Work commences on Garden of Remembrance in Dunleer

Work has started this month on a new Garden of Rememberance in Dunleer. Dunleer Tidy Towns has spent the last 12 months planning and researching historical facts, and having the ground surveys carried out to get its new Garden of Remembrance on the way.

The Government issued some guidelines in 2022 for this project which the Tidy Towns group says it took on board. One of the principal recommendations was to name it after a female national figure of the Revolutionary period 1912 to 1922. 

Dunleer Tidy Towns also researched locally who was involved in active service as well as members of Cumman na mBan. There were many active women in that period, and the one outstanding name that came to the fore from the group's “History Master” Ailbhe Rogers, was Brigid Kelly of Grangebellew whose descendants still live around Grangebellew.

Brigid had spend time in Kilmainham Gaol and had a friend and associate there called Grace Gifford-Plunkett. Grace got permission to marry Joseph Mary Plunkett one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, the evening before he was executed in Kilmainham Gaol. 

Taking all this into consideration Dunleer Tidy Towns have now decided to name the Garden of Remembrance after Grace Gifford Plunkett, and one of the inner gardens will be named after Brigid Kelly, two of the women of the Revolutionary period.
Work on the Garden of Remembrance has commenced in the last few weeks and it is expected to be completed at the end of May 2023. 

It will have a winding walkway through the garden to replace the existing walkway outside the boundary wall at the Glen Dimplex Factory Ardee Road Dunleer. There will be four sections involved in the garden. 

Section one is the Martyrs Garden. It will have seven special trees, one for each of the seven martyrs involved. There will a granite display of the proclamation, with seating nearby to allow people stop and remember the one hundredth anniversary of the formation of the state of Ireland. There will be a flagpole and the national flag will be flown close-by. 

The second section will be the peoples garden with large rocks in a rockery and small stones around the area of the flowers in the rockery. They represent those both large and small who played any part in the fight for freedom.

The third section will be the Women of the Revolution Garden which will be named after Brigid Kelly Grangebellew. This is dedicated to those locally and nationally who were part of the revolution to help gain freedom for Ireland. Two monoliths will outline the details and names in this area.  Seating will also be provided to allow one to pause and reflect.

The final section will be the symbols of Ireland through the ages, including burial mounds, the Celtic Cross and the harp. In addition, there will be a few specially dedicated memorial seats located throughout the garden. 

The garden will have shrubs trees and bio diversity elements to it, with a few rather special and unique bug hotels, which are being made by Colin Mc Granaghan and helpers from the Drogheda Mens Shed. The contractor for building the garden is John Douglas of Douglas Horticulture Ardee. 

The work is expected to be completed by the end of May 2023. Dunleer Tidy Towns have a set a launch date for Sunday 25th June 2023 at 3pm. The Ardee Concert Band will be in attendance.

The President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins has been invited to open the garden on the 25th June 2023 and the Tidy Towns group awaits confirmation of this date to see if he is available. There is an open invitation to the general public to attend the event.