Allen Tower, Kildare, Co. Kildare.
[graphic]
| Main Creator: | |
|---|---|
| In collection: | O'Dea Photograph Collection |
| Format: | Photo |
| Published / Created: |
[1948]
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| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | Additional information about this photograph is available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/36412955373/ Physical description: 1 photograph Geographic Coverage: Kildare, County Kildare, Province of Leinster, Ireland. more |
Let's see if we can get back to normal this Friday after all the excitement of the last few days. We are off to County Kildare to have a look at Allen Tower. I wager it is close to a railway given this is from the O'Dea collection. All contributions welcome.
Today's contributors note that this tower is atop the Hill of Allen in Kildare. While associated with the legends of the Fianna, the topography of the hill was much changed through quarrying in the 20th century. The hill-top tower remains however, and was built in 1859 by Gerald George Aylmer (Aylmer Baronet of Donadea) in "remembrance of God’s mercies, many and great". Each step is inscribed with the names of those who aided in its construction. One wonders what they would make of the drone view video of the site today....
Photographer: James P. O'Dea
Collection:James P. O'Dea
Date: 1948
NLI Ref.: ODEA 3/52
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Tags:
James P. O’Dea, National Library of Ireland, Allen Tower, Kildare, Co. Kildare, Leinster, Ireland, 1948, Tower, Hill of Allen, Quarry, G.G. Aylmer, Gerald George Aylmer, 'God’s mercies', Baronet of Donadea, 1860s, Folly, Cath Almaine, O’Dea Photograph Collection
Comments
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/6136023633]
We have found a new photo detective!
Maeve Burke reports "The woman in the front is my Nanna Elizabeth "Lizzie" Furey Hanafin (niece of the late, great Ted Furey). This was taken when she was 17 and only 2 years before she got married to my Granda who cannot believe how popular this picture has become and how famous his Lizzie is! She passed away 4 years ago but I can tell you she would've loved making the front page of The Irish Times today nevermind being in an exhibition in Dublin! She'd have every copy in the country bought & be up at the exhibition herself! She was a great storyteller, a tough-cookie and well known and respected in Kerry. Her and my Granda bought a chipvan and went all over Ireland to festivals and fairs making friends wherever they went. She told me and my sister lots of stories about when she was travelling with her mother Dolly Furey, who would play the accordion for money and all the hardships they faced, especially during the cold winters in the wagon. We're lucky too that she taught my mother and us the Gammon (which would've been her first language) and passed on many great traveller traditions and crafts like crocheting, sewing, singing, lilting and storytelling. She really was an amazing woman and this is a picture our family will treasure forever. Thank you so much to everyone who commented on this, she would've been over the moon!"
Posted: 14.09.2017
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
More from the exhibition
‘Photo Detectives’ exhibition reveals striking images of Irish life - Irish Times online
Posted: 15.09.2017
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] Wonderful!
Meanwhile, in Kildare, the Hill of Allen on the GeoHive OSI 25" map.
Much of the Hill has been quarried away since the 25" was surveyed, see Google aerial view.
Posted: 15.09.2017
Niall McAuley
The Tower still stands, this Flickr pic from 2015:
Posted: 15.09.2017
Niall McAuley
At the DIA:
Date: 1859-1863
Nature: 60 ft. high tower designed by Sir G.G. Aylmer for himself. Edenderry limestone with Ballyknockan granite copings and battlements. Formerly had a glass lantern on top. Names of masons carved on steps. Names include 'Gorry Bros., master masons' on top floor.
Posted: 15.09.2017
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Wow, that is a big quarry.
Posted: 15.09.2017
Niall McAuley
And from the NIAH:
The tower was constructed by Sir Gerald George Aylmer, of Donadea Castle, Co. Kildare, between 1859 and 1863. It is built of limestone, quarried and cut at Edenderry, and brought from there to Robertstown by canal, and carted to the hill by Sir Gerald’s tenants. He promised that their names would be cut as “an everlasting memorial” on the steps of the Tower. There are eighty-three steps, and on each one name is inscribed, making a list in stone of the ancestors of many families still living in the Allen district. An inscription at the top of the stairs reads, “In thankful remembrance of God’s mercies, many and great - Built by Sir Gerald George Alymer, Baronet, A.D. 1860”. According to Killanin and Duignan (1967, 320) the tower 'is said to occupy the site of an ancient tumulus' .
Posted: 15.09.2017
guliolopez
Only "up the road" (~6km) from yesterday's Clongorey/Barretstown photo. The dedication and inscriptions sound intriguing. "In thankful remembrance of God’s mercies, many and great". A devout bunch of lads indeed.
Posted: 15.09.2017
Carol Maddock
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] I'm delira about this! Hadn't dared hope we'd ever identify her. Lovely to "meet" Elizabeth/Lizzie. She sounds like a mighty woman! Thanks a million, [https://www.flickr.com/photos/158392574@N02/]!
Posted: 15.09.2017
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Where is Mr O'Dea's car, and what was he driving in 1948 ?
Posted: 15.09.2017
oaktree_brian_1976
it's a "folly tower" built for no practical purpose
Posted: 15.09.2017
O Mac
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] I tink he mite have droved a mid 30's Morris 8. Reg.ZC3290......That's his wife Muriel with the lovely smile.
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000303592
He still had it in 1950 according to the date on this one. (Muriel not so happy looking). catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000303430
The photo was taken here. www.google.ie/maps/@53.4620318,-9.7597835,3a,75y,359.06h,...
Posted: 15.09.2017
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03] Impressed, as always !
Posted: 15.09.2017
Bernard Healy
The nearest railway station would have been in Newbridge - about 5 or 6 miles away. There was also a siding at the Curragh Racecourse which might have been a little closer.
Posted: 15.09.2017
O Mac
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Sure I did my Phd thesis on Mr O Dea's motoring cars.
Posted: 15.09.2017
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03] Funny :)
This is his cousins Car - O'Rafferty
Posted: 15.09.2017
sam2cents
Great work! I've never seen or heard of that tower before. As for the photo of the Traveller women, that is great news. It's a beautiful scene, beautifully photographed.
Posted: 15.09.2017
O Mac
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] AAAAHHHHH !!!!! STOP You've just ruined my day... that's far worse than waterboarding and am reporting the NLI to Amnesty International.....
Posted: 15.09.2017
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03] I agree, it is rather annoying!
(I still have it in my head as I try to update the map, tags, description, etc :) )
Posted: 15.09.2017
2c..
The tower used to be open to the public until a couple of years ago. It was closed after someone hung a effigy off the top fooling emergency services as a possible tragedy. luckily it was a hoax. The access was closed soon after.
The real environmental tragedy is half the hill is gone under the west side of the tower as road stone quarry away half of one of Kildare's highest points. The now half hill has legendary connections with the ancient mythology as the seat of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna. Not that matters to Road stone or Kildare Co Council who are quite happy to see the hill disappear in road aggregate for the next 50 years.
Posted: 19.07.2022
