New Kilmessan water feature reflects history of local credit union premises
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Kilmessan Tidy Towns members with Tara & District Credit Union staff and local community members at the unveiling of the water feature. Photo: David Mullen/www.cyberimages.net David MullenImage 2 of 5
Dunsany and Meath footballer Eoin Harkin and Peter Gorman in Kilmessan for the water feature unveiling. David MullenImage 3 of 5
Credit Union staff and board of management members, and guests, from left, Cliona Kelly, Des Stack, Jenny O’Brien, Edna Gibbons, Peter Gorman and Marty Dennehy. David MullenImage 4 of 5
Jo Farrell, Olga O’Sullivan and Maria Durnin. David MullenImage 5 of 5
Margaret Comiskey, Tidy Towns chairperson, and Senator Linda Nelson-Murray pictured at a seat sponsored by the senator in the Church of Ireland grounds in Kilmessan. David MullenKilmessan Tidy Towns unveiled its new water feature in the village on Friday evening, a former limestone field roller reimagined as a pillar with cascading water. The feature has been installed on the small area on front of the Tara and District Credit Union premises.
This building marks the location of one Ireland’s first agricultural co-operative societies, which traded as Kilmessan Co-operative Agricultural Society, dating back to 1894. Many of the names of the eight founder-members of the society are linked to families in the neighbourhood – the Martins, Reillys, O’Briens, Moores and Wilkinsons. The co-operative movement was founded in Ireland under the guidance of Sir Horace Plunkett of nearby Dunsany Castle.
The original building was a single storey thatched premises which was destroyed by the Black and Tans during the troubles in the 1920s. In the years 1906 – 1910 it was occupied by Kilmessan Bee Keepers Society Limited. The building was replaced by the current two storey building, which was used by Kilmessan Co-operative Agricultural Society until it was disbanded in 1967.
Tara and District Credit Union arrived in Kilmessan and Dunsany in 1977.
The limestone and water feature reflects the agricultural history of the building and features Meath limestone believed to have been quarried from White Quarry, Ardbraccan, Navan, circa 1900. The central pillar is a recycled field roller, which would have originally been horse drawn. This is a fitting reminder of the close association which the original and current occupants of the building had on the development of agriculture in this area.
Finance for the limestone and water feature was provided from the Kilsaran Community Fund, through Skane Valley Community Council.
Tara and District Credit Union founding member Marty Dennehy joined present board members as well as local footballer, Eoin Harkin of Dunsany and Meath, for the switching-on of the feature. Also in attendance were Senator Linda Nelson Murray, Gillian Toole TD, Margaret Comiskey, Tidy Towns chairperson, Enda McGorman, Skane Valley Community Council chairperson, and members of the local community.