Heritage showcase celebrates our amazing cultural journey
On Sunday a large crowd turned out to celebrate the success of the community-led campaign that began in the summer of 2004 against the planning permission given to the building of apartments of the site of the round tower and in favour of the alternative vision of a heritage centre celebrating Clondalkin’s most important national monument.
In summer 2004, Rally Round the Tower (RRTT) was established to galvanize community and public support for the community’s vision, making headlines in the national and local media at the time when over 1,400 people came out on the street in a colourful protest.
20 years later, and in-keeping with this year’s National Heritage Week theme of Connections, Routes and Networks, Rally Round The Tower and Clondalkin Heritage Group organised a celebration of the amazing heritage journey taken by the community in the intervening years.
The two-venue event took place in Clondalkin’s Cultural Quarter with a Heritage Showcase of more than twelve local heritage organisations in Áras Chrónáin while the main event, featuring Rally Round the Tower memorabilia and Clondalkin Living History re-enactors, was located in Brú Chrónáin Round Tower Visitor Centre.
The large crowd assembled in the Monk’s Kitchen restaurant listened as Josephine Byrne, former secretary of RRTT and current secretary of Clondalkin Heritage Group (CHG), recounted the origins and work of the campaign to ensure that the Round Tower Visitor Centre eventually saw the light of day.
Local Vocals with musician Fiona Minogue and director Edel Nolan
Special guest and former European Champion, Bernard Dunne, spoke about his pride in Clondalkin’s heritage and commended the work of all the heritage organisations, members of whom he met in the Round Tower Visitor Centre and those whose stands he had visited in Áras Chrónáin.
He also helped to cut one of the two celebration Tower cakes provided by Candlewood Bakery.
Former Chair of RRTT and the present Co-ordinator of CHG, Bernardine nic Giolla Phádraig, thanked all the heritage organisations taking part including Clondalkin Tidy Towns, Irish Crochet Lace Revival Group, Clondalkin History Society, St John’s Church, Round Towers GAA, The Joe Williams Archive, Gaeilgeoirí Chluain Dolcáin, Clondalkin Library and Muintir Chrónáin as well as the staff and manager of the Monk’s Kitchen, Mark Matanes.
Monica McGill (JW Arhive) and John Cawley (CTT) cut the RT cake!
The event was also very well supported by local representatives with Cllrs Eoin Ó Broin, William Carey, Linda de Courcy, Trevor Gilligan and Shane Moynihan all seen mingling to congratulate the members of Rally Round the Tower as well as visiting heritage stands throughout the afternoon.
Present too was former councillor Robert Dowds, who had a leading role in the early campaign, and Peter Kavanagh, whose son Art Caomhánach won the prize of a Family Heritage Card gifted by the OPW for a year’s free admission to all-OPW-managed heritage properties for his striking Viking fancy dress.
A large crowd soaked up the rousing traditional music of Ceoltóirí Áras Chrónáin and the joyful atmosphere created by Local Vocals, under the direction of Edel Nolan, and accompanied by Fiona Minogue on keyboards.
Acclaimed local harmony singers and musicians, SRÓN, dressed up in monks’ costumes for the event and played to rivetted audiences in both venues, appropriately finishing the day’s festivities with a rendition of ‘The Tower Song’ they first performed at the rally twenty years previously.
This closing event for Heritage Week 2024 was organised with the support of Clann Chronáin Volunteer Tour Guides who provided a number of free guided tours in both Brú Chrónáin and in Áras Chrónáin, and in conjunction with the Heritage office and County Promotion Unit of South Dublin County Council.