Projects showcase the rich history of Carlow Ambulance Service
Jim Hanley, Martina Kennedy and Joe O'Brien (National Ambulance Service) pictured at the launch of the Carlow Heritage Office ambulance video and Historic Graveyard Audit in Carlow Town Hall Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
CARLOW County Council officially launched two key heritage projects in Carlow Town Hall recently, which showcased the rich history of Carlow Ambulance Service and detailing 45 of the county’s historic churches and graveyards.
Mayor of Carlow cllr Fintan Phelan thanked Paul Curran from Carlow County Council for his avid research and enthusiasm in working with Oliver Fallon of Blake & Bailey Video Production on the story of the heritage of the Carlow Ambulance Service. The video contains interviews with current members of the service and contained previous oral recordings of Tommy Wogan, a former ambulance driver in Carlow in the 1950s.
The video married humorous stories with heartfelt memories of people whose everyday work in the ambulance service impacted positively and quietly on so many people in the county.
At the launch, cllr Phelan welcomed members of the Wogan family – Patricia, Michael, Sarah, Mark and Tom. The premiere of the video was followed by some words from Paul Curran, who thanked the members of Carlow Ambulance Service for making themselves available to be interviewed and mentioned the strong bonds that exist between all the emergency services in the county.
The video was produced as an action of the County Carlow Heritage Plan (2024-2029). In welcoming the video, heritage officer Eoin Sullvan mentioned “the strategic plan of producing a suite of videos on the main emergency services in Co Carlow – ambulance, fire and gardaí”.
Carlow County Council employed Colm Moriarity to undertake phase one of a two-phase audit of historic churches and graveyards in the county. Cathaoirleach Fergal Browne welcomed the first report detailing 45 historic churches and graveyards.
Cllr Browne noted how the report assists Carlow County Council’s strategic needs-based approach to the conservation of our built heritage. This is part of the local authority’s climate change actions and the protection of the rich built heritage of Co Carlow. Cllr Browne noted the valuable role of the Community Monuments Fund in 2024 and congratulated the people of Myshall, particularly Damian Howard, who worked with the David Kelly Partnership and Carlow Heritage Office in completing the conservation works at the medieval church structure of St Finian’s and portions of the surrounding graveyard wall.
Eoin Sullivan noted that the heritage video and the Historic Churches and Graveyard Report (Phase 1) would be available to view on the Carlow County Council website in the New Year.
