Heritage Notes - 26 November 2010

Community and Voluntary Awards

Best of luck to the nominated local groups hoping for honours in this Friday night’s Community and Voluntary Awards at Clonea Strand Hotel. The Cappoquin Heritage Group is one of three finalists in the Culture and Heritage section, and we know the Choral Society has also received a richly deserved nomination this year. If there are any others nominated from the locality, the best of luck to them on the night too.

Christmas Cards

Thanks to the great work of Cara McGrath, the help of a number of artists and photographers in the area and the undoubted design skills of Phil Mortimer, the new Heritage Group Christmas Cards have arrived in local shops. There are six individual cards, each costing a euro, and depicting scenes from Cappoquin itself, from Villierstown, Melleray and other local beauty scenes, all with a Christmas twist. Our postcard collection proved hugely popular in summer and autumn, and made nearly €300 profit in the end. This set is being sold much closer to the actual cost of production and we hope that people will enjoy the opportunity to send cards to loved ones near and far with these special Christmas reminders of the places we live in.

Cavanagh Book Launch

With the imminent launch of Michael Cavanagh: His Life and Selected Works by the Michael Cavanagh Society at the Community Centre next Saturday evening, this week’s picture is one of those included in the eagerly anticipated production. Cavanagh is, of course, famous as a writer of poetry, history and of local legends, including the Cornerstone story and that of the dreaded Petticoat Loose. In many respects, he is coming home next Saturday, as many of the works in the production were never published in Ireland before, not to mention the fact that the launch itself will be in the Cavanagh Hall.

One of the most interesting legends of all is that of the great black dog who prowled the river bank near the old wooden bridge, guarding the town from all unsavoury characters in the 19^th century. The image here shows the river bank scene as Cavanagh would have known it. The remnants of the wooden bridge, which ceased to be in use in 1850 and which the ‘Madra’ supposedly protected, can clearly be seen on both sides of the bend. On the far bank, the old town’s industrial core of warehouses, quayside and stacks of pit props presents a grand, if now long-gone, sight. The launch is at 8.30 on Saturday evening, with Very Reverend Father Robert Arthure PE doing the honours.