The History Writing competition was inaugurated by Cathaoirleach Aidan Campbell in 2021/22 under the Decade of Centenaries Programme with the aim to encourage young people to explore and learn about Monaghan’s history during the period 1913-1923.
For 2025, we asked all 6th class primary school and secondary school students attending a school in County Monaghan, who have an interest in history to research and write about one of the topics listed below in the context of County Monaghan This competition intends to compliment the history curriculum at both primary and secondary levels; to encourage young people to develop independent study skills; and to recognise the talents of aspiring history students. The competition is entirely optional and is not intended to place any additional burden on schools, teachers, or students.
Topics:
Primary School:
• Time Traveller: I am a child living in County Monaghan in the 1940’s
• A history of my townland.
• A history of an old building, ruin, or graveyard in County Monaghan.
Secondary School
• Revolution in Ireland 1912-1923 – a political/revolutionary event in County Monaghan
• The Emergency Years 1939 – 1945 in County Monaghan
• A history of my townland.
• A history of an old building, ruin, or graveyard in County Monaghan
Congratulations to all of our winners
Primary school competition
1st prize - Elsa Burns, Killeevan N S
2nd prize - Leah Rice, Scoil Mhuire, Magherarney
3rd prize - Lauren McIntyre, St Joseph’s N.S., Knockatallon
3 Prize - Sarah Jane Brady, Scoil Mhuire, Rockcorry rd
An Cathaoirleach perpetual trophy and €200 to one primary school for the range and quality of entries received: Gaeilscoil Ultain, Muineachán
SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPETITION
1st prize - Jack Mackarel, Monaghan Collegiate School
2nd prize - Emma Smith, Largy College
3rd prize - Tom Mihilovs, Monaghan Collegiate School
An Cathaoirleach perpetual trophy and €200 to one secondary school for the range and quality of entries received: Monaghan Collegiate School
A history of my townland by Elsa Burns
I live in a townland called Lurganboy (An Lorgain Bhuí, which means “a yellow hill”), which borders the townlands of Briscarnagh, Derrins, Drumreenagh, Lisareake and Tullynample. Lurganboy belongs to the Barony of Dartee and the Parish of Currin. It was in the District Electrical Division of Killyneagh and the Poor Law Union of Cootehill in 1911 There are 9 houses in my townland at present, which houses six different families My family, the Burns’, have lived in Lurganboy for over 100 years, and during that time, four generations have been born and raised here Some, including my mam and my uncle, have raised their families here. The Burns’ have now 3 houses and a farm in Lurganboy. Other families in Lurganboy include the Hall’s, the McCaul’s, the Shannon’s, the Crudden’s and the Moore’s. Only the Mc Caul family appeared in the 1911 census so there has been lots of changed in the townland over the last 114 years
In 1911 though, there were nine houses, but one was uninhabited 44 people in total lived in the townland of Lurganboy. There were 9 different families; some of them had more than 8 people living in their houses. Many of the head of houses worked as farmers, while Matilda Jane Greenlee worked as a school teacher and Joseph Livingstone, who lived in a “first class” house, worked as a carpenter There were 23 males and 21 females living in Lurganboy Only eight people were Roman Catholic, while fourteen were Protestants and ten were Presbyterians The families who lived in Lurganboy in 1911 were the Lawson’s, the Pritchard’s, the McDill’s, the McCaul’s, the Greenlee’s, the West’s, the McCrackin’s, the McConkey’s and the Livingstone’s. Some families had servants working for them at this time, which would be completely unheard of today.
