merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will this evening, Friday 3 May 2013 officially open the Thomas MacDonagh Centre and relocated Library in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. The opening is part of the Thomas MacDonagh Weekend (3rd – 6th May 2013).

This project is the latest in a series of achievements by Cloughjordan Community Development Committee, among them the formation of a Heritage Group that spearheaded the Thomas MacDonagh Heritage and Cultural Centre. The Centre will be a multi functional facility that will house a new local library in addition to an exhibition area and meeting areas for special events. There will also be an interpretive centre for local history and heritage.

Commenting on the opening, Minister Deenihan said "One of the most striking things here in Cloughjordan is the sense of pride you have in the achievements of Thomas MacDonagh, one of your most revered native sons. Such pride is only natural for a man of great talent who played a key role in Ireland's history. Thomas was not only a prominent figure in the Dublin literary world, being commemorated in several poems by W.B. Yeats, he was also one of the leaders of the Easter Rising and a signatory of the Proclamation of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic."

The Government is committed to commemorating the centenary of the Easter Rising as the centrepiece of the Decade of Centenaries. A number of special centenary projects are in preparation including a major programme of digitisation and preparation of archival material, most especially the Military Service Pensions Archive, which will support research and inform discussion as we approach the Centenary of the Rising in 2016. These new resources will contribute towards an enhanced understanding of the period than has been possible before.

Minister Deenihan continued "The development of this Centre is further testament to the esteem in which Thomas MacDonagh is held. Local artists of Cloughjordan annually showcase their work during the MacDonagh Weekend. The current exhibition demonstrates the artistic talent within the locality with a total of 25 artists exhibiting this year. The work on show covers a wide range of mediums including painting, photography, ceramics, stained glass and bronze sculptures."