History in the making

Cavan’s rich heritage and stunning beauty is laid out in all its glory in a Christmas video created by Cavan County Museum and Cavan Heritage Office.

The video, launched last Saturday (December 19) at 2pm, has already received over 10,000 views.

“It’s been so successful, it’s really surpassed all our hopes for it,” said Curator of Cavan County Museum Savina Donohoe.

The video is directed by Alan Bradley, the Virginia writer, actor and documentary filmmaker whose face is recognisable from a number of television commercials including Tesco's latest naughty list Christmas ad.

The Cavan County Museum's video encapsulates the highs and lows of lockdown by telling stories from a youthful and elderly perspective. It features Michael Harding, Deirdre Shannon and a host of local children and adults.

“I just think it’s very special for Cavan people,” said Savina. The stories were obtained during the pandemic, when Cavan County Museum asked people to write in with their accounts of Covid 19.

Linking these stories with Cavan’s rich heritage and stunning beauty, the team were able to put together this video for all to enjoy.

“It’s a lovely artefact that we will have going forward. This year will be history. A lot of what we have included in that video will make up that history from a Cavan point of view.”

The work has been a hit with Cavan people at home and abroad: “It’s a lovely message to Cavan people. I just think it's particularly poignant if you’re from Cavan and is more so if you’re away from home.”

Savina said comments on the video are flooding in: “We’re getting a lot of ‘we hope we will get home for 2021’.”

“It’s emotional, you might think that it’s a bit sad, but this has been a hard year for everybody,” the Curator of Cavan County Museum says, “It’s reality.”

Savina wishes to thank everybody who took part in the making of the video saying that “people were very generous with their time and input.”