My family lived in Corragary in 1911 and moved to Lurganboy in the 1920s, they bought the land of John West and his family. They then built their home house and lived on the farm for over half a century. Then in 1975, my granny and granddad built their new house beside the family farm, which has now housed 2 generations of our family. In 2015, my mam and I moved into the house that we now call home. Then in 2023, my uncle moved into his new house also built beside the family farm Now there are three generations of our family living side by side in Lurganboy
Time Travelling with Great Granny Bridie Murphy (Aged 95)
by Leah Rice
This is an interview with Bridie Murphy, aged 95. She and her family lived in Threemilehouse during he 1920's and she gave a really interesting interview about life at that time to me, her great granddaughter. It was lovely to have the opportunity to learn about her childhood and life growing up.
My House:
I grew up outside of Threemilehouse in the townland of Cooldara, I was born in 1929, there were 11 in my family - 5 boys and 4 girls. My mammy died when I was 6. I lived in a 2-storey house in a rural area with 2 bedrooms, a large and a small one A sitting room and a kitchen It had no running water just water from a well We had no electricity.
We had no bathroom inside or out, just a toilet outside Food was cooked on the pan on the stove that we kept lit from turf and sticks that we cut and brought in These stoves were similar stoves to ones that are used nowadays. We only had heat in the kitchen from the stove, the bedroom above it was warm because of it but my room was at the back of the house, and it was cold I don't think there were hot water bottles then, we used to take the lid from the stove and wrap it in paper and use it to warm our feet We were used to the cold and didn't pass any remarks.
The men worked on the farm We didn't have a big farm, and I went out with them to help as my sister stayed in the house We had some land that we farmed, we were cuttingcorn, tying corn,dropping potatoes, and we had flax too, it was a big job. Women did the housework, made bread, and cooked. My sister worked in a factory, and another left to go nursing The children all had their jobs to do, bring in sticks in the morning, carry up water from the well That's when they were small Once bigger, they went out on farm to help.
My School:
I went to school at the age of 5 in Threemilehouse We walked around the lane from my house. I finished school at 14. It was a 2-storeybuilding, we went upstairs when we were going into 3 class. My teachers' name were Master Mc Enaney and Mrs. Mc Enaney, she taught the smaller children. Teachers were very strict.
Our desks were old desks that you sat into and lifted the lid We used pencils for the smaller children then when we got older, we used nibs that we dipped into ink We had no heat in the classroom, just an open fire at that time We didn't wear uniforms We took our own lunch, which was a bit of bread wrapped in paper with a bottle of milk, in the wintertime we put our bottle of milk beside the fire to warm it. At breaktime we played mostly tig, or ran around the chapel, because we had no place else to go The boys played on the road, which was mostly football My subjects were English, Irish, Maths, Algebra, and History and Geography, which I hated I also did Sewing and Knitting I liked school
Shops
My local shop was in Threemilehouse about a mile from my house There was 1 grocery shop and a grocery shop and pub together It sold tea, sugar, butter, maybe bacon too but we didn't need to buy bacon as we killed a pig every year and that did us. We had no car, just a horse and cart, and we ploughed with the horses and years later had a tractor. We went to mass every Sunday and prayed the rosary was said every day at 6pm. My sister reared us after my mammy died
Common food
Breakfast was porridge with bread and butter. Dinner was bacon, sausage, cabbage and potatoes'. We grew our own cabbage and turnips in the field. We had our own hens for eggs We had turkeys but we couldn't keep geese and ducks as we didn't have water close enough to our house
There are big differences from now to then, some for the good and some not Electricity was the biggest help when it came in. I was married with 3 or 4 children by then.
Conclusion
It was very interesting listening to Granny during her interview There is a big difference between her life then and my life now. I am glad that we have luxuries like heat and electricity and more food and shops to make life easier than it was then.
Our school opened in 1940 We used to have a master in our school and there also used to be a fireplace in one of our classrooms The students had to go outside to collect firewood but the firewood was not just for the fire it was also used for punishment! Before our school was built there was another school named Bartatobby but they joined our school in 1994 because their school was too small Before this time when the troubles were on going in Ireland there was a hedge school in Black Hill for the Catholics to go to school. It is said to have been a rough hut with stone seats and the school was called Brady’s field after one of the schools teachers.
