Community Site Visit

Adare, Co. Limerick 26th April, 2018

2

Dear Delegate

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Adare.

This booklet will provide an overview of your itinerary for your afternoon in Adare. It

includes a schedule of where you will be going and who you will be meeting.

It also contains some facts on this beautiful town and suggestions of places to visit.

An outline of the students’ projects undertaken in collaboration with Adare community is

included in this booklet. For more in-depth information on all student projects go to:

https://goo.gl/HJXWuF

Engaged learning resources are available at: www.ul.ie/engage/node/3131

Resources for Practicum Students are available at: www.ul.ie/engage/node/3271

A video which gives you a flavour of the UL Practicum International can be viewed at:

https://youtu.be/8cuUfHtAZE

Bernie

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CHAMPION Bernie Quillinan

Bernie.quillinan@ul.ie Tel: 00 353 61 213523

Tracey

SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR Tracey Gleeson

tracey.gleeson@ul.ie Tel: 00 353 61 202096

Eleanor

COMMUNITY CO-ORDINATOR UL PRACTICUM INTERNATIONAL

ADARE Eleanor Purcell

3

Some information about Adare

Áth Dara, meaning "ford of [the] oak") is a small town in County limerick, Ireland

located south-west of the city of Limerick. Adare is located 18 kilometres south-

west of Limerick city and is set in a picturesque location on the banks of the River

Maigue, a tributary of the River Shannon. The district population in 2011 was

2,650.

The Geraldines of Kildare developed Adare in mediaeval times and the present

village was largely an early 19th century creation by the Dunravens. The building

of the Gothic style Adare manor began in 1831.

Historically a market town, in the Middle Ages, Adare boasted three monasteries.

Owing to the influence of the Earls of Dunraven, who built the Adare Manor (now

a luxury resort hotel) a strict plan was laid out for the town. It is renowned as one

of Ireland's prettiest villages, and is designated as a Heritage Town and has won

many prestigious Tidy Town Awards.

In 1756 John Wesley preached to the people of Adare from under an ash tree near

the Franciscan Friary and the tree was still there until about 1860. Today a stone

marks the site where this tree stood and the Methodists hold a Field Meeting here

in June each year. In the early 19th century, the Earl of Dunraven, laid the plans

for the existing streets and townhouses of Adare. These lands and dwellings were

rented to tenants under various agreements, some of which still exist today.

Adare is a wonderful place to explore history, shop and enjoy local cuisine and

hospitality.

Oh sweet Adare, Oh lovely vale

Oh soft retreat of sylvan splendour

Nor summer sun nor morning gale

E’er hailed a scene more softly

tender

Gerald Griffin 1803-1840

4

What you will do

Time Activity

1.45pm LEAVE FOR ADARE WITH SITE VISIT Bernie and Tracey, Co-ordinators

2.15pm TOUR OF DESMOND CASTLE Sandra O’Loughlin, Sales Administrator, Adare Heritage Centre, Tour Guide

3.15pm ADARE MANOR GROUNDS

3.30pm ADARE HERITAGE CENTRE

Exhibition Centre

Welcome Address

Community Engaged Learning – Going Live in Adare!

Tea/coffee Maeve Kelly, General Manager, Adare Heritage Centre Eleanor Purcell, Secretary, Adare Tidy Towns Committee, Co-ordinator of student learning in the community George Stacpoole Chairman, Adare Tidy Towns Committee Vice Chairman, Adare Community Trust

3.45pm TOUR OF HERITAGE CENTRE Eleanor Purcell

4.15pm EXPLORE ADARE AND COTTAGES Adare Tourist Ambassadors

5.15pm

“FREEDOM OF THE VILLAGE” Shop and continue your tour of Adare at your leisure

6.00pm DINNER DUNRAVEN HOTEL hosted by University of Limerick Welcome

Lady Geraldine Dunraven

Dunraven Hotel

Lady Geraldine Dunraven

5

What projects did the students undertake?

Over the last year, four projects have been undertaken by international students through the UL Practicum.

These projects have been undertaken in partnership with Adare Tidy Towns Committee. An brief outline of

what the students did and why they undertook the project is described below. For further detail on all UL

Practicum projects , please visit: www.ul.ie/engage/projects-by-category/24

PROJECT ONE

Students undertook a photographic and

descriptive survey of the history of the thatched

cottages adjacent to Adare Manor in the village of

Adare.

WHY DO IT? While some information on the local cottages is

available, this is sparse and the historical content

is poor. To address this, Adare community needed

help to unearth the history of Adare Cottages to

that this is available to the heritage group in the

town, local residents and visitors to the area.

Video of the Cottages project created by UL Practicum International students:

https://goo.gl/EcA3uh

6

PROJECT TWO

Adare Heritage Town Signage

project. Students researched

protected site policies in

Ireland and created an

information booklet on the

appropriate treatment of

protected sites for local

residents and business

owners.

