Patrick Kavanagh Centre

The Patrick Kavanagh Centre (Patrick Kavanagh Rural And Literary Resource Centre) is located in Inniskeen, County Monaghan, Ireland.[1][2] It is set up to commemorate the poet Patrick Kavanagh who is regarded as one of the foremost Irish poets of the 20th century. He was born in Mucker townland Inniskeen. It is located in the former RC St. Mary's church (which dates from 1820) in whose adjoining graveyard Kavanagh and his wife are buried. The centre was developed by the Inniskeen Enterprise Development Group and was opened by President Mary Robinson in 1994. The centre underwent a €100 million renovation before reopening in July 2020![3]

Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Inniskeen

History

Mary Robinson President of Ireland dedicated the Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen in 1994, saying: ‘Let us remember him as he deserves to be remembered: not as an ornament to our literature - although he certainly is that - but as a poet who is still living among us, through his powerful and challenging poems and the force of his artistic conscience.’ [4]

In 2004 President Mary McAleese laid a wreath on Patrick Kavanagh's grave and gave a short address at the centre as part of the centenary of Patrick Kavanagh's birth,[5] She had previously visited the centre in 1998.[6]

Exhibitions
Interior Patrick Kavanagh Centre

The centre houses exhibitions outlining Kavanagh's life story as well as the history of the surrounding area. It includes a topographical model of the area, a model illustrating Kavanagh's poem, "A Christmas Childhood" paintings,and informational panels on the poet.[7] The Peter Kavanagh hand press is on loan from the Kavanagh Archive University College Dublin.[8] Kavanagh's Death Mask which was formerly owned by John Ryan is also on display. There are many other memorabilia on display including letters, and the font Kavanagh was baptised in.

Audio-visual theatre

There is a 60-seater Audio-visual theatre, which is used to show films on Kavanagh One of the best is "Self Portrait" a half an hour straight to camera monologue ny the Poet recorded for RTÉ back in 1962. On the large screen it is amusing and deeply moving.[9]

Tours of Kavanagh Country
Kavanagh's Grave

The centre offers a tour of Kavanagh Country, which takes in many local sites associated with the poet and his poetry and novels. It also has a Patrick Kavanagh Trail guide. The trail takes in sites some of which may be visited by the public (noted with a * if they can be visited) others can be viewed from the roadside, these include:* Patrick Kavanagh Literary & Resource Centre, Norman Notte & Augustinian Monastery (ruins)* Folk Museum & Round Tower, Railway Bridge,* Church of Mary Mother of Mercy Dance Hall at Mullaghinsha, Billy Brennan's Barn Rocksavage Fort & The Triangular Field* Slieve Gullion View, Drumcattan Church, Rocksavage Estate, Kednaminsha National School, Mc Enteggarts' Boarding House, House of The Wake, Cassidy's Hanging Hill, The Kavanagh Homestead.[10]

The Monaghan Way a walking route starts from the centre and goes cross country to Castleblayney following the route of the Fane river and the old railway line.[11]

Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award

The centre organises, jointly with the Patrick Kavanagh Society, the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award, which is presented each year for an unpublished collection of poems.[12]

Patrick Kavanagh Weekend

The annual Patrick Kavanagh Weekend takes place on the last weekend in November in the centre. It consists of a series of lectures usually on a central theme combined with musical entertainment and Drama. Keynote sprakers have included Seamus Heaney, Antoinette Quinn, Brendan Kennelly, Gerald Dawe, Thomas McCarthy, Pat Boran[13] Theo Dorgan, and Gabriel Rosenstock

References
  1. O Conghaile, Pol (4 April 2009). "A day in the life: Kavanagh Country". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  2. "Patrick Kavanagh Rural And Literary Resource Centre". Discoverireland.ie. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  3. Husseye, Sinéad (20 July 2020). "Back once again, the Patrick Kavanagh Centre reopens". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. "Patrick Kavanagh". Ricorso. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  5. "Apollo Art Gallery: Patrick Kavanagh Centenary Weekend 2004". Newsweaver.ie. November 2004. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  6. "Áras an Uachtaráin - Engagements". President of Ireland. 4 May 1998. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  7. "Patrick Kavanagh Centre for fun things to do in Monaghan, Ireland". FunDays.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  8. "Patrick Kavanagh: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  9. "The Patrick Kavanagh Centre". Qype.ie. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  10. "Patrick Kavanagh Trail Guide". Ireland.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  11. "The Monaghan Way". Discoverireland.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  12. "The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2009". The Examiner Newspaper of Crossmaglen, South Armagh, Newry and Down. 22 September 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  13. Pat Boran (25 November 2005). "Patrick Kavanagh Keynote Address 2005". Pat Boran. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.

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