Back row l-r Eileen O’ Rourke,  CEO Carlow Tourism, Richard Butler (Butlers of Ballintemple and Garryhundon), Martin Nevin, Tyndall-Dargan Committee, Tom Butler (Butlers of Ballintemple and Garryhundon), and Dr Norman McMillan, Tyndall-Dargan Committee

Front row l-r Sara Kavanagh, Borris House, Cllr. Brian O’ Donoghue, Chairman Carlow County Council and Dermot Mulligan, Curator Carlow County Museum pictured at the launch of the Carlow Connections storytelling videos in Borris House.

The launch of the Carlow Connections project, funded by Carlow County Council under the Town and Village programme took place recently in Borris House. Attended by the Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Cllr. Brian O’ Donoghue the project focuses on four storytelling videos of key historical figures associated with County Carlow. 

The project provides further background on the cultural heritage assets of the county by presenting the key stories and achievements of Lady Harriet Kavanagh of Borris House, John Tyndall, the acclaimed scientist from Leighlinbridge, the Butler Family of Ballintemple and Garryhundon and Walt Disney whose ancestors have a strong association with Carlow and are buried in Clonmelsh Cemetery near Tinryland.

The videos which in some cases include footage of the birthplaces of those featured along with their ancestral homes, are interspersed with footage of the Carlow countryside, and are narrated by local family members or academic enthusiasts.  All videos were completed by MCO, a well-known Dublin based brand agency who have been involved in a number of filming projects including the Dublin St Patrick’s Day Festival.

Cllr. Brian O’ Donoghue who launched the video stated “the videos have been produced to a very high standard and provide a glimpse into some of the key characters and stories associated with Carlow’s past. They further expand appreciation of Carlow’s rich cultural heritage and provide interesting stories which will serve as useful tools for the promotion of Carlow” 

Commenting on the initiative Michael Walsh, Chairman of Carlow Tourism commented “we were delighted to work with Carlow Local Enterprise Office in the creation of these storytelling videos which document the rich history of some of Carlow’s most prominent families and individuals, who in some cases achieved international acclaim for their work. Their production marks one of the priorities identified in the County Carlow Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2020 – 2025 which recognised that Carlow’s historical figures provide real opportunities to act as key cultural heritage experiences for the county”. 

The project was supported under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme - Copies of the videos can be viewed at: https://carlowtourism.com/carlow-tourism-videos/