Encapsulating the ghosts of the past with the mighty oak

LOCAL artist and historian Mervyn Ennis created a strikingly detailed sign depicting the history of Saggart that was recently placed on the gate of the Saggart Village Heritage and Arts Centre.

Mervyn (73), who is on the committee of the arts centre, created the impressive art piece on a plank of solid Irish oak during July and incorporated many facets of Saggart’s notable history.

It includes a small mill, in a nod to the village’s industrial past, and many historical characters linked to the area including Malachy Horan, Mo Sacra, and Dean Swift.

“There is a whole compendium of local stories and lore that are worthy of recall, and that’s what I was trying to do with the sign,” Mervyn, who was born in Tallaght, told The Echo.

“I did the sign with historical people in the background, so they look like ghosts of the past to remind us that this is a place with a rich history that deserves to be recognised and celebrated.”

Mervyn’s family, the Ennises, have a long history in the area dating back to the 1700s, which has stoked his passion for cataloguing the history of the area.

When his daughter, Marysia Walsh, and his grandchildren Aidan (11) and Amy (17) recently visited from New York, Mervyn decided to enlist their help with hanging the weighty sign.

“My daughter was over from America, and I hadn’t anyone to give me a hand with the sign,” explained Mervyn.

“So my daughter, granddaughter and grandson came and helped me – so there were three generations of Ennises that put the sign up.

” It now takes pride of place on the front of the Saggart Village Heritage and Arts Centre, as a fitting and engaging representation of the history and heritage of the village.

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