This article is from page 30 of the 2007-05-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 30 JPG
A FOCAL point for the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus has been erected, in the shape of a piece of sculpture.
Sculptor Michael McTigue was commissioned to assemble a piece of black granite, featuring a statue of a woman – Caitlin of the Weir, who lived in the area in the past – sitting on a wall.
The seven-sided piece, which cost €18,000, represents the seven par- ishes in Newmarket-on-Fergus, with a fountain in the middle. The entire cost of the project is €34,000. It has been made with the name Cora Caitlin, the Irish for Newmarket-on- Fergus, in mind.
Part of the piece of art has been put
in place and the remainder will be in situ by the end of the month. Stand- ing over seven feet tall, it 1s located in the carpark in front of the church.
‘This has been in the pipeline for the best part of a year. When com- pleted, it will feature a fountain and lighting,” said Mr McTigue.
The seven parishes represented in the piece are Kilnasoolagh, Clon- loghan, Bunratty, Fenloe, Kilconry, Drumline and Kilmaleery.
The project was funded by Obair in Newmarket-on-Fergus. Buddy Mc- Mahon, who was involved in the or- ganisation of the project, is delighted with its success.
“The aim was to get a focal point for Newmarket-on-Fergus and to give a little bit of history to the local people. It should be looking good for
the tidy towns,” he said.
Local resident John O’Brien has researched each of the seven areas represented in the sculpture. He has written a short piece of history on each one and his inscriptions will be cut into stone.
‘The most important of the ancient parishes would be Bunratty. There was a medieval town there in 1200 or 1300, run by the Normans. The Nor- mans introduced a lot of reform and organised the church into a parish system. Bunratty would have been one of the first parishes formed,’ said Mr O’Brien.
He said that Fenloe (Tuaim Fionnloch) would be another of the more important parishes, histori- cally.
‘“Fenloe originated in a monastic
site. Reputedly, it was a big school or college in the 700s/800s. Most of the ruins of Fenloe church collapsed about three months ago,” he said.
He said the exact history of Caitlin is unknown, but various theories have been mentioned locally.
“It is believed she lived in the vi- cinity of a crossing place where two streams flowed through the village, but we don’t know. That is folk his- tory, which has been passed down orally. Common folklore would have placed her in the early Christian times,” added Mr O’Brien.