Cootehill to mark Tercentenary
Cootehill is celebrating its Tercentenary this year and the Cootehill 300 Committee has jam packed each of those years into one massive community celebration.
From historical talks to delving deeper into the undiscovered, street theatre and drone shows, Mary Brigid Duffy and the rest of the committee have a hectic year ahead.
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, she outlined what is to come for the town.
Firstly, the town has launched their calendar, which serves as a historical journey through the town in itself. It comprises photos sent in by Cootehill residents of times past. The initiative has been recognised across the globe with Mary Brigid outlining how people from as far away as Australia, whose roots are in Cootehill, made contact to buy the calendar.
The official launch of the Cootehill Tercentenary took place last Saturday (January 11), when local historian Patrick Cassidy hosted a “very interesting” talk on the town’s history.
In February, the committee is putting out a further call for old photos related to the town. The hope is to map out the town and exhibit the findings.
“We’re also hoping to gather up photos that people have themselves and do a Cootehill through the decades.”
In March, the town will host its annual St Patrick’s Day Parade organised by the Cootehill Chamber of Commerce. This year the event is expected to have a Tercentenary twist.
“We’ll have an extra big push on the parade this year,” Mary Brigid promised.
Around Easter time, the town will move to celebrate “one of the interesting aspects” of the town; the various religions it was home to. Mary Brigid outlined how, over the years, there was the Church of Ireland, two different Presbyterian churches and Methodist churches, Quaker and Moravian places of worship, as well as Catholic churches.
“Church street has no church on it now but there actually was a Church of Ireland that was there and that would have been where the Cootes would have worshiped.
“The Coote mausoleum is still there.
“Cootehill Town team obtained funding to hopefully go in and see who is buried underneath it.”
The committee hope to hold an ecumenical event with representatives from all the churches “where possible” in the town during April.
Throughout May and the summer months, a host of art and poetry exhibitions are expected to take place with local plays around the town too. The committee is aiming to restore the street theatre culture that was once vibrant in the town. The local schools will also be involved in various projects.
“The actual date on the patent that was granted to Thomas Coote is the July 3,” she said, adding that the following weekend of July 6 will see a “big open air” concert in the town headlined by Marcus Magee and The Hollaw Men and other local acts.
The month of August will see special celebrations for Heritage Week, while in September Culture night festivities and the Gerry Whelan Memorial weekend by the local Comhaltas group will take place.
October will take a scary turn with a scarecrow competition and the St Michael’s NS Parents Association Spooky Walk, which is always an excellent family day out.
The festive season, as always for Cootehill, will begin in November with the Christmas markets. For the final event in December, a drone and firework display will take to the sky to end the 300th year in a shower of light, laughter and community spirit.
With “lots of other bits and pieces” expected to take place throughout the year, the committee looks forward to welcoming you to come of their events.
“The hope is that everybody will know about it and everybody will be able to get involved and learn a bit more about our history,” Mary Brigid outlined.