There also used to be a post office in Knockatallon run by the Mc Cauge family. There was a telephone box outside of it and it was always really busy at the post office. Although it is no longer a post office its features and the old phone box can still be seen
Sliabh Beagh is a well loved hotel in Knockatallon it is also a lovely restaurant no matter what day you decide to go there it will always be very busy Sliabh Beagh has too changed over the years It once was a community centre and although it is now a hotel it is still central to our community During the electricity shortages this year after storm Eowyn it was a place where people could meet and get a hot meal.
In my opinion Knockatallon is the best place to visit in County Monaghan as it is full of history and adventure wherever you may go.
The Maple Ballroom by Sarah Jane Brady
By the late fifties the social climate was changing rapidly throughout Ireland The showband craze was started in Northern Ireland by a band called “The Clipper Carlton”. There was a growing number of independent owners who built ballrooms The Maple Ballroom Rockcorry was one of them This building is situated on the Newbliss road out of the village It was originally a Methodist Church. The church closed in the early 1930s and was brought in 1948 by Mr John McCormick a local business man
On Easter Sunday April 6 1958 The Maple Ballroom was opened for the first time with Fred Hanna’s Band from Belfast supplying the music. It attracted all the leading bands in Ireland at the time The Clipper Carlton , The Cadets , Horslips , Joe Dolan and The Drifters The royal showband with Brendan Bowyer had their first Ulster date in the Maple on 13 September 1959 while Dana came shortly after her Eurovision win in 1970 th th
The Maple Ballroom as it as called became part of the social life for the whole community both locally and for miles around North and South of the border . It was jammed every dance night when buses brought dancers from neighbouring towns , villages and counties People enjoyed the Maple because it attracted a good mix of people. Anyone causing a row or a fight was put out by the bouncer
In 1965 John McCormick became manger of “The Mainliners” and their star singer ,Big Tom McBride who in short period of time became famous all over Ireland and England with songs like “Gentle Mother” and “The Old Log Cabin” The band was the most popular to come on the dancing scene and played in the Maple on many occasions to capacity crowds
In the good years there were about 450 ballrooms countrywide. The showband craze changed Irish courting habits forever In rural areas like Rockcorry the ballroom created the opportunity for people to meet away from the local parochial hall & the eyes of a local clergy. Many young people cycled to parish dances in the 1950s but drove or bused to ballrooms miles away in the 60s Boys and girls could be more secretive at a dance fifty miles from home A boy from Cavan could meet a girl Fermanagh in the Maple. If things worked out he met her there again the following week
My Grandad Jimmy Carroll said: “The building known as the Maple Ballroom was once a church and later a cinema. It was purchased by Mr. John McCormick and opened it as a ballroom around 1958 It turned into one of the most famous dance halls in Ireland Dances were held every Thursday night for over 25 years. All the leading showbands in Ireland played there as well as many English touring groups”
Sadly ,The Maple closed in 1983 and with its closure ended an era of Ballroom dancing all over Ireland that may never come again. Many a match and marriage was made there and those who went to it can look back with fond memories on Rockcorry’s own Ballroom of Romance
The Maple Ballroom was knocked down in 2024
An important detail to note was that the bridge was not constructed until circa 1820 so the congregation was dubbed Clones or Clownis Clones (Stonebridge) became one of the earliest Presbyterian congregations established in Monaghan alongside Dartry (Drum), Tullycorbett (Ballybay) and Monaghan During the early eighteenth century there was no proper church to be found in the area; rather the congregation met in a meeting house and drew their name from the bridge built over the river beside them.