WHY DO IT? The community wanted to

review the maintenance of

buildings complying with

heritage and conservation

guidelines on signage and

paint use standards, and

current planning Legislation

and Recommendations.

7

PROJECT THREE

Students undertook a

review of the existing

tourist Ambassador

Programme and made

recommendations for

its development.

WHY DO IT? Adare is the first town

in Ireland to have a

Tourist Ambassador

Programme. We want

to develop our existing

Programme by

increasing the number

and profile of our

Ambassadors in Adare.

We would like to

explore how future

ambassadors could

address the needs of

international visitors

and a younger visitor

demographic.

8

Who did the students work and learn with?

PRACTICUM STUDENTS UNDERTAKING THIS PROJECT WILL WORK WITH THE FOLLOWING

Community Co-ordinator for engaged learning,

Adare tourist information centre,

Adare Tidy Towns committee,

Local members of voluntary ambassador programme

Local businesses and schools in the area,

Members of, Local community groups (including, for example, political, policing and educational groups),

Adare Local historians

Rosemary Shier Adare Tourist Ambassador Active Retirement Group

Lucy Erridge Owner, Thatched Cottage

Matthew Potter Curator, Limerick Museum

Tom Cassidy Architectural Conservation Officer Limerick City & County Council

George Stacpoole Chairman, Adare Tidy Towns Committee Vice Chairman, Adare Community Trust Antique Dealer and Local Historian

Eleanor Purcell Community Co-ordinator for Engaged Learning Secretary, Adare Tidy Towns Committee

Maeve Kelly General Manager Adare Heritage Centre

9

What did the community partner and students say?

Adare Tidy Towns was very pleased to be involved in UL Practicum I feel that both

projects have benefited from the involvement of the students. Students

working with us on the Tourist Ambassador Program identified the need to extend our

focus to younger people and their recommendation to partner our volunteers

with international students is welcomed. Students also worked with the local

conservation officer and produced a simple pamphlet for owners of the cottages which we hope will encourage owners to comply

with existing regulations. The students were delightful to work with and I feel that they

enjoyed their time in Adare. The project work enabled them to become involved in

the community from the outset. I would like to thank UL for the opportunity to take part in this Practicum and look forward to future

engagement. Eleanor Purcell

Community Practicum Co-ordinator Adare Tidy Towns

My experience with the Practicum really mattered because I could tangibly make a difference in peoples’ lives while in college. University pushes people to think about themselves: their career, future relationships, money planning, classroom learning, etc. but little is done to expand thinking beyond academic walls and outside oneself. This experience enabled me to do that in a way that made learning a joy! Aimee Allcock UL International Practicum student, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

My experience was interesting and something completely different to what I’m used to. Being able to go out, meet, and work alongside people with other cultures and getting credit for it has been one of the best experiences that I’ve had in Ireland. Most students get to see Ireland in a tourist perspective, but you don’t get to see the reality of Ireland until you’ve done the Practicum. Nicholas Himann UL International Practicum Student Wilfrid Laurier University

The Practicum experience also taught me the positive effects that challenging you can bring. Choosing to do this module was something that was out of my comfort zone but provided me with the courage to put myself out there more because of the positive impact it had had on me. The way of which I was able to learn all of this was in an interactive environment. This was very different from a normal school setting but was done in a way that proved to be much more enjoyable and interesting to me. I learned by doing and not just studying and writing papers. To me this actually proved to be more effective for my personal style of learning. I was truly able to grow in areas of myself that I did not even know I had in me. This showed to be important not only in my work but also in my own personal self. The lessons that I learned will help me in my future careers. It taught me how to work in a professional environment and be professional. This experience has given me new skills, new confidence and a new way of looking at things that I will forever cherish. Meghan Dion, UL International Practicum student, Bridgewater State University

10

Where will we take you to in Adare?

DESMOND CASTLE Owing to the strategic importance of the river

crossing the Desmond castle was built

overlooking the site near Ardshanbally (derived

from Ard an tSeanbhaile - 'high ground of the

old town'), and was first mentioned in 1226. The

castle was erected with an ancient ring-fort

around the early part of the 13th century. It

became a strategic fortress during the following

turbulent years. It was the property of the Earls

of Kildare for nearly 300 years until the rebellion

in 1536, when it was forfeited and granted to

the Earls of Desmond who gave the castle its

present name.

ADARE MANOR

Adare Manor is set on an 840 acre (3.4km2) estate

and was the former seat of the Earls of Dunraven.

