Today marks the 100th anniversary of the death of an Ossory priest who produced a four-volume account of the history and antiquities of the ancient kingdom and Catholic diocese of that name in 1905.
Canon William Carrigan passed away on the 12th of December 1924 and his life is to be celebrated in Kilkenny and Durrow this weekend.
He had compiled his famous work in the Laois town where he lived as curate and parish priest for almost thirty years – he’d also served as curate in Ballyragget, Conahy, Templeorum and Rathdowney.
A two-day conference gets underway at St. Kieran’s College tomorrow (Friday, 13th December), beginning with a keynote address at 7pm by Professor Thomas O’Connor of Maynooth University’s Institute for Humanities. Speaking under the chairmanship of Bishop Niall Coll, he will look at Canon Carrigan’s brave undertaking of archival research after a period of religious controversy.
On Saturday (14th December) attendees will hear from local scholar Dr. Richard Hyland on Kilkenny influences on the Canon‘s development and Trinity College’s Dr Brian Gurrin on how Canon Carrigan’s detailed transcriptions helped reconstruct Kilkenny census records lost in the Four Courts fire. Maynooth University history professor Marian Lyons will chair.
That afternoon Professor O’Connor will chair as writer and editor Denis Bergin speaks on ‘Learning from the Canon‘, a survey of how the places with which he was associated as a native, student and pastor have reflected his scholarly determination, and Windgap parish priest and leading Carrigan authority An tAthair Fearghus Ó Fearghail gives his assessment of the historian’s achievement and impact one hundred years on.
Registration for the conference, which includes refreshments and a light lunch, is free and can be made by email to the conference organiser, Dr. Dermot Ryan, via email at
[email protected] or [email protected]On Sunday attention turns to Durrow when Bishop Niall Coll will preside at a special liturgy during the 11.15am Mass, to be followed by a visit to the Canon‘s grave in the adjoining cemetery.
At 2.30 p.m. that afternoon Denis Bergin, a native of the area, will give a version of his conference presentation with the emphasis on the Durrow connection, in Bob’s Bar Theatre at The Erkina Bridge in the town, to be followed by light refreshments. Again, participation is free
