The manager of Macdonagh Junction shopping centre has offered a space to facilitate the showcasing of our national sport - hurling - in a museum at the popular shopping centre
Donie Butler was speaking at the launch of the new Drum youth cafe this week when he said that he would be happy to offer a space to house a museum with a space dedicated to hurling in the vicinity of the shopping centre considering Kilkenny’s reputation as a centre of excellence in hurling.
“A GAA museum would be appropriate for Kilkenny as we have already earned the accolade of the best hurlers in the land. We have got to have public recognition for our hurlers and their skill and this should be put on public display. This year we have won an historic four-in-in -a-row and this will go down in history. Our hurlers have done more for Kilkenny than anyone. It should also be showcased in an interpretative centre in a museum in the eastern environs of our city.”
And so passionate was Mr Butler about his idea - he listed off every All-Ireland ever won by a Kilkenny team in less than 30 seconds!
Mr Butler was also adamant that the eastern environs needed a museum to showcase the artefacts that were discovered on the site where Macdonagh Junction is located.
“There is huge history surrounding this site. There was a workhouse here, hundreds of skeletal remains were discovered and the old railway is of huge historical importance. The skeletons will be returned to us once the national museum of Ireland has completed its investigative works and we will want somewhere that we can showcase these historical facts. We have a crypt ready for the return of the remains but there is nothing we can do to speed up the process.
Mr Butler has spoken with the relevant agencies including the local authorities and tourist agencies, putting his ideas forward for a more cohesive approach to the marketing of the eastern environs for tourists.
He said, “a museum off the workhouse square at Macdonagh Junction could be a catalyst for so much more - including a walking tour of this part of the city which would include, St John’s Cathedral, the military barracks and its museum, Newpark Fen, Carnegie Library, the Peace Park and all the other amenities of the area that are not currently included in the walks of the city.”
He added that the new road-building projects and bridge planned for Kilkenny would also go towards improving connection between the heart of the city and the eastern environs.
In his pitch for the support of a museum with a focus on the heritage of hurling, Mr Butler also acknowledged the Lowry Maher Centre in Tullamore where there is a centre devoted to hurling.
“This is a wonderful place in its own right but I would like to see a similar acknowledgement of hurling and heritage in the city centre.”
Cllr Joe Malone supported Mr Butler in his call and said that he hoped that funding could be made available for such an amenity at borough council level.
“A museum that would recognise hurling would be most appropriate - we might never see the 4-in-a-row again and this should be marked. It’s fitting that it is close to Nowlan Park also and I would hope that something would be done to facilitate this project even in these difficult times.”
