KILMURRY HISTORICAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL

ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

W INTER 2014

No longer a dream, now a reality!

Kilmurry Museum Project Underway

A sincere Thank You! Our recent door to door collection was a

great success and the total amount con-

tributed exceeded our most optimistic

expectations – a sincere ‘thank you’ to

all our contributors. We appreciate that

these are difficult economic times for many people,

we interpret your generosity as a vote of confidence

in our project.

Dates for

your diary!

KHAA

Choral Concert Kilmurry Church

December 5th 2014 This promises to be a memorable

evening of seasonal and inspirational

music to commence the Christmas

period. Tickets available from

Committee Members and local shops

KHAA AGM

Weds Nov 19, 8pm

Kilmurry N.S. existing & new members welcome.

On February 2nd last , KHAA President and founding

member Dan Holland cheered on by the large assembled

crowd turned the sod for the Kilmurry Museum. The

ceremony was followed by a party in Kilmurry GAA

Pavilion where the guest speakers included Dan

Holland, Ian Dempsey, CEO West Cork Development

Partnership, Conor Nelligan, Heritage Officer, Cork

County Council and Noel Howard, Chairman KHAA.

Museum site before work began

Kilmurry Museum as it is today

Founding Member Dan

Holland turns sod!

Having overcome many obstacles including legal and

planning issues, KHAA were finally awarded a record

€410,873 In Grant Aid by West Cork Development

Partnership under the Rural Development Programme

2007-2013, (LEADER).

It was the culmination of many years work when

the contract for the building of the new Museum/

Cultural Centre was finally signed in Cork at the

offices of Matt O’Mahony & Associates Ltd. Those

present on the day included L to R, rear, Hilliard

Tanner, (Lead Engineer), Bridget Goulding,

(Secretary KHAA), Richard Leonard, (Quantity Surveyor), John Geaney, (MOMA Elec. &

Mech. Engrs.), Front, Noel Howard, (Chairman KHAA), Pat McSweeney, (Prop. Deermount

Construction Ltd.)

Transformation Almost

Complete

Owen McSwiney, Architectural Designer,

who gave so generously of his time and

talent, without charge, to creating a

sensitive and functional interpretation of

our new museum building.

Members of the building committee

without whose time, effort and

perseverance the museum would not

have come to fruition

New Patron Appointed to Historical Association Following the death of

our esteemed inaugural

Patron,Máire MacSwiney-

Brugha, (Patron 1965 –

2012), Dr. John O’

Mahony, a native of

Crookstown was appoint-

ed as our new Patron.

John a Senior Counsel

and Chairman of the

National Museum of

Ireland thanked the Association this honour and spoke eloquently and passionately

of his pride in his birthplace. He also referred to his lifelong admiration and respect

for Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney.

Busy Year for Historical Association

Women’s Little Christmas

The KHAA celebration of Women’s Little Christ-

mas at Crookstown Hall proved a a most convivial

event kicked off our fund-raising year on a very

positive note and raised much needed funds.

Table Quiz

A great night’s fun was had at our first Table Quiz

in Cliffords Bar, Crookstown on 9th May. Congrat-

ulations to the winning table, Kevin and Sheila

Walsh and Mary O’Sullivan who won a €100

voucher for Mai Fitz’s Lissarda.

High Nelly Run

This year’s annual Kilmurry Gathering held on

Saturday 13th September was the setting for

Kilmurry’s first High Nelly Run. Thankfully we

were blessed with a warm sunny day which helped

make the day a wonderful occasion

Car Boot Sale

The KHAA held Kilmurry’s first ever Car Boot

Sale on a glorious day, 13th July, at Kilmurry GAA

field.

KHAA Take to the Stage!

In October KHAA members along with members

of Battlegroup South presented a re-enactment

commemorating the Centenary of the formation of

Cumann na mBan. This formed part of the

Crookstown Variety Show.

Museum at Training Stage The progress on the Museum is at such

an advanced stage that six of our mem-

bers recently attended a Museum Stand-

ards Programme for Ireland course in

Dunmanway in preparation for the

opening of the new Kilmurry Museum.

Macroom St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2014.

Members of KHAA along with

‘Battlegroup South’, (military re-

inactment group), again won 1st Prize in

the Cultural Section at Macroom St.

Patricks Day parade. KHAA presentation

commemorated the centenary of the for-

mation of Cumann na mBan

Lectures/Field Trips 2014 “As by Law Established”- Reflections on the Church of Ireland in the Centuries

before Disestablishment in 1870, by Venerable Robin Bantry White.

‘Art O Laoire’ , Helen Hallissey’s one woman’s performance

‘Massacre in West Cork – the Dunmanway and Ballygroman Killings’ by Barry

Keane.

Visit to Collins Barracks Museum./ Kinsale Museum and various other sites in the

locality

The Gathering

Surveying the old Kilmurry Graveyard

Women’s Christmas