 |
| Medieval streets where we live |
'The Stone Outside Dan Murphy's Door' images from Clare Library website
 |
| Local girl Smithson |
 |
| Jostle Stone, Ennis |
As part of the events marking Heritage Week
, Dick Cronin, Clare County Council Architectural Conservation Officer & Archeologist, gave a lecture at the Old Ground Hotel, itself a historic landmark on the numerous surviving late medieval buildings in Ennis. The talk was accompanied by some interesing slides featuring all sorts of architectural details we pass every day but don't notice such as jostle stones and diamond shaped chimney stacks. Pictured above is one such stone, immortalised in song by Johnny Patterson .Cronin focused particularly on the discovery and restoration of a timber framed house which had a musical association. The actress
Harriet Smithson, renowned as the inspiration for one of the iconic works of the Romantic era, the
Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz , he reminded us was born in Ennis. Her parents being travelling theatre folk, arranged for the child to be fostered by Dean Barrett and she raised in Ennis and lived at McParland's House until she was nine years old.
 |
| The oldest inhabited house in Ennis . |
There was a good turn out . We met Adrian Donnelly of Clare Roots Society and PRO for Ennis Book Club Festival and Jane O Brien , director of
Ennis Walking Tours. Jane spoke to my roving reporter about Ennis history and her walking tour service. Also in attendance was Brian O Dalaigh . His publication,
Irish Historic Towns Atlas no 25. on Ennis will be officially launched at Ennis Civic offices , on Friday 24th August
Related article . McParlands House
No comments:
Post a Comment