Fascinating new county Longford book bridges the gap between historical eras
The book will be launched by Tom Kenny of Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway in Ardagh Community Centre at 7.30pm and all are welcome.
A new book, 'Ardagh, County Longford - Our Estate Village and Our Residents. 1860-2026' by local authors, Úna Byrne and Mary Keegan Hynes will be launched on Friday, October 23.
The book will be launched by Tom Kenny of Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway in Ardagh Community Centre at 7.30pm and all are welcome.
Tom’s own grandfather and great grandfather were residents in Ardagh Village from the late 1800s through to 1921.
This book is a comprehensive history of the people who have lived in Ardagh Village since the village was built by the local landlord family, the Fetherstons over 160 years ago with many stories and anecdotes.
The publication bridges the gap between grand historical eras such as landlordism and educational reforms and the personal lived experiences of each of the residents with rare archival records, first-hand oral histories.
Readers can also discover how life has changed through the lives of the local shopkeeper, the publican, the post mistress, the Civic Guard, the teacher and all families who called the village home through the generations.
The book contains church and census records and plenty of striking images, including a photograph of each village house with an account of the residents who lived there.
Many residents shared precious family photographs to include vintage snaps from the past to present family portraits.
The book also covers all historical village buildings such as Ardagh Community Centre which began as a Church of Ireland primary school in the 1800’s before becoming a family residence and transforming into the present-day social hub of the parish.
Another such building was Ardagh House, the home of the Fetherston family from the 1700’s until1926, when it was purchased by the Sisters of Mercy and developed into a residential Rural Domestic Science School, known as St Brigid’s College, for the next 80 years.
Local Ardagh man, John Lyons will act as master of ceremonies on the night with signed copies of the book available.
The book will be available to purchase from Lyons Shop, Ardagh, Davis SuperValu Longford Town, Donlon’s Dublin Street, Longford.