Many congratulations to Eamon Kane and the Ballaghmoon Battle Commemoration Committee on the unveiling of the Ballaghmoon Battle Monument Unveiling which took place in Ballaghmoon Graveyard on Monday 15th August at 3pm.
Eamon gave an introduction to the ceremony, at which Paddy Behan, Chairman of the Historic Monuments Advisory Committee which sits under Planning SPC to Kildare County Council was Master of Ceremonies. Speakers were the Mayor of Kildare Micheal Nolan MCC, Peter Minnock on behalf of the County Manager Michael Malone, and County Kildare Heritage Officer Bridget Loughlin. The official unveiling was performed by Professor Raymond Gillespie of the Department of History, NUI Maynooth.
Despite the inclement weather, attendance was excellent, and those present included members of the Ballaghmoon Battle Commemoration Committee, the Historical Monuments Advisory Committee, Kildare County Council staff members, representatives of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, landowner George Ashmore, and a large number of friends and supporters.
An excellent commemorative booklet had been prepared by Eamon which was funded entirely by Kildare County Council’s Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2011. This gave the background to Cormac Mac Cullinan 837 – 908 AD, the Battle itself, Clonmacnoise and French connections, and the preparation of the Ballaghmoon Battle Monument. There were also acknowledgements to the large number of people on the Committees involved with the monument, and excellent photographs of the Monument during its preparation and positioning.
Refreshments were served after the ceremony at the nearby Toughers Restaurant.