During the eighteenth century Peadar Livingstone stated how Monaghan land ‘became more valuable…It meant people were earning more money….. While efforts of the small farmers ultimately left Monaghan a far richer and more developed place’ (The Monaghan Story). The growing of flax and production of linen was of great importance to the rural economy. There was a particularly strong linen market in Clones which farmers at Stonebridge benefitted from. Since all of their linen purchases were paid in cash it was particularly beneficial for tenant farmers to use to pay their rents with Flax production was strong in the early settlement of Stonebridge and, later, a flax mill would be established opposite the church
In 1750 new congregations were being encouraged to form within the Monaghan presbytery, one such being at Newbliss. The Stonebridge congregation objected to their formation as they believed it would damage their own congregational strength. However, after a series of disputes alongside a fellow congregation at Drum, they were ultimately overturned and Newbliss was allowed to remain. This led to several families at Stonebridge deserting to Newbliss. These consequences were short-lived though as the congregation began to grow due to County Monaghan during the mid1700s being heavily populated with Presbyterians.
In Ireland during the 1790s a group known as the United Irishmen had been pushing for parliamentary reform before changing to Irish independence Their movement had been spreading across Ireland and had an aim of unifying both Protestants and Catholics against Britain As the movement spread into Monaghan it had been said that Stonebridge proved useful as a nucleus for Presbyterian or dissenter support with even the congregation's fourth minister, James Whiteside, becoming the representative in the Clones area for the ‘Northern Star’ (the newspaper of the Society of United Irishmen). However, the initial unity between the two denominations did not last as Presbyterians began to rethink the consequences of accepting Roman Catholics as equals. The divide quickly became irreparable as many atrocities were committed on Protestants.
The 1820s proved to be one of the most significant decades for the development of Stonebridge. It began with the very bridge for which the area gets its name being built across the River Finn. The bridge featured segmental arches with dressed limestone voussoirs and squared stone soffits. Around the same time, a mill was also erected, going on to have a multitude of purposes from spade-making, flaxscutching, corn-milling, and saw-milling industries. It was a site of particular economic and social importance for Stonebridge, providing employment and commerce for the area. Interestingly, the water wheel had a slight flaw whereby if the river was too high it would not turn and if the river was too low it also would not turn. This meant that the mill was often out of commission during the winter and summer months. During its construction a dispute over the water rights for the mill broke out with the locals, and so the owners resorted to digging the race at nighttime to avoid detection The thatched meeting house that previously accommodated the congregation was also developed with the construction of a proper church The church was a t-shape, with a pitched slate roof and pointed arch-windows A quarry was also in operation at this time, though no records of its opening or construction can be located The quarry had a steam roller and stone breaker and would have produced the material to patch the roads around Clones. However, much like the mill, the river also proved an issue for the business as it would burst its bank several times over the quarry’s lifespan with one such incident claiming the lives of several workers and their horses in the late 1880s.
In the late twenties, an all-male Protestant school was opened outside the church for children of all ages. The school had a porch that wrapped around the building and underneath housed a stable. It is also probably around this time that the Roman Catholic National School opened a short distance away from the church and river. In keeping with the sectarian nature of society at the time, it was a custom for Protestants to walk on one side of the road and Catholics on the other. The Ulster Canal was built between 1825 and 1842 and was 74km long with 26 locks. It ran from Charlemont on the River Blackwater to Wattle Bridge on the River Finn, south-east of Upper Lough Erne. Residents of Stonebridge would have had access to the canal, and the mill and quarry might have transported their products along it, but it was not very profitable due to various problems with the canal. The canal was beggared with issues such as keeping water at the required level and its locks being too narrow for regular transports to make use of. With the arrival of the railways in 1858 the canal was abandoned as the less favourable mode of transport
The well for the local area still stands today, though many villagers had a superstition towards it believing that it pumped water through the church’s graveyard.
