Remarks at the Opening of The Nenagh Castle Heritage Site
6th June 2012
Minister, Mayor, Elected Representatives, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me great pleasure to be here in Nenagh this afternoon to open the Nenagh Castle Heritage site. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire Brian Hayes as an cuireadh cneasta bheith i bhur measc inniu. Chomh mhaith leis sin ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil libhse go léir as an bhfáilte croíúil. Gan dabht ní mór dom buíochas a ghabháil le Banna Máirseála Chlochair Mhuire as a leagan íontach d’Amhrán na bhFiann.
[I would like to thank Minister Brian Hayes for the kind invitation to join you, and also all of you for that generous welcome. I must also, of course, thank the talented St Mary’s Convent Primary School Marching Band for their wonderful rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann.]
As Minster for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht I supported and encouraged the purchase of this beautiful Castle in 1996. Therefore, I am delighted to be standing here this afternoon in the newly presented Keep and within the castle grounds landscaped by the Town Council. Today, some forty years after the first restoration of Nenagh Castle in 1972, we celebrate the fruition of four years of hard work to restore the castle to a unique visitor heritage attraction.
Cuireann athchóiriú Caisleán an Aonaigh go mór le aitheantas an phobail. Baineann an Caisleán leis an tAonach amháin ach is féidir le daoine ó gach cearn den domhain taitneamh a bhaint as áis íontach seo.
[In the restoration of Nenagh Castle you have yet another amenity that gives a uniqueness to this community, something that belongs to Nenagh alone but can be shared and enjoyed by people from all over the world. ]
The building of the castle in the thirteenth century as a Norman Keep, by the first Baron Butler, laid the foundation for the development of Nenagh town. It was a castle built to impress, with the commanding height of the Keep, the stout impenetrable walls and a tall portcullis gate. Today, the castle still stands as an impressive, and now beautifully restored, example of Norman military architecture.
The castle now becomes part of a close knit cultural hub in Nenagh town, proudly taking its place alongside Nenagh Arts Centre, Nenagh Courthouse, Nenagh jail and some of your beautiful churches. All of these combine to provide the critical mass that allows Nenagh to become a significant tourist attraction for visitors. I wish you all success with this new venture which will see Nenagh continuing to play its part in our important cultural tourism industry.
This restoration and rejuvenation of a prized historical building is something that connects you all with your past and with each other.
It is something in which you can take collective pride and something which will provide an authentic link between contemporary Nenagh and its rich and varied history. All areas have their own treasures – their old churches or schoolhouses or courthouses or, indeed, castles such as this one. They are important resources in linking us to our past, in allowing us to understand the history that shaped our community and in helping us to take a real pride in playing our part in the ongoing evolution of that community.
Tugann sean-fhoirgnimh agus áiteanna stairiúla na hÉireann léargas suntasach dúinn ar stair ár sinsir, an cúlra atá againn agus an fhorbairt atá tagtha ar ár sochaí le himeacht ama.
[Old buildings and historic spaces such as this one tell us a great deal about our antecedents, about where we came from and about how our society evolved to be what it is today.]
It is, indeed, through an understanding of our history that we interpret the present and craft the future. We have some sense of the difficulties faced by previous generations and better understand our place in the modern world.
History provides the intellectual context in which we at least try to be the shapers of our own destiny rather than passively drifting along at the mercy of circumstance. We can be through an understanding of our history, the arrow rather than the target. It provides the knowledge that encourages us to constantly strive to make Ireland a better place.
Too often in the past we have ignored historic preservation and its role in our contemporary society – we have rushed to modernise, moved forward too hastily, without a backward glance, destroying much of the historic nucleus at the heart of our towns and cities. It is important we remember that, while economic pprogress is a fundamental part of life and is indeed imperative if we are to generate and sustain sufficient employment, it should not come at the expense of our social and historical identity.
In recent years, we have thankfully become increasingly aware of the economic dimension of historical preservation. We have realised that restoring and preserving architectural gems and protecting and enhancing sites of historic importance, does not just add hugely to the cultural richness of our society; it is also a strong vehicle of economic growth leading to job creation, revitalisation of towns and cities and greatly increased tourism. By preserving, as far as possible, the integrity of our architectural structures and historic amenities we benefit our communities, our economy and our environment.
Here in Ireland the relationship between heritage and tourism is a strong one, and one that will be crucial in rebuilding our economy and restoring international faith in that regenerated economy – an economy that prioritises long-term and sustainable development over short-term profit maximisation.
In the interests of ensuring that there is a sustainable future to be enjoyed by succeeding generations, we must continue to preserve and cherish all that was best about our past; we must respect and celebrate our cultural and historical richness in all its diversities and pluralities; and we must have the discernment and self-confidence t0 place that culture, history and heritage at the heart of our economy and society and not just as optional extras to be afforded in booming economic times.
This should not be a difficult challenge for Irish people. We have proved, time and time again, that we are an adaptive and innovative nation, a people who can respond to problems with a powerful mix of pragmatism and creativity. We understand the importance of cherishing our past and our rich heritage, but of doing so without false sentiment and with a true understanding of how that past can be constructively mined to meet the needs of the present day.
Here, today, in Nenagh I am deeply impressive to see the pride you share in the bringing to fruition of this project – how it has given you a shared emotional connection, a sense of participation and belonging and a collective appreciation of the history that binds you together as a community. A functioning and energetic community is not something that comes together overnight, or at random, but is the product of a lot of hard work and generous participation, support and encouragement.
I would like to conclude by thanking everyone who has worked so hard to bring this project to fruition including the OPW Kilkenny District Workforce, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Nenagh Town Council. I congratulate you on the wonderful work you have done and I now declare the Nenagh Castle Heritage Site officially open.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.