Knocklong to bring County Limerick history to life

KNOCKLONG in County Limerick has a long and proud history and it certainly hasn’t been forgotten by locals living there today.

Pat Walsh, one of the hard-working committee behind the Knocklong History Weekend, said they have a wide and varied programme this year,

“Our annual history seminar is on this year from the Friday night, May 18 and all day on Saturday, May 19, culminating with a wreath laying on Saturday evening,” said Pat.

As part of the Knocklong History Weekend 2018 on Friday, May 18 at 8pm in the community hall the documentary Knocklong: A Community Fights Back will be shown. It is a behind the scenes look at the making of the play The Rescue in 2016. It is based on the rescue of Sean Hogan, created with the County Limerick Youth Theatre. Admission is free.

This will be followed by an update on the exciting Knocklong Heritage Park project at 9pm.

“On Saturday morning at 11am we will be unveiling eight commemorative boards with the names, pictures and details of the IRA Battalions for East and Mid Limerick,” said Pat. 

“Tom Toomey, author of the War of Independence in Limerick, has researched the details over the last year and collaborated with numerous people to create these eight by four foot boards,” he continued.

Pat says a lot of communities will be very interested in the lists of the members from their area.

From 2pm there will be three lectures from Tomas MacConmara on Hunger Strikers in 1917/1918; Liz Gillis on The Burning of the Customs House; Dr Pat McCarthy on 1918 Election and Conscription Crisis.

The weekend will conclude at 5.30pm on Saturday with a wreath laying at the railway plaque.

All are welcome to visit Knocklong this weekend to celebrate our shared history.

For more information please log onto www.knocklong.net.