Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail added to South Dublin County Heritage Trail app

Gary Ibbotson 11 Apr 2023

Cllr. Emma Murphy Mayor of South Dublin with Jason Frehill Director of Economic Enterprise and Tourism Development, Liz Gillis (historian in residence SDCC), Ralph McGarry (SDCC County Promotions Unit) and Sile Coleman (Librarian at Ballyroan Library) at the launch for the Rathfarnham Herritage Trail App in Pearse Museum.

The addition of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail to the South Dublin County Heritage Trail App was officially launched by the Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr. Emma Murphy at Pearse Museum.

The addition of Rathfarnham as a trail to the app has been funded by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through their Decade of Centenaries programme, and developed in partnership with South Dublin County Council Libraries and the Council’s County Promotion Unit.

Rathfarnham is the third village trail to be added to the app, joining Clondalkin and Tallaght.

The Rathfarnham Trail has 17 individual heritage points of interest in and around the village.

The combination of image, text and audio for each point of interest makes the experience “both immersive and engaging for the user, bringing the social and cultural history to life,” the council says.

The fully interactive and user-friendly app is available in Irish, English, French and German, and by using Android or Apple maps directs users to nearby places of interest.

The app is free to download to mobile phones and tablets by searching “South Dublin County Heritage Trail”.

Rathfarnham village’s historical importance to the Irish War of Independence is a key component of the trail.

Sites such as Pearse Museum/St Enda’s School, Rathfarnham Castle, Butterfield House, Loreto Abbey and the old Rathfarnham RIC Barracks are some of the points of interest for history buffs.

Speaking at the launch the Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr. Emma Murphy said: “I am confident that the launch of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail will highlight the area’s significance in the Irish War of Independence and promote Rathfarnham as a centre of Irish Culture.

“The app is a valuable education tool and is an engaging experience for users.

“It is particularly relevant to host the launch of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail here, in one of the most important buildings to the foundation of the State.

“Padraig Pearse walked these hallways, taught in these classrooms, and inspired Irish patriotism, that would lead to his ultimate desire of a fight for Irish freedom.

“In this very space, Pearse created an epicentre of Irish Art, Culture and Education, that although nowadays may be seen as the norm, in his time, was no less than an act of defiance and bravery”.