Laragh Glendalough
EASTER CAMP
Join us at the Brockagh for our fun-filled Easter Camp, jampacked with activities such as arts and crafts, Easter baking, hip-hop dancing, games, Easter Egg Hunt, and much more. April 10 and 11 10 p.m. to 1 p.m. (Camps will run subject to numbers). Junior infants to third class. To book your place please contact us at 0404 45600 or email laraghit@eircom.net.
CAR BOOT SALE
Happy shoppers will find bargain buys and home baking at our next car boot sale on Sunday, April 2, book indoor spaces early but if you prefer to be outside just show up in the morning at 8 a.m. Vans must be booked in. Contact the centre at 0404 45600 or email laraghit@eircom.net to book.
MINDFUL COOKING
In association with Mindful
Everyone is welcome to the AGM for GDDA that take place in the Brockagh Resource Centre on Thursday, April 6, at 8 p.m.
MEDITATION-HEALING
Care For the Self will run for three days from April 14-16 in the Brockagh Centre, Laragh. Contact Ann martin at 087 6081219 or on solarsoundhealingwicklow@gmail.com with queries or to book a place.
CITIZENS INFORMATION
The next clinics will take place on Tuesdays April 4 and 18. No appointment is necessary for this free and confidential service.
COMMUNITY GAMES
The area stage of the Community Games Art for the Roundwood area (Roundwood, Laragh and Moneystown) will be held in the Brockagh Resource Centre on Saturday, April 8, at 3 p.m.
Children will have one hour
Just pop in on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. in the Brockagh Centre to dance your socks off with Adam contact 083 3057949 for information.
EVENING YOGA
Viva’s yoga classes are for beginners to advance on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Brockagh Centre. Wear comfortable clothes on the night and bring a blanket.
Mats are available on the night. You can contact Viva at 086 3409629 for more information.
WALKING GROUP
On Monday mornings weekly at 10 a.m. join the walking group with Get Ireland Walking at the Brockagh Resource Centre -
Bingo continues every Friday night in the RDA. Hall at 8.30 p.m. Some excellent prizes to be won so why not come along and chance your luck.
CONFIRMATION
Congratulations to the 37 boys and girls who were Confirmed by Fr Kieran McDermott in the Parish Church on Monday, March 20.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
‘The Quakers in County Wicklow – where they lived, where they came from, and some of the houses they lived in’ is the title of the talk to be given to the Rathdrum Historical Society on Monday, April 3. The Quakers came to Ireland in the 1650s following the English Civil War and one such family, the Judds settled in Ballymurrin.
The speaker, Philip Geoghegan is very well placed to give this talk as he now lives in the Quaker Farmstead at Ballymurrin which he and his wife Delphine have restored. It was built in 1668 by Ambrose Judd and has had continuous habitation for almost 350 years.
Philip has spent many years researching the history of the Farmstead, the Quaker families associated with it and the adjoining burial ground. He will disclose all at the lecture on Monday, April 3, in Avondale Community College at 8 p.m. where hundreds of mining families lived and worked in the nineteenth century when the mining industry was at its peak, was brought back to life in a special way this weekend.
Under blue skies and in glorious spring sunshine, a large crowd gathered on Saturday, March 25, to view and celebrate the completion of the recent conservation work on the Crusher House in autumn 2016. This tall granite building has puzzled many passers – by for years, who were unaware of its important heritage.
In view of the spectacular vista of the Crusher house, Coillte representative Pat Neville, welcomed the gathering and outlined their involvement with the National Heritage Trust in providing funds to carry out the conservation work on this historic mining building. He went on to describe Coillte’s plans for the development of a looped walking trail around the mine site in Baravore in the near future.
Wicklow County Council Heritage Officer, Deirdre Burns spoke of the Adopt a Monument Scheme and the work of the local Pure Mile group in securing the selection of the Crusher House into the scheme. Local councillor Pat Kennedy, whose family has a long association with the forestry and mine site at Baravore was also in attendance. Adopt a Monument archaeologists, Roisín Burke and Neil Jackman described their work and performed an official ‘dig ‘while explaining their work and interpreting their findings to an enthusiastic audience.
The history of the mining industry in the valley was recalled by local historian, Carmel O’Toole, while Joan Kavanagh of the Glens of Lead outlined the extensive work of that group over many years to research and record the mining story of all the glens of Co. Wicklow.
There followed a special highlight of the day when talented stone mason, Kevin Carrigan, Maynooth accompanied by work colleague Neil, described their work on the conservation of the Crusher house. They delighted the crowd with a demonstration of the mixing of lime mortar and answered many interesting questions from the group.
After viewing the main adit adjacent to the Crusher House, which extends more than 200m into the mountain, the crowd followed the miners’ trail uphill to reach the higher adits on the hillside. From this higher elevation, there were spectacular views of the site of the Battle of Glenmalure on the opposite hillside. They heard a brief outline those events in 1580 and heard some locally written poetry recited before completed the loop walk back to the an Óige historic hostel, where they were met with warm hospitality and delicious refreshments.
Pierce Foley of An Óige outlined the story of the hostel from its earliest days as a private residence to the present day when it secures more than 1,000 bed nights during the past year.
The day’s events concluded with Pat Casey, TD of Glens of Lead congratulating the local Pure Mile group and everyone present on their achievements to date, while Pat Dunne, on behalf of the group, extended sincere thanks to everyone who attended and who helped on the day.
A fun event for children was also organised by the archaeologists. Small groups of children participated in a small ‘dig’, while those awaiting their turn had their faces painted, viewed the adit (tunnel), completed fun worksheets on a mining theme and simply played around and enjoyed the freedom and the spring sunshine.
Thanks to all who made the weekend’s events such a wonderful success.
THURSDAY WALKS
The Thursday evening summer walks season begins again on thursday April 6. The usual meeting point will be in Parnell Park Rathdrum to be ready to leave at 7 p.m. Alternatively walkers can meet at the start point at 7.15. Our first walk will be the traditional season opener in Ballinakill.
We look forward to meeting old friends and welcoming some new ones. Anyone, who wishes to walk but doesn’t have transport will as always be accommodated by other walkers. Unfortunately, for the safety and comfort of walkers, we cannot allow dogs on the walks. Come along and enjoy a nice walk in good company and explore a different part of Wicklow each week.
REMINDER
If you have items that you would like included in the Rathdrum Notes, please drop them into Avondale Sports on Main Street before close of business (6 p.m.) on Saturday.