Tipp townland celebrates its history

Celebrating Heritage Week

The history and culture of life in the small pretty village of Toor, set in hillside surroundings between Newport and Rearcross, was recalled at a Heritage Week celebration in the village hosted by the local community.

Turning back the clock for almost a century, Tim Lee recalled the relocation to Loran, near Templemore, of a number of local families in 1926.

The families, of which Tim is one of the descendants, were assigned farms in the fertile area of Loran by the Irish Land Commission to enable them to have a better standard of living.

Retired Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, who now resides close to the village, presented an inspiring account of the changing trends in agriculture through the past decades and the role that mechanisation has played.

Professor Mark Kennedy outlined the history of the Kennedy clan within the area down through the ages, of which among the most notable has been the late Dr Henry Kennedy, a leading national stalwart in the development of the Irish Co-operative Movement during its early decades and one of the founding directors of the Board of the ESB when it was established to build the power station at Ardnacrusha to electrify the country.

Local resident, Mike Harrington spoke on the history of Toor Village itself and led a guided walking tour for those present, which included councillors Pamela Quirke O'Meara and Fiona Bonfield.

AFTERNOON OF ENTRTAINMENT

An afternoon of entertainment followed with local musicians playing with exceptional skills while the sun shone to provide the perfect setting for a memorable community day.

A sincere ‘thank you’ has been extended by the organisers to all who participated and visitors who made the day so successful.