Celebrating St Kilian in Mullagh

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St Kilian’s Heritage Centre has been open for just over 25 years and provides a base for people to learn about local history.

The centre was built partly by the local community in Mullagh and the community in Würzburg, Germany and maintains the “strong link” between both dioceses.

“St Kilian would be like their St Patrick,” Secretary of St Kilian’s Heritage Trust Deirdre Carolan tells the Celt.

“He travelled from Mullagh to Würzburg and he managed to convert the local leader of the town and then all the people in the area followed and became Christian.”

St Kilian is celebrated every year in Würzburg with a “massive festival” and the community there wanted somewhere to come and see where St Kilian’s life began.

“The heritage centre was built as a centre for them to come to.”

Meanwhile, the centre also educates local people about the life and work of St Kilian.

In recent years, the space has also become a community centre for those living locally, with heritage events, exhibitions, book launches, poetry nights, meetings and educational tours, among other events also taking place there.

“We needed that [meeting hub] because there was a period of time when we had plenty of visitors coming who were interested in the exhibition and the history, and that changes as time goes on. People can now look online for all of that information.

“In order to keep it open we had to expand what we do.”

The centre is also home to a community café ‘Uan Uladh’ named after the Academic Agnes O’Farrelly who was from the area, while the centre also contains other local historical exhibits. Meanwhile, the craft shop gives local crafters an opportunity to share their work. They host school tours throughout the autumn months, and are hoping to expand this aspect of the centre in the future.

There are 16 people involved with St Kilian’s Heritage Trust, while they employ four members of staff. One of the founding members of the centre, Madeleine Uí Mhéalóid, remains the “driving force” behind the centre.

CONTACT US

Address: Mullagh, Co Cavan [A82 HW77]

Email: Stkiliancentre@gmail.com

Phone: 046-9242433

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