Oldbandhallnowahaven forRathnewMen’sShed
WHAT was once an old, crumbling building in the centre of Rathnew village has been transformed into a cosy and vibrant premises where members of the local Men’s Shed meet daily and eagerly work away.
The voluntary and community-led effort to revitalise a structure which, for the most part, had sat idle for 30 years has revitalised the property, which now comes complete with a workshop, kitchen and a meeting room.
Billy Russell was one of the volunteers involved in the refurbishment of the old Rathnew Band Hall and recalls the state of the property when he first entered its doors.
‘When we opened the door at the front, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we all just turned around and said “that was that”. The place was in such a state. But all the work we carried out has proved to be so rewarding. We all get made up when someone enters the building now and starts complimenting how fine it looks. Now, we are absolutely made up with the building. The message we want to get across is that it is open to everyone.’
The decision to renovate the building was linked to the sudden demolition of the caretaker’s cottage in Rathnew Cemetery by Wicklow County Council in May 2014 on Health and Safety grounds, despite plans by the Rathnew Village Active Forum to renovate the property.
In the summer of 2016, fears began to grow that Wicklow County Council would issue the old band hall with a dangerous structure notice. At the time the abandoned property, which is attached to a private residence, had a gable end in serious need of repair.
The community sprang into action, led by Cllr John Snell and others, and soon work was under way to not only save the building, but to enhance it completely.
‘Every little town and village in Ireland has a building like this which has fallen into disrepair and people just walk by it everyday without paying it any heed. Maybe other villages and towns will be encouraged to take on a similar project after they see the success we have had.
‘ These days everything seems to be about new bricks and mortar. What about rolling up your sleeves and transforming an old building?
‘I have to say the lads involved carried out a huge amount of work and we all get great satisfaction out of how the building now looks,’ said Cllr John Snell.
The property is also an important part of Rathnew’s history and heritage. Built in 1927 through voluntary donations and labour, the hall was once the base for the old Rathnew Fife and Drum Band, which used it to store equipment and instruments. In the 1960s and 1970s it was used as a dispensary by nurses from time to time. It was also used for a period to store bunting and poles for the annual Corpus Christi procession.
The original plaque from 1927 for Rathnew Band Hall takes pride of place in the main room, along with a plaque from St Ernan’s Boys School dating back to 1965 when construction of the school was completed.
Many of the old building’s original fittings remain intact. Two large wooden beams are still located in the roof, while all the original window frames and most of the window panes remain. A bench from the original band hall is still in fine fettle and remains in working-use.
Other aspects of Rathnew’s rich heritage have also been incorporated into the building. Brickwork belonging to the caretaker’s cottage has been used for the fire-place, along with a granite windowsill which is now a base for the stove.
The brickwork originates from Rathnew Brickworks, which operated a thriving business from the 1880s to the 1990s.
‘We used a lot of wood in the renovation works because at one stage Rathnew used to have six or seven saw mills in the area,’ explained Cllr Snell.
‘ That’s how most of the population would have earned a living. We wanted to preserve that heritage. A lot of lads would have been reared working with horses so that’s why we have things like a horses saddle and a bridle decorating the room.’
A series of old photographs depicting the ‘ Thatched Village, down through the years will soon adorn the walls, while old