The house was built in the early 19th century and

retained some of the walls of the 17th-century

structure. The original house was a “calendar house”,

which means a house that architecturally contains

quantities that represent the numbers of days in a

year, weeks in a year, months in a year and days in a

week. It had 365 stained-glass windows and 52

chimneys. Begun in 1832, construction provided

work for the people from the village during

the potato famine. Adare Manor now operates as a

five-star hotel, owned by J.P. McManus and features

a magnificent 18 hole championship golf course

designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr

11

THATCHED COTTAGES

The original thatched cottages were built in

the 1820’s and these were the homes of

people employed on the Dunraven Estate; on

the farm, in the Manor House and in the

cigarette factory. Adare was renowned for the

cultivation of the tobacco crop under the

auspices of the 4th earl of Dunraven, who had

a factory, the Adare Cigarette Company,

situated on his estate. The firm employed c. 70

people in grading the leaves into five different

categories consistent with their excellence,

each being used for a special brand of tobacco.

HERITAGE CENTRE Step back in time and take a journey

through the Historical Exhibition, a

reconstruction of Adare’s unique past

from the arrival of the Normans to the

ancient Abbeys of the Middle Ages.

Trace the significance of the Earls of

Dunraven in shaping Ireland’s most

picturesque village. The story is told

through realistic imagery and

storyboards

12

Go Walkabout! What other things would be good to see?

NOTE: THE OWNER OF

BLACK ABBEY CRAFTS

HAS OFFERED 10%

DISCOUNT ON ALL

PURCHASES TO AIEA

DELEGATES ON

THURSDAY 26th APRIL

BLACK ABBEY CRAFTS Black Abbey Crafts have a wonderful array of Irish

crafts, linens and souvenirs. They also stock Irish made

pottery, glass, pewter and much more. Black Abbey is

renowned for it’s selection of Irish linen and Limerick

lace. In their jewellery range they have everything

from Claddagh rings and Celtic silver to award winning

fashion design pieces. They also stock a full range of

souvenirs, books and music of Irish interest. Whether

you are a visitor to Adare or a discerning local shopper,

you are sure to find something in Black Abbey Crafts to

tempt you. Brands stocked include: Tara’s Diary, Wa-

terford Glass, Mullingar Pewter, Fergusons Irish Linen

and many more.

Places to browse and shop:

Adare Cottage

Adare Library

Adare Woollen Mills

Draoicht Art Gallery

George Stacpoole Antiques

Henry Vokes

Lucy Erridge Craft Shop and Art Gallery

Wonderful dress shops and pubs

13

TRINITARIAN PRIORY

The Trinitarian order of monks was founded in

France, following the Holy-Land Crusades, with the

main purpose of raising ransom money in order to

rescue Christian captives taken by the Moors,

during the crusade wars. It is believed that the

Trinitarian monks who came to Adare may have

come from Scotland. The monastery was

suppressed and badly damaged during the reign of

King Henry VIII. Repaired and enlarged in the mid

19th century, the building is, today, called the

“Holy Trinity Abbey” and is used as the local

Roman Catholic Church. A visit to this historical

and beautiful building is highly recommended.

VILLAGE HALL

The Hall is situated at the top of the main street on the site of the old fairgreen, was designed by the Architect W.Clifford Smith

and was first commissioned in 1909. The Earl of Dunraven engaged the young English

architect because he had designed a similar building (minus the hall) for the Shannon

Rowing Club in Limerick, winning a competition in 1902. Constructed in an

English Tudor style with symmetrical hipped ends, it was completed in 1911 by the Earls of Dunraven of Adare Manor for the people

of Adare to be their Community Centre.

If the rain gets too much, join us for a glass of Guinness in Aunty

Lenas Pub. Upstairs in this pub you can visit a renovated

courthouse which brings the history of the Dunraven family to life

14

THE DOVECOTE

A freestanding circular-plan dovecote or

columbarium, rebuilt c. 1850, incorporating

fabric of an earlier structure, the building

possibly dates from the mid fourteenth century.

Its function was to house pigeons, which would

provide food for the monks in the abbey. Typical

in form of such functional structures, its circular

design incorporates an opening in the roof

through which birds could enter, while the

internal walls are lined with niches providing

nesting space. Retaining much of its original

form, this dovecote serves as a reminder of

husbandry methods once widespread across

Ireland.

WASHING POOL

A tributary stream of the River Maigue, the

Droichidin, flows under a two arched bridge. Groups

of women used to gather regularly here to wash their

clothes and talk about life in the village. These

women did their washing on spittle stones in the

stream bed or by pounding the clothes with wooden

washing bats or beetles. The Washing Pool was also

a watering place for horses. The pool, dating back

over two hundred years, was restored and the banks

paved by Limerick County Council and the Adare Tidy

Towns Association during European Architectural

Year in 1975.Across the road from the Washing Pool

is a stone fountain erected by Caroline, Countess of

Dunraven in 1844 and since then it has been a

favourite meeting place for the people of Adare.

15

16

University of Limerick Limerick, Ireland

www.ul.ie/engage E-mail:

tracey.gleeson@ul.ie