Graiguenamanagh
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Graiguenamanagh Historical Society will hold its next talk in the Graiguenamanagh Library on Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m. The speaker will be author Fergus Mulligan, who will speak on his book ‘ William Dargan; An Honourable Life.’.
William Dargan, the engineer who built Ireland’s first railways, was born on Killeshin near Carlow Town and was the eldest of a large family of a tenant farmer on the Earl of Portlarlington’s estate. He was arguably the most important Irish engineer of the 19th century and certainly the most important figure in railway construction. Dargan designed and built Ireland’s first railway line from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire in 1833.
He was a member of the Royal Dublin Society and also helped to establish the National Gallery. Dargan lived during the biggest disaster in Irish History, the Great Famine (1845 – 1852). It is said that with the work he created in the Irish Railways and canals, he helped to save thousands of lives and rejuvenate the country which was on the brink of collapse.
He died in 1867 and was laid to rest in Glasnevin Cemetery beside another great Irishman, the ‘ Great Emancipator’ himself Daniel O’Connell. A statue of William Dargan stands outside the National Gallery of Ireland.
All are welcome to this interesting talk.
ST PATRICK’S DAY PARDE
The parade will take place on Saturday, March 17, leaving from the Borris road at midday. All floats taken part in the parade please be assembled no later than 11.30 a.m. on the Borris road. The reviewing stand will be located on the square this year.
ABBEY HALL AGM
The Abbey Hall committee are holding their AGM on Tuesday, March 20, at 8 p.m. All are welcome especially representatives of clubs and groups that use the hall.
GRAIG BINGO
Bingo is back again on Saturday, March 24, at 8.15 p.m. in Abbey Hall, They plan to have extra prizes for all an the night.
ROADS NEWS
Cllr Peter ‘ Chap’ Cleere has welcomed the adoption of the roadworks programme recently by Kilkenny County Council for 2018, with almost 400k of roads being upgraded and improved locally following on from representations made. This is a significant investment in the roads network in the Graiguenamanagh area.
The R703 at Oldgrange is going to benefit from a surface overlay and surface dressing of over one mile. Also, on the L4204 at Mays Cross the overlay will be continued for another 800 metres. On the L4209, restoration maintenance works will be completed from Graig towards Inistioge. There is drainage funding also approved for the year.