BEST IN TOURISM: Fostering relationships at home and abroad
St Kilian's Heritage Centre serves as a storybook of local history in Mullagh, particularly the life and work of St Kilian.
Established in 1995, the fully volunteer led organisation will enter into its 30th year in operation next year.
The centre was established to fulfil a need for visitors coming, particularly those from the Würzburg region who come to find the spiritual roots of St Kilian. Visitors from this area give St Kilian the merit of having brought the faith to them.
The sacred relics of St Kilian returned to Mullagh earlier this month when people gathered from all over the world to glimpse part of the remains of the historic saint, scholar, warrior and herald of the Gospel.
While the centre has been fostering the relationship between Mullagh and Würzburg for years, this is the first time the relics have returned to Cavan, a truly historic and once-in-a-lifetime event for the centre and its volunteers.
“It was the fulfliment of a dream,” said Madeleine Uí Mhéalóid, who has been volunteering at the centre since its foundation.
“For many years we had tried to persuade the diocese of Würzburg, they [the relics] had never left Germany, they had never left the diocese.”
St Kilians Heritage centre “have built up a great liaison” with the diocese in Germany, who bring groups to Mullagh every year. The community in Mullagh also join with them every year for the St Kilian Festival in Würzburg.
The building was recently re-roofed and the exhibition room was refurbished for the homecoming.
The local history room services as an archive of historical figures from the area including the Sheridans of Cuilcagh and Agnes O’Farrelly of Raffony, the Brookes of Rantavan, among others. Heritage centre volunteers also guide people to St Kilian’s well and church, and have a host of local walkways for people to enjoy.
The centre also serves as a hub for the local community to gather in their cafe and taste locally produced baked goods and refreshments, which tourists can also enjoy. Regulars to the hub can learn a new craft or pick up a new skill with regular craft classes and ETB courses, community meetings and providing printing facilities.
A step into the gift shop also reveals crafts from locals and high quality Irish goods for visitors who come from all over the world. This year, tourists came from New York, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and from all over Ireland.
“We have quite a tourism offering here,” said Madeleine.
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