Workers of the mill made up the bulk of the village’s population and when William Armstrong moved away their mill closed. The McCluskies soon followed suit, leading to a serious drop in the village’s population as more and more moved away to find new employment. The rows of houses that stood along the river began to decline and the last villager, Jimmy Greenen, left in 1957. In 1958 the Protestant school by the church closed down but the Roman Catholic school remained and abandoned its second location, moving to a more modern premises along the N54 at the end of the twentieth century. The church itself also suffered a decline with the establishment of a Presbyterian church in Clones and Smithborough Many families left the congregation and in the early 1900s the church lost its t-shape and was replaced with an l-plan building, putting in a hall used for Sunday school in the tail of the church The railroad in Monaghan closed down in 1957 but remains of railway bridges can still be found dotting the landscape For a short period, a skittle team was active at Stonebridge Church and used pins from the railway line for their games. On 11 March 1974, only a short distance from Stonebridge, Fine Gael TD Billy Fox was assassinated by the Provisional IRA.
Whilst the village of Stonebridge underwent a sharp decline as a consequence of the mill’s closure the settlement has left a mark in history with its connection to the spread of Presbyterianism and activity during national events like the 1798 Rebellion. The village can also be a testament to the impact and spinoff effect of a key industry’s closure as seen throughout history like in Clones with the end of the railways. Even though the village is no more, many of its structures still remain such as the well, the old mill, several of the railway bridges and -- most iconically -the bridge for which it gets its name and the church that is still an active congregation today
Bibliography
Bouwsma, WJ (2018) Calvinism | Description & History In: Encyclopædia Britannica [online] Available at: https://www britannica com/topic/Calvinism [Accessed 23 Feb 2025]
Kirkpatrick, L and Costecalde, C (2007) Presbyterians in Ireland: an illustrated history Holywood, Co Down: Booklink
Stevenson, J. (2018). John Knox | Scottish religious leader. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Knox [Accessed 23 Feb. 2025]. Ulster Canal Greenway (2014) Ulster Canal [online] Available at: https://ulstercanalgreenwaycom/ulster-canal/ [Accessed 24 Feb 2025]
FUSIO (2019a) GRANSHA MORE, Stone Bridge, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland [online] Buildings of Ireland Available at: https://www buildingsofireland ie/buildings-search/building/41401219/gransha-more-stonebridge-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb 2025]
FUSIO (2019b) Gransha National School, GRANSHA MORE, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland [online] Buildings of Ireland Available at: https://www buildingsofireland ie/buildings-search/building/41401223/granshanational-school-co-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb 2025]
FUSIO (2019c). LATGALLAN, Stone Bridge, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland. [online] Buildings of Ireland. Available at: https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/41401218/stone-bridge-co-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb. 2025].
FUSIO (2019d) Stone Bridge Presbyterian Church, GRANSHA MORE, Stone Bridge, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland [online] Buildings of Ireland Available at: https://www buildingsofireland ie/buildingssearch/building/41401220/stone-bridge-presbyterian-church-gransha-more-stone-bridge-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb 2025]
FUSIO (2019e) Stonebridge Orange Hall, SHANMULLAGH SOUTH, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland [online] Buildings of Ireland Available at: https://www buildingsofireland ie/buildingssearch/building/41401255/stonebridge-orange-hall-shanmullagh-south-co-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb 2025]
FUSIO (2019f). GRANSHA MORE, MONAGHAN - Buildings of Ireland. [online] Buildings of Ireland. Available at: https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/41401253/gransha-more-monaghan [Accessed 23 Feb. 2025].
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Livingstone, P (1980) The Monaghan Story
Mackarel, A (2025) interview with local resident, Alan Mackarel, by Jack Mackarel, 21 February 2025, Monaghan
Mackarel, G (2025) interview with local resident, Gerald Mackarel, by Jack Mackarel, 22 February 2025, Monaghan
Mackarel, E (2025) interview with local resident, Eric Mackarel, by Jack Mackarel, 22 February 2025, Monaghan.
