Treasured artefact returned to Oak Park 

AFTER almost seven decades, a treasured Oak Park House artefact from the Bruen era is back where it belongs.

This summer saw the return to Oak Park House of books which graced the library there in the time of the Bruen family and were auctioned with the contents of the house in 1957.

The last Henry Bruen (the fourth) had died in 1954 and the estate was sold to an English farming syndicate. The furniture, paintings and books were scattered all over Ireland and beyond, never to grace this fine stately home again. Or so it seemed.

Paddy Keenan of Oak Park Road, Carlow bought a set of travel books at this auction as well as The Annals of the Four Masters, which was printed especially for Henry Bruen. While the annals book was subsequently sold to an English buyer, Michael Keenan, Paddy’s son, preserved the two travel books, which are dated from 1793 and 1813.

Beautifully bound, these books were in the care of the Keenan family for 67 years. 

At the recent Oak Park open day, Michael Keenan visited the stately house and saw that Teagasc has endeavoured to acquire and preserve items that originally belonged there. 

Then, in consultation with the rest of his family, he decided to donate the books back where they belonged. 

This was arranged through John Hogan, retired farm manager of Oak Park farm who, along with Frank O’Mara, director and John Spink, head of environment, crops and land use, hosted Michael, his wife Teresa and his sister Colette to a lunch, where the presentation was made.