A Trip to Tipp – Tour of Medieval Tipperary
CHAS is planning a day trip on Saturday 10th September to Tipperary . The tour will involve guided tours of the Medieval Town of Fethard and the historically significant Kilcooley Abbey.
Fethard, described as the finest example of a medieval walled town in Ireland and has 
town walls dating from the 13th century, an extant town gate (North Gate), the 800 years old Holy Trinity Church, one of Ireland’s finest medieval parish churches and Fethard Town Hall which dates from about 1600. Fethard also has several fortified townhouses – including Edmond’s Castle and Court Castle – dating from the 15th century. Finally there are the Sheela-na-gigs, located at the abbey in a section of the old town wall at Watergate Street.
Kilcooley Abbey dates from 1182 and is a hidden gem located inside a private walled estate in Tipperary. Used in the making of the film “Excalibur”, Kilcooley Abbey is a fascinating and historical significant example of a Cistercian abbey. The Abbey has a number of interesting features including the two large carved windows on the east and west side of the Church, the chancel with two stone tombs and a stone altar and the Sacristy with a carved archway with many carvings. One of these tombs in the chancel is of the Piers Fitz Oge Butler. He died in 1526 and the tomb has carvings of 10 apostles on the side of it by Rory O Tunney. Outside the abbey there is a beehive shaped ruin (probably a dove-cote) and the Infirmary. Also remaining are the Monks Dining Hall, the Monks Dormitories and the Main Tower, as well as the Parlour, Chapter House, and Calefactory.
The trip leaves Carlow at 9.30am and will return at 6pm. Cost is €25 per head, please note that lunch is not included in the price. Timetable as follows:
9.30 Leave Carlow
11.00 Arrive Fethard
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Leave for Kilcooley
14.45 – 16.30 Kilcooley Abbey Tour
18.00 Arrive Carlow
Please send expressions of interest in going on this exciting and interesting trip by email to carlowhistorical@gmail.com or to John Kelly 087 9080277 by 31st July.
Schools History Prize Winners 2016
The winners of this year’s Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society History Project Competition were presented with their awards on Wednesday the 15th of June at Carlow County Museum.
First place in this years was Eoin Cummins from Ballinkillen National School with his project on ‘Dolmens in County Carlow’. This is Eoin’s second year in a row to win first prize.
Second place was Katie Brooks from Ballon National School with her project on ‘The Adelaide Memorial Church’.
Joint third place went to Dylan Cass from Ballinkillen National School with ‘The Blackstairs Blitz’
and Hannah Curry from Ballon National School with her project on the ‘Cranavane Well’.
The winning projects are on display in Carlow County Museum, admission is free.
Heritage Week: 3 Mini-lectures relating to 1916
Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society present 3 mini-lectures as part of Heritage Week.
- Róisín Bowling will present her design from “Uniformity 16”, celebrating Cumann na mBan & what they wore
- Paul Maguire, curator of Carlow Military Museum, will talk about the uniforms & arms of 1916
- Imelda Byrne, presenter of ‘ICA Bootcamp’ will discuss the food of 1916 in ‘The Way We Ate’.
These interesting and informative lectures will take place Cobden Hall, Saint Patrick’s College, Carlow on 24th August at 8 pm. All are welcome and admission is free
See more at: http://www.heritageweek.ie/whats-on/event-details
New: Carlow Heritage Week Events Guide, click to open
Old Lanes and Streets of Carlow
A small subcommittee of the Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society has for some time now been conducting research into the locations of the many old lanes of Carlow which have long since disappeared.
Their research involved consulting a range of maps and historical records as well as discussions with the members of the society and anybody they felt had information which could help them. They have succeeded in identifying the locations of thirty two of these old lanes but there are another twenty five whose locations are unknown.
They are now asking for the public’s help in identifying the location of these uncharted lanes in the hope that someone somewhere has information not yet discovered.
These unidentified lanes fall into two categories:
Lanes whose existence has been confirmed from historical records(14):
Hanlon’s Lane Quarries
Kenny’s Lane Rutland Place
McDonnel’s Lane Scragg’s Alley
McGennis Lane Scuttler’s Lane/Alley
McQuaid’s Lane Stable Lane
Meat Market Wall Lane
Pill Row White Walls
Lanes where only the names are available(11):
Brick Lane Garrett’s Lane
Carter’s Lane Gurley’s/Curley’s Lane
Castle Lane Hunt’s Lane
Church Lane Winter’s Lane
Durkan’s Lane Winnett’s Lane
Fish Alley Lane
The members of the subcommittee would be delighted to receive any information which might pinpoint the location of these lanes and would particularly appreciate receipt of any documentation which would identify the locations. They can be contacted at any of the following email addresses:
Dan Carbery dancarbery39@gmail.com
Paul Lyons paulmlyons@gmail.com
Pat O’Neill oneillaccts@eircom.net
Information may also be submitted to them at Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society, P. O. Box
162, Carlow.
When all the information that is available has been acquired the subcommittee will finalise the project by preparing a map of the town on which the long forgotten lanes will be marked.
