The opening of the Thomas MacDonagh Heritage Centre is a dream realised for Cloughjordan. The centre celebrates the life & legacy of Thomas MacDonagh as well as the cultural heritage of Cloughjordan & its hinterland.
The one-time home of the MacDonagh family is refurbished & extended to house the only permanent exhibition in Ireland dedicated to MacDonagh, Tipperary's only signatory of the Irish Proclamation, a significant participant in the 1916 rising & a Gaelgoir, poet & scholar.
The centre chronicles the life & legacy of the MacDonagh & Gifford families through items generously donated by MacDonagh's surviving family. A highlight of the exhibition is a 19th century pianoforte which belonged to MacDonagh's mother. This beautiful item is the centrepiece for a restored kitchen & parlour setting of the 19th century. In addition the centre houses audio visual guides, photographic & written displays & artefacts representing the establishment & development of Cloughjordan town.
Central to the year is the MacDonagh Summer School, established to commemorate the man & his family & to explore their enduring influence. It is a forum for discussion & debate on the influence of MacDonagh and how the developments of his time influenced his thinking & activities.
The centre also celebrates many other aspects of life in Cloughjordan through the centuries.
