Bringing local history to life: Teresa Brayton Heritage Group at the Immigrants’ Garden
(Photo: O. Morrin)
Have you ever wanted to know more about the local history of your area? Why not consider joining a local history or heritage group. My colleague Olive kindly agreed to explain about her involvement in a local history group called the Teresa Brayton Heritage Group. She and the members of this group have worked extensively researching the life and works of Teresa Brayton. Olive was involved in working on some publications for this heritage group. Perhaps this may encourage other budding authors to consider getting involved in a similar group in their area. Or maybe you too can find a group that satisfies your hunger for knowledge, quest for the truth or urgent need to help preserve history for future generations. Please enjoy Olive’s guest post below and maybe check out some local history groups in your area.
***Posted on behalf of Olive Morrin, Special Collections & Donations, The Library, NUI Maynooth***
I am a member of the Teresa Brayton Heritage Group which was setup in 1997. The main objectives of the Group is to raise awareness of Kilcock’s heritage and to promote the work of Teresa Brayton. Members of the Group have been involved in the publication of three books; Fugitive Warfare: 1798 in North Kildare published in 1998; Unity in Division: a history of Christianity in Kilcock and Newtown Parish 400-2000 published in 1999, In an Irish twilight: an anthology of the poetry and short stories of Teresa Brayton which was published in 2002 and reprinted in 2013. Teresa Brayton was born in 1868 and immigrated to America in 1895. She published extensively in many American newspapers and was closely associated with the 1916 Rising. She published three books of poetry called Songs of the Dawn (1913), The Flame of Ireland (1926) and Christmas Verses (1934). Her main themes were the exile’s nostalgic loss of homeland, nationalism, religion and nature. She returned to Ireland in 1932 and died in her home in Kilbrook, Co. Kildare in 1943. In 1959 a memorial headstone was unveiled by President de Valera in Cloncurry. Her most famous poem was the Old Bog Road – an exile’s nostalgic poem which was set to music by Madeline King O’Farrelly from Rochforthbridge, Co. Westmeath. The Old Bog Road has been recorded by many artists including Johnny McEvoy and is a powerful lament for a lost homeland.
This road is situated between Kilcock and Enfield and the Group have created an Immigrants’ Garden at the top of the road with plants and flowers mentioned by Teresa Brayton in her nature poetry. A large inscribed stone marks the entrance to the road and two information panels have been erected.
Please click the Teresa Brayton Heritage Group link below to enjoy a short video capturing the beauty of the Old Bog Road.
Library Staff Development 