Museum’s tribute to carpenters of another era for Heritage Week

Seamus Lawlor has unveiled a new monument on the grounds of his acclaimed Nore View Folk Museum in Bennettsbridge to coincide with Heritage Week. It honours the carpenters of another era in the locality and every other part of Ireland whose skills were vital to our quality of life as a nation. In good times and bad, the carpenter was always in demand, the curator told a contingent of visitors from Australia on Monday. He added: “Whether in war or peace, boom times or economic downturn, the carpenter can’t be done without.” 

The monument, on a beautifully crafted plinth, is topped with a steel display case fronted by quarter inch thick glass which contains a selection of vintage carpenter’s tools.

Seamus produced a two hundred year old bow saw at the unveiling. He said it reminded him of a legend associated with the Holy family that was current in his childhood: It stated that Saint Joseph, one of the most famous of all carpenters, one day noticed the infant Jesus playing with a piece of broken steel which he was rubbing against a stone. It gradually assumed a jagged edge. The future Saviour of Mankind then proceeded to cut a sliver of wood in half with it, thus inventing the saw.

Joseph, according to the legend, immediately recognized the significance of this and spread the word and before long all the carpenters in the Holy Land were happily sawing timber for fires and building.

Whatever about the accuracy of this legend, Seamus paid a warm tribute to all those skilled craftspeople, whether practical carpenters or artists, who have been “knocking on wood” since the dawn of time. He especially hailed those in his own locality who had served the community with their craft. He recounted how the first carts in the district had wooden wheels, these in time being reinforced with steel rims by the blacksmiths. He also emphasized that Bennettsbridge carpenters had a proud record in wisely utilising wood from trees felled in sustainable forests.

Seamus says everyone is welcome to view the monument, along with the 12,000 other exhibits at the museum, which continues to attract visitors from across the globe.

Though the monument was designed by Seamus himself, print and sign work was by Derek Maher of Dublin Road, Kilkenny, Pre-Cast Concrete supplied the plinth, and Stephen Fitzpatrick of Bennettsbridge engineered the monument impeccably into place with his forklift.

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            Seamus with a two hundred year old bow saw and a picture of Saint Joseph,
                                                      the most famous carpenter of all

Renowned Cannon Hill in Bennettsbridge, on which the almost equally famed Nore Folk Museum stands, was “occupied” by the military last week!

On Thursday, a group of cadets visited the museum to acquaint themselves with its fascinating collection of antique household items, old farm machinery, and war memorabilia.

Curator Seamus Lawlor guided them around the collection of more than 12,000 exhibits, drawing sighs of admiration and exasperation from the enthralled future defenders of the nation.  Outside the museum, they toured Cannon Hill, treading over ground where once rested and dined no less a man than Oliver Cromwell, the feared Lord Protector of England who stopped off in Bennettsbridge on his way to capture Kilkenny City in March 1650.

The cadets were shown a patch of earth upon which the man Irish people have always loved to hate is believed to have actually sat down and enjoyed a few sandwiches and a drop of tea with his troops when he took a break from his long cross country march towards the former Confederate capital.

On Friday, a senior Army Officer stationed at the Curragh called in. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Ryan complimented Seamus on his collection, extending an invitation to him to visit the highly rated museum at the Curragh.

Seamus proudly showed the Defence Forces officer a set of cannons outside the museum entrance, all pointing towards Kilkenny in remembrance of Cromwell’s overnight stay on the spot. The Lieutenant Colonel thanked Seamus for taking him back to ages long past, to the long forgotten era of the horse-drawn plough, the sword and musket, of the threshing engine, hurling without helmets, dentistry without anaesthetic, smoke filled pubs (there’s a replica of such a pub in the museum) and primitive household appliances like a manually operated vacuum cleaner.

Seamus said he was delighted to have soldiers again visiting Cannon Hill. “Friendly ones this time”, he hastened to add!

  A monument created to the blacksmiths of the Bennettsbridge district.

Wishing you all a very Happy St.Patrick's Day!

                                                                    

A tribute picture Betsy the donkey that has passed away . She will be sadly missed by Seamus

This is an audio recorded interview of Seamus with Damien O' Reilly . [Presenter of "Country Wide" - RTE 1]
Damien came down to the Museum at Bennettsbridge to meet and  interview Seamus for his Radio 1 program "Country Wide".
It was heard on air on the 08/09/12

                                          Kilkenny St Patrick’s Day parade Awards

George Candler, Mayor David Fitzgerald, and Seamus Lawlor at awards function.

It was all smiles at the Town Hall on Friday night as the people behind the winning floats in this year’s Kilkenny St Patrick’s Day parade were honoured for boosting the tourism and cultural potential of their home county.

                                  Seamus Lawlor accepting award from Mayor of Kilkenny

                                                                               
The Noreview Folk Museum in Bennettsbridge scooped the award for Best Community Entry. Seamus Lawlor’s world renowned collection of more than 12,000 exhibits, some dating to the Stone Age, received warm accolades from the parade committee.

                               
                                    Seamus Lawlor thanking Mayor and Parade Committee

Seamus said he felt privileged to be singled out for mention, and that he intended to continue showcasing Ireland’s multi-faceted heritage at his museum that stands on Cannon Hill. He thanked the large contingent of Bennettsbridge folk who had assisted him on the day, stressing that the award, and recognition, was theirs also.

                  KCLR's Johnny Barry with Seamus Lawlor of the Nore View Folk Museum.



Text from the Kilkenny People,   8 June 2012- . Photo's taken by John Fitzgerald