The Kilkenny Arts Festival had barely pulled down the blinds on a hugely successful 2024 season, when, lo and behold, the curtain went up on Heritage week. National Heritage Week celebrates Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage. It brings together volunteers, community groups and heritage enthusiasts to share their experience, knowledge culture and practices.
There wasn’t a puff of wind between these two occasions and thanks be to God for that says The Observer. Culture the Arts and more culture. Keep ‘em coming.
You cannot of course go to everything, so we pinpointed three events over the first few days. On Tuesday, The Observer visited the launch of the Graham Carew mural ‘The Closh Times’. On Thursday we attended the 110th anniversary of The Battle of Mons at The Great World War One memorial at The Peace Park, and on Friday night we travelled the four kilometres south -west of the city for the launch of ‘Castleinch Kilkenny -Connections through time’. This wonderful book records the history of Castleinch parish with an emphasis on those interred in its graveyard.
Over the coming weeks, The Observer will feature articles from The Battle of Mons and The Castleinch book. Today we look at The Closh Times.
IMPORTANT AREA
A large crowd gathered at The Closh where Commandant Larry Scallan (retired) gave a brief history of Walkin Street and the surrounding area. He described Walkin Street as a medieval Street which originally started at the junction of High Street and continued past Cootes Lane. The street has received its name because an Anglo-Norman man called with a version of the name Walkin. Given that Closh stands approximately 200 yards from the old Walkin Gate which allowed people to enter the Medieval City, one can understand the importance of this area of the city which was used to buy and sell livestock and other items.
This area is dominated in all early maps by Walkins lough, a spring fed lake which spread well beyond the footprint of the Closh that we know today. It would reduce in size over the centuries especially with the building of the Jail where Fr Murphy Square is today.
Addressing the large attendance Mr Scallan had great praise for Heritage week. “Heritage week has in the last decade allowed us all to reconnect with our common interests. Heritage is in our DNA it is the glue that brings our history to life”, said Larry.
The former army man continued “I have always considered that our heritage can be assessed as parts of our past that we inherited and that we want to pass on to future generations”.
Larry continued to say that ‘The Closh Times’ was a manifestation of this belief and he praised artist Graham Carew, the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful committee and Kilkenny County Council who worked with the local Closh Committee.
As the evening developed, many stories emerged signifying the importance of the community from the founding of the city to contemporary times.
Larry recalled the various pastimes enjoyed which included pitch and toss, pitch and putt and handball. Mr Scallan regaled the attendance with stories of the Gaol break in 1921, describing it as ‘the most successful break in the ar of Independence’.
One group of people who never get enough credit according to Scallan were the brave women of ‘Cuman na Mban’ and he went on to mention some of those who played a major role in Kilkenny history including, Tessie Cullen New Street, Aggie and Charlotte Bibby, High Street, Maggie Hayden
REFLECTION
Cllr Marie Dullard, chair of Keep Kilkenny Beautiful, told The Observer,”Keep Kilkenny Beautiful has been working for the past few years, with the Closh Committee members to develop a garden area to commemorate the Decade of Centenaries. The seven mountain ash trees planted last October represent the seven signatories of the Proclamation. The area has also been planted with pollinator friendly plants that help us realise the concept of the Truce Garden creating a new truce with nature and commemorating the War of Independence”.
Cllr. Dullard paid tribute to The Kilkenny Volunteer Centre through Paula Harte who offered the committee the opportunity to work together to develop a mural to replace the old one at the handball alley wall. “We participated in six workshops and locals shared stories going back over memories and legends of people and events associated with the Closh from 100 years ago right up to the present day. The process was exceptionally fruitful and great fun thanks to the facilitation of talented artist Graham Carew who synthesized the entire process to come up with the fantastic “Closh Times” mural”, continued Maria.
Work to plant and maintain the area has been done by Ukrainian and International Protection Volunteers from the Volunteer Centre, the Lions Club and Keep Kilkenny Beautiful. Concluding her talk at The Cosh Maria said Keep Kilkenny Beautiful will continue to support the work of so many volunteers with the help of Kilkenny Calow ETB and Kilkenny County Council.
SPECIAL PROJECT
Artist Graham Carew said he was delighted to take on the project of depicting the history of The Closh. “It was very special for me and the interaction between residents of the area and me was really encouraging and engaging”
Representing The Kilkenny Volunteer Centre, Paula Harte complimented all involved and paid special tribute to The Keep Kilkenny Beautiful Committee, and the residents of The Closh area. Paula congratulated artist Graham Carew for his wonderful artwork and praised him for bringing history to life for a new generation.
Among the attendance at the launch were Malcolm Noonan TD, Cllr David Fitzgerald, Cllr John Coonan as well as Regina Fitzpatrick (Heritage Officer, Kilkenny).
