Frank Taaffe honoured in Athy

Athy’s Offaly Street came to a standstill on Sunday as one of the great figures of the town was celebrated.

A Made of Athy plaque marking the contribution to the town by Frank Taaffe was unveiled on the very street he grew up on.

Mr Taaffe is respected and known to countless people for his work as a solicitor, public representative, activist, community organiser, historian and long-standing columnist in the Kildare Nationalist.

“There’s only one Frank,” said Colm Walsh, of the Made of Athy campaign.

Cathaoirleach of Athy Municipal District Aoife Breslin said the plaque lauded Mr Taaffe’s contribution to “the social fabric of Athy, through history, the arts, writing, and indeed, politics”.

Cllr Breslin said: “Today's a day of celebration of Frank's work, commitment, and love of Athy. Frank has made a huge, significant impact in Athy as a steward of the history for Athy. His weekly column with the Kildare Nationalist has been published for 32 years on a weekly basis.

“It offers insight into the peoples, people, places, and events that make Athy and has shaped its hinterland. Frank Taaffe's contribution is not merely that of a historian, but of a civic leader, one who has ensured the story of Athy is not lost to time, but is instead celebrated, questioned, and continually explored.” 

Mr Taaffe’s good friend John MacKenna lauded his contribution but also that of his wife Breedge.

Mr MacKenna’s noted Mr Taaffe’s dedication as a historian, but also his inherent ability to have his finger on the pulse of Athy. 

“What Frank has done is to provide a phenomenal amount of information that will, in 100 years, 200 years time, be such a fantastic source for future historians and for the people of Athy. But he has also had the vision to look forward.

“I don't want to rake over old battles, but there was a time when the town hall might have become a car park. And one man said, ‘No, that's not going to happen’. That was Frank."

Mr Taaffe was clearly honoured by the occasion and spoke passionately about the history of Athy.

He lauded Colm Walsh for his activism in Athy and noted there was a proud tradition of community activism in the town.

Mr Taaffe described his early days of researching and how important documents of institutions like St Vincent’s Hospital and even Athy Golf Club had been destroyed or partially destroyed. Local history had never formed part of history taught in schools to Mr Taaffe and his peers.

“My intention, not initially but after some time, was that I should concentrate on following the hidden history of the town … to make known to the local people the history which they had never learned about.” 

As Athy’s population grew dramatically over the last few decades, Mr Taaffe had a motivation to impart the local history to those who moved to the area.

Athy’s reputation as a heritage town developed from those newcomers coming into the town.

Mr Taaffe, rather fittingly, also took a swipe at Kildare County Council over the continued closure of the community arts centre.

There's only one Frank Taaffe alright.