Home Rule and Monaghan Protestants (1912-1923)
by Emma Hannon
The subject of Home Rule was a big issue in Ireland in the early 1900s, especially for Protestants in County Monaghan. Nationalists wanted Ireland to govern itself, while Unionists wanted to stay part of Britain This left Monaghan Protestants feeling uncertain about their future They were worried that Catholics would take control, that their businesses would suffer, and that they would lose political power This essay looks at how Home Rule affected Monaghan Protestants between 1912 and 1923
In 1912, about 26% of the people in Monaghan were Protestant, and they had many of the same worries as other Unionists in Ulster. They feared that Home Rule would lead to Catholic political and economic dominance, with Protestant interests being ignored under a Dublin based parliament influenced by the Catholic Church. Prominent figures such as M.E. Knight, Grand Master of the Monaghan Orange Lodge, warned that Home Rule would place them under the “tyranny of Rome.” When the Home Rule Bill was introduced in 1912, many Protestants in Monaghan strongly opposed it. To show their resistance, they signed the Ulster Covenant on September 12, 1912. This document was a promise to fight against Home Rule in any way possible. More than 5,000 Protestants in Monaghan signed it, joining Unionists from other parts of Ulster to voice their opposition
At the time, most businesses in Monaghan town were owned by Protestants, making them an important part of the local economy The main newspaper, the Northern Standard, was also Unionist controlled In 1912, Protestant businesses dominated the town The diamond in Monaghan was comprised of only Protestant businesses. All hotels in the town were owned by Protestants, and there was only one Catholic hardware store, compared to three Protestant ones. This strong economic presence made Protestants fearful that Home Rule would introduce policies that could harm their trade with Britain and favour Catholicowned businesses instead.
that no Orangemen were arrested for firing weapons. They responded by marching through the streets, singing 'A Nation Once Again' and 'God Save Ireland,' calling for Home Rule.
When World War I started in 1914, it made the Home Rule situation even more complicated. For Unionists in Ulster, the war was a chance to show their loyalty to Britain, but Protestants in Monaghan were not as eager to join up. Unlike Protestants in bigger cities like Belfast and Derry, many in Monaghan did not sign up in large numbers. In January 1915, the local newspaper, the Northern Standard, said that only four people joined the army at a UVF meeting meant to encourage recruitment. Many Protestant farmers' sons chose to stay at home because they were earning good money on the farm, and they worried that if they left, Nationalists might take over their land Even though not many Protestants from Monaghan went to fight, local Presbyterian churches still supported the war effort They sent knitted socks and care packages to soldiers, and they also raised money for war prisoners Sadly, some who did enlist never returned On May 10, 1918, Reverend James Steen at Cahans Church, just outside Ballybay spoke about the deaths of two members of his congregation, Colonel George D. McCullagh and Major David Nelson VC, who had been killed in France.
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 created Northern Ireland with six counties, but Monaghan was left out and remained in the South. Many Unionists in Monaghan were angry and felt abandoned by their leaders and the British government. The Northern Standard, published an article called “Cast Out!” expressing how upset people were that they had stayed loyal to Britain, yet were still excluded. At an Orange Order meeting in Clones, Reverend Robert Burns summed up how many Protestants felt by saying, "In this country, it does not pay to be loyal.”
On July 12th , 1923, after partition and uncertainty for Protestants in the new Free State, the only Orange march of the year took place at Killacoonagh near Clones Alexander Haslett, a respected Presbyterian stated "We are not going to be sulking in a corner," he declared. "We have to live in this country, and we are going to make the most of it.”
Drum, a small village in County Monaghan, is the most Protestant village in the Republic of Ireland This reflects the history of a community that found itself on the "wrong side" of the border after Ireland was divided in 1920 Today, only about 7% of Monaghan’s population is Protestant, but the influence of the community remains. Heather Humphreys, a government minister from Monaghan, was born and raised Protestant in Drum, her grandfather even signed the Ulster Covenant. Although Ireland has changed a lot since the early 20th century, the history of its communities is still an important part of understanding how partition affected people’s lives.
