Launch of Cloughjordan Heritage IX

The Cloughjordan Heritage group is pleased to announce the launch of Volume IX in the series of Cloughjordan Heritage books. The first four volumes, beginning in 1985, were edited by Canon Edward Whyte P.P. and Danny Grace. Roche Williams and Una Darcy worked with Danny Grace on Volume V in 2001. Members of the Heritage Group have continued to present the series, maintaining the same format. Len Gaynor has kindly accepted the invitation of the Heritage Group to launch this volume on Friday 26th February at 8 pm (when your vote has been cast!). All are welcome to attend the launch of Cloughjordan Heritage Volume IX in the Thomas MacDonagh Centre.

The editorial committee, being mindful of this year of commemoration, has included articles of special interest at this time. A series of articles, written by Donagh MacDonagh, giving an account of the events of Easter Week 1916 has been included. A record of 1966 celebrations brings to mind the memory of another generation and their contribution to national and local affairs.

You will read of families across this parish and beyond in articles researched by Paddy Williams and Jane Coman. John Armitage and John Shortt share memories of their days in Cloughjordan No. 1 School.  John Armitage has supplied photographs of his class in the 1940s and his father’s class of 1908. There is a comprehensive record of the early days of the remarkable De Wet hurling teams, the story of Ardcroney’s resilient Drama Group and a profile of Patrick Kennedy – who was a neighbour of the MacDonagh and co-founder of ASTI in 1909. Liam Gaffney and Tom Horrigan present an insight into their experiences while serving in the Irish Army.

Articles cover a time-span reaching from the ancient ring fort at Rathurles, through records of the Nenagh News and Nenagh Guardian papers to the present time, as Rachel Vaughan reminds us, of the rich land of our fields and hedgerows, abundant with wildflowers.

Photographs, kindly provided by interested parishioners, give glimpses of people and places associated with the story of our locality. The cover image, a cherished possession of Sr. Francesca MacDonagh, shows her brother Thomas in his twentieth year. Many of the photographs, in Cloughjordan Heritage Volume IX, have been provided courtesy of the Thomas MacDonagh Centre in Cloughjordan.

The Heritage Group is indebted to those who have contributed articles, photographs and information to enable this collection to be brought together in the ninth volume of Cloughjordan Heritage. A debt of gratitude is also due to Guardian Print for assistance in bringing this volume to fruition. The book launch, on 26 February, is part of the programme of events for 2016 Commemorations in Cloughjordan. For further information visit www.macdonaghheritage.ie.