Busy times for Raheny Heritage Society

RAHENY Heritage Society was officially launched in January 1987 to encourage interest and research into family history (genealogy) and local history.

Over the years the society has collected old photographs and documents relating to Raheny, held several exhibitions in Raheny Library, assisted members researching their own family histories, as well as publishing booklets on local and genealogy matters. Meetings are held twice a month in the Community Room, Raheny Court, Avondale Park, Raheny from September to June at 8pm. There are no meetings in July and August.

The second Wednesday each month is for anyone researching their own family history and the last Wednesday for local history matters.

The society’s first exhibition was held in 1988 in Raheny Library when members researched and gathered old photographs and documents relating to the Raheny area, had them mounted and also displayed a scaled model of the village c. 1900 made by Niamh Dunne. This exhibition attracted a large attendance over many weeks and even featured on RTE as part of a series on Villages of Dublin.

The next major exhibition the society organised was on St Anne’s Park which was held at the Red Stables in 1991 and also included a model of St Anne’s Mansion. This exhibition was a huge success. Further exhibitions held over the years covered topics from researching family history to the history of transport.

The society’s first publication,

‘Raheny Heritage Trail’, appeared in 1992 and is a walking tour of the historical buildings in the village. It has been reprinted several times. In 2009 the society published

‘Raheny Footprints’ which features some men and women who have lived in Raheny at various times and who have, by their achievements, locally and nationally, truly left their

‘Footprints in the Sands of Time’. Both of these publications are available in the bookshop,

‘Best Sellers’ in Raheny or from the society.

Members of the society also extracted the 1901 and 1911 Census for Raheny as well as 1901 Census for Clontarf East and Clontarf West from the original returns held in the National Archives and published them some years ago. Members are currently working on another publication about the Howth Road, researching the development of houses, businesses and schools along the route from Fairview to Kilbarrack.

One interesting activity of the society took place in May 1994 when the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Dublin to Drogheda Railway in 1844 was re-enacted. Members of the society, as well as representatives from all the Raheny residents’ associations, dressed in period costumes, and the new Arrow train laid on by Iarnrod Eireann transported all from Raheny to Drogheda and back. The part of Daniel O’Connell was played by an actor who gave the same speech as the

‘Liberator’ back in 1844. There is a commemorative plaque in both Raheny and Drogheda stations to mark this event.

The Society has forged strong links with other groups in Raheny over the years. In 2000, it supported the re-location of the Marie Elizabeth Hayes Cross, erected in memory of a Raheny missionary doctor who died in India, to the centre of the village. The society provided the text for the blue plaques mounted on the historical buildings around the village in 2006 which was supported by the Raheny Business Association and the Tidy Village Group.

On Sunday, 6 January 2008, the Feast of the Epiphany, the society in conjunction with the parish of All Saints’ Church, Raheny, commemorated the death of Dr Marie Hayes whose memorial service was held on the Feast of the Epiphany, 6 January 1908, exactly 100 years ago. This commemoration consisted of the laying of a wreath with some prayers at the Cross, followed by a Choral Evensong in All Saints’ Church, as well as a photographic exhibition of her life and missionary work, including extracts from her letters, which was held in the adjoining church hall. It was a fitting tribute to the memory of this Raheny missionary doctor.

The society also organises lectures and visits to places of interest including one all-day trip each year. A number of members have researched and written articles that have been published in leading journals in Ireland on genealogy and local history. In addition, some members have published books based on their own research.

The next few months will be a busy time for the society, even though there are no meetings held in July and August. A lecture will be held in Raheny Library on Wednesday June 19 at 6.30pm which is open to all. The title of the lecture is

‘The Shoemaker’s Daughters, a presentation on the Burgess family of James’ Street, by Pól O’ Duibhir, who explores the research he undertook on one branch of his family.

Raheny Day will be held on Saturday June 22. Two members of the society will give a guided tour of St Assam’s graveyard in the centre of Raheny village at 2.30pm and 3.30pm. As this graveyard is usually closed, it is an opportunity for the public to find out about this very historic place. The following day, Sunday June 23, the annual outing of the society will take place travelling to Killaloe, the birthplace of Brian Boru.

The annual Rose Festival in St Anne’s Park will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21. Raheny Heritage Society will be there in one of the marquees, showing an extensive range of its historical photos over the weekend. If you have not seen these photographs before, please do drop in and look at the exhibition and browse the publications.