Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal

Last Night, Thursday 21st August, saw the launch of a new photographic and local history exhibition in Maynooth Community Library. For some time now, Fergus White and Terry Nealon have been working on a project to trace the origins and history of the buildings on Main Street Maynnoth from 1750 to the present day. Oral recordings, historical research and most importantly old photographs have enabled them to build a comprehensive understanding of how the Main Street has developed over the centuries.  A sample of their work is now on display in Maynooth Community Library to show how the project is progressing and also to encourage people with information or photographs to help them develop the project even more. Photographs will be scanned and returned to the owners and can be left with the staff of the library or given directly to Fergus and Terry.

This is truly a mammoth undertaking and the passion and professionalism of the team is highly commendable. It is hoped that the final results may indeed be published in the future. The exhibition runs through Heritage Week and for the month of September and is a must for all residents of Maynooth. It may also provide an impetus for other local history groups and community groups in search of a way of recording the history of their village or town.

 

Close-up of a small Staffordshire cup bearing the arms of Naas UDC. According to Liam Kenny tokens or souvenirs like this would have copied the original letterheads of Naas UDC, hence the date 1900.