Many events happening around the county for Heritage Week, but what I’m eagerly looking forward to is Jeremy Hill’s lecture on Sunday, August 19th at 3 pm at Monksgrange, Rathnure, which incidentally, is free of charge.
It is entitled ‘The Normans in art and photographs from Monksgrange Archives.’
The recent digitisation of more than 1,000 glass plate and 200 acetate negatives dating from the1890s reveals another dimension to historian and author Goddard Orpen.

MONKSGRANGE HOUSE. A country house erected by Goddard Richards (1717-95) representing an important component of the mid 18th century domestic built heritage of Co. Wexford.

Orpen’s history ‘Ireland under the Normans’ was first published in 1910 is still a definitive account of the period.
Now discovered to have been an accomplished photographer, Orpen’s images of Norman fortifications indicate the might behind the invasion force which Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster, had encouraged to support him.
Monksgrange Archives has been awarded a 2018 grant by the Heritage Council for conservation and preservation of 18th century documents held in its large collections.
Described by Prof. Terence Dooley, NUI Maynooth, as the “largest archive in private hands in the country” the archives contain over 150,000 sheets of paper, 10,000 photographic images as well as family paintings, drawings and sketches. Artefacts include an 1845 death mask of John Herbert Orpen.
This is an amazing event for all historians, professional, local or casual, and worthy of a large and knowledgeable audience.