Reopening of MacDonagh Museum in Cloughjordan

The Thomas MacDonagh Museum is prepared and ready to reopen at the August weekend - Friday, July 31st; Saturday 1st, Sunday 2nd and, on bank holiday Monday, August 3rd – from 2-4pm daily.

From then on, visitors will be welcome from 2-4pm every weekend. Covid-19 restrictions will be in place. For further information, phone 087 3946862.

The collection on display on Clann Mhic Dhonachdha has been extended to include recently acquired material related to Thomas and the MacDonagh family. We hope to include a variety of family activities in the autumn, based on themes in the exhibits, involving visitors of all ages.

The series on Local Personalities now spans the hundred-year period, 1850 – 1950, revealing the impact of events in history on the lives of the local community. Assistance is available in family tracing, especially during that period, as we have some comprehensive local records.

There is a temporary exhibition of the work of local photographer Andy Whelan. All photographs on display have been made available to the museum for sale. The collection includes several local scenes and examples of significant buildings.

We are especially excited about a new CD, just released, featuring many of the poems of Thomas MacDonagh with a rich musical accompaniment. The 31 tracks, directed by Martin Butler, formally of Cloughjordan and now living in Boston, were recorded on both sides of the Atlantic by well-known artists, with introductions to the poems provided by Lucille Redmond, grand-daughter of Thomas MacDonagh.

Among those reading poems are; members of the MacDonagh family, Patrick Bergin, Aoife Scott, Martin Maguire, Martin O’Malley, Colm O’Brien, and Aoife Clancy. Musical contributors include; Liam Ó Maonlaí, Liam Hurt, Paddy Maloney, John Owens, Stuart Peak and Martin Butler.

Many others have also contributed to the presentation of this collection of poems and songs from ‘The Woodland Edge’. The CD is available in the MacDonagh Museum and will be on sale at the Cloughjordan Street Market on August 1st.

We look forward to welcoming visitors, once again, to come and enjoy a visit to the Thomas MacDonagh Museum in Cloughjordan.