Charter Day event at the Tholsel

CHARTER Day, a day to commemorate the unification of Drogheda in 1412, takes place on Thursday 1 November at noon in The Tholsel.

‘ The signing of the town charter united the two towns back in 1412 – Drogheda South and Drogheda North. The Far Side, so to speak!’ said Mayor Frank Godfrey, who has initiated this momentous day.

Drogheda in Meath, which received a town charter in 1194, and Drogheda in Oriel were united on 1 November 1412, and Drogheda became a ‘County Corporate’, styled as ‘ the County of the Town of Drogheda’. Drogheda continued as a County Borough until the setting up of County Councils, through the enactment of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, which saw all of Drogheda, including a large area south of the Boyne, become part of an extended County Louth.

‘I feel that it is important to mark these historic events, these actions and charters that have shaped our town and future, and to remember them today and be proud of our history,’ said Mayor Godfrey. ‘I would like the greater Drogheda community to come out on 1 November and join in the commemoration of Charter Day.’

Meeting at the Tholsel, the charter will be read to the public. Historian Liam Reilly will then give a talk on the two Droghedas, the mayors and the Dominican priest, Fr Philip Bennett who brought the two sides together and unified Drogheda