Between 1911 and 1923, Protestants in County Monaghan faced a lot of uncertainty and worry. They strongly opposed Home Rule because they feared Catholic control in politics and business. Many protested by signing the Ulster Covenant and joining Unionist groups. However, the biggest disappointment came in 1920 when the Government of Ireland Act left Monaghan out of Northern Ireland This made Unionists feel abandoned Even though they had remained loyal to Britain, they now had to accept being part of the Irish Free State, which many saw as a betrayal
Sources:
Catherine Morrison, 23rd June 2021: https://www bbc com/news/uk-northern-ireland57569930
Lindsey Brown: The Presbyterian Dilemma: A Survey of the Presbyterians and Politics in Counties Cavan and Monaghan over Three Hundred Years: Part II of a Series on the Monaghan Presbyterians, Clogher Record, 1995, Vol 15, No 2 (1995), pp 30-68
Ann Carville: The Impact of Partition Proposals on County Monaghan, Clogher Record, 1991, Vol 14, No 1 (1991), pp 37-51
Terence A M Dooley: County Monaghan, 1914-1918: Recruitment, the Rise of Sinn Féin and the Partition Crisis, Clogher Record, 1998, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1998), pp. 144-158
Terence A M Dooley : Why Monaghan Protestants Opposed Home Rule, Clogher Record, 1993, Vol. 14, No. 3 (1993), pp. 42-46
Daniel Purcell: Southern Irish Loyalism, ‘Cast Out!’: Cavan and Monaghan Loyalists and Partition, 1916–1923, Chapter XII (2020)
The construction of the new courthouse took place from 1827 to 1830. However, the blueprint for the original courthouse was only signed by Alexander Fleming in 1831, a year after the new courthouse was built. The new courthouse was designed by architect Joseph Welland. The layout of the courthouse remained the same until May 1981, when a devastating fire raged through the building. The building stayed intact, but it was very damaged inside. It was burnt black and it was falling apart. It took almost 33 years to fully refurbish the building and fix the damage done by the fire. The rebuilding of the courthouse was very lengthy and tedious, as it needed a lot of money to reconstruct such a huge place. The image below shows a picture from after the event. The image was posted on Facebook on July 21st, 2017, by ‘The Monaghan Mouth.’ They stated that they got the image from an article written by Theresa Loftus, the Museum's Exhibitions and Research Officer
When the courthouse was refurbished, they built three modern courtrooms. There was an attempt to try to restore and replicate the exterior of the building similar to its original form. The walls were built of Limestone from Carlow, which made the walls thicker and bigger in size than previously.
A conservatory style glass roof brightens up the circulation area, an area in the courthouse which acts as the main route connecting the entire building and the other facilities such as the lift lobbies and fire exit stairs. This circulation area has a grand public staircase which has been constructed using only pure Irish wood. The courtrooms are also lined with oak paneling. There is no specific reason why oak was used, but I think it is likely because oak is a hard and durable material, even when exposed to dampness. In the courthouse, there are new facilities accessible for everybody, including victim support rooms, cells for holding prisoners before and after trials, jury rooms and consultation rooms.
Last year, media attention was focused on the area outside the Courthouse due to it hosting a commemorative event for the 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings These bombings were carried out by the Ulster Volunteer Force on the 17th of May 1974 The UVF was a group based in Northern Ireland made up of people who believe that Northern Ireland should stay a part of the United Kingdom However, they never gave a specific reason why they bombed Monaghan and Dublin This tragic event killed 7 innocent civilians in Monaghan. On 17th May 2024, President Michael D. Higgins visited Monaghan to lay a wreath and pay his respects to the victims. In front of the Courthouse, there stands a permanent memorial -- a sandstone and metal pillar -- which contains the names of all of the people who were killed in the explosion. It was unveiled by President Mary McAleese in 2004 and ensures that they will never be forgotten.
The Monaghan Bomb memorial in front of the Courthouse
