400th birthday plans add to Gathering party
CELEBRATIONS TO mark Wicklow town’s 400th anniversary will also tie into plans for the Gathering 2013.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the town charter and an organising committee has been formed to arrange events honouring this milestone.
All activities will also be run in conjunction with the Gathering.
At the moment the committee is still working away and planning various events, some of which will coincide with St. Patrick’s day celebrations.
Cllr. Garrett O’Reilly, a member of the 400th Anniversary and Gathering Committee, says it’s important that Wicklow recognises the large number of local people who had little option but to head overseas in search of meaningful employment.
‘Most people in Wicklow would have a family member or members who had to move elsewhere, including my father and his friends. They also remained proud of being from Wicklow and always retained a great love for the place. In many cases they were also wiring money back to Wicklow whenever they could.’
The committee plans to erect a memori- al or plaque in memory of all the people who have had to leave Wicklow down through the decades.
‘I think it would be a nice way to honour these people, most of whom never wanted to leave in the first place, but had very little choice. It would be nice if we could get some sponsors for the memorial.
‘At the moment we are getting a list of ex-Wicklow people living over in the UK and we will be inviting them over for the unveiling, which will hopefully take place during the week St. Patrick’s Day falls on.
‘ We also want different groups, clubs and organisations to visit the town.’