no way connected with property tax, rating systems or anything that is detrimental to your interests.  Your cooperation with the survey team would be much appreciated and will undoubtedly be reflected in the quality of the survey teams final report.