FBD Insurance RÁS
The Park
Since its inception in the early 1900’s ‘The Park’ has been central to the development of the community in Abbeyleix. The prime mover in getting this project off the ground was Fr Breen, the local Parish Priest in whose memory the park is dedicated. His meetings with the local landlord were likely very amicable, his family having a long history of community development dating back to the building of the new town circa 1770. The staying power of the project was underpinned by the securing in 1924 of a 91 year lease.
In the intervening years ‘The Park’ has played host to May time festivals, Agricultural shows, Show jumping, Carnivals, Marquees, Big Tops, Feiseanna, Community games, local and inter-county Gaelic matches and parades. While these represent the major events that live in the memory of the community, it is in the day to day usage that the real community value of this wonderful amenity exists. For more than half of the last eighty years, television did not exist in this country and if you turn the clock back to those days, ‘The Park’ was a very full and bustling place where children pucked a ball around or trained for that all important clash with another school, usually until darkness fell.
Progress has given us more options today and, though the dreaded television cultivates a few couch potatoes, young people would much prefer to be out playing in the fresh air. ‘The Park’ is developing to meet their needs. Gaelic Games, as in days gone by, still form the core of activity and St Lazarian’s is a busy club with over 150 members of all ages. ‘The Park’ is inclusive today and a vibrant soccer club provides for the budding Damien Duffs and Robbie Keanes and probably the odd aspiring David Beckham.
The Tennis Club is one of the old retainers in ‘The Park’. Established in 1935, this club has promoted the idea of tennis for all and in terms of both membership and output, it is the busiest club in ‘The Park’. Mention of the old pavilion, which stood on the site of the present clubhouse, evokes memories of days gone by and at the time of its erection, it was a significant development for ‘The Park’. Fittingly, the latest development of changing rooms and a Gymnasium will take place at the present clubhouse and will enhance its facilities and help promote the activities of all those using ‘The Park’ much in the same way as the old pavilion did some 70 years ago.
The addition of the CYMS Hall in the 1950s heralded a new era for the community. It provided a community focal point and a gathering place and, over the years, provided a venue where many local love stories began! Between the outdoor activities in ‘The Park’ in daylight hours and the indoor activities in the hall at night, ‘The Park’ was a very busy place and its activities the subject of daily discussion and part of the fabric of daily lives.
Just as the disco put paid to the dancehalls and the advent of television spelled the demise of the local cinema, the CYMS suffered as these new trends were absorbed into society. Today, however, through the endeavours of Abbeyleix Women’s Development Group, the CY is a hive of activity on a daily basis as the Jelly Tots Crèche goes from strength to strength.
The hall also caters for the aspiring Ronnie O’ Sullivans with the re-activation of the Snooker Club and plays host to the local youth in the more exotic pursuit of Tai-Kwando. Though Fr Breen might be slightly bemused by the inter-cultural developments in our society, he would be well pleased that 80 years on, ‘The Park’ is not only fulfilling its original, intended purpose but is on the threshold of exciting future developments which will start it on the road for the next 80 years.
Since its inception in the early 1900’s ‘The Park’ has been central to the development of the community in Abbeyleix. The prime mover in getting this project off the ground was Fr Breen, the local Parish Priest in whose memory the park is dedicated. His meetings with the local landlord were likely very amicable, his family having a long history of community development dating back to the building of the new town circa 1770. The staying power of the project was underpinned by the securing in 1924 of a 91 year lease.
In the intervening years ‘The Park’ has played host to May time festivals, Agricultural shows, Show jumping, Carnivals, Marquees, Big Tops, Feiseanna, Community games, local and inter-county Gaelic matches and parades. While these represent the major events that live in the memory of the community, it is in the day to day usage that the real community value of this wonderful amenity exists. For more than half of the last eighty years, television did not exist in this country and if you turn the clock back to those days, ‘The Park’ was a very full and bustling place where children pucked a ball around or trained for that all important clash with another school, usually until darkness fell.
Progress has given us more options today and, though the dreaded television cultivates a few couch potatoes, young people would much prefer to be out playing in the fresh air. ‘The Park’ is developing to meet their needs. Gaelic Games, as in days gone by, still form the core of activity and St Lazarian’s is a busy club with over 150 members of all ages. ‘The Park’ is inclusive today and a vibrant soccer club provides for the budding Damien Duffs and Robbie Keanes and probably the odd aspiring David Beckham.
The Tennis Club is one of the old retainers in ‘The Park’. Established in 1935, this club has promoted the idea of tennis for all and in terms of both membership and output, it is the busiest club in ‘The Park’. Mention of the old pavilion, which stood on the site of the present clubhouse, evokes memories of days gone by and at the time of its erection, it was a significant development for ‘The Park’. Fittingly, the latest development of changing rooms and a Gymnasium will take place at the present clubhouse and will enhance its facilities and help promote the activities of all those using ‘The Park’ much in the same way as the old pavilion did some 70 years ago.
The addition of the CYMS Hall in the 1950s heralded a new era for the community. It provided a community focal point and a gathering place and, over the years, provided a venue where many local love stories began! Between the outdoor activities in ‘The Park’ in daylight hours and the indoor activities in the hall at night, ‘The Park’ was a very busy place and its activities the subject of daily discussion and part of the fabric of daily lives.
Just as the disco put paid to the dancehalls and the advent of television spelled the demise of the local cinema, the CYMS suffered as these new trends were absorbed into society. Today, however, through the endeavours of Abbeyleix Women’s Development Group, the CY is a hive of activity on a daily basis as the Jelly Tots Crèche goes from strength to strength.
The hall also caters for the aspiring Ronnie O’ Sullivans with the re-activation of the Snooker Club and plays host to the local youth in the more exotic pursuit of Tai-Kwando. Though Fr Breen might be slightly bemused by the inter-cultural developments in our society, he would be well pleased that 80 years on, ‘The Park’ is not only fulfilling its original, intended purpose but is on the threshold of exciting future developments which will start it on the road for the next 80 years.
