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Irish Independent

Regeneration of Arklow town centre could be aided by preserving Dominican friars' legacy

Founded by St Dominic in 1215, the Dominican order, under the instruction of the chief butler of Ireland, established an Abbey in Arklow in 1264. The grounds of that abbey extended over 100 acres in the townland, which is evident in local area names like Abbeyville, Abbeylands and Abbey Lane. The priory or abbey itself occupied eight acres, two of which were used by the friars and would have included a church, resident buildings and a kitchen, while a cemetery and kitchen garden would have also been part of the priory design. Eager to acknowledge this legacy, Arklow Tidy Towns volunteers approached the Chamber of Commerce to propose a project that would both highlight the Dominican order's history and add to efforts to regenerate Arklow town centre and support the local economy. As Tidy Towns volunteer Sandra Duffy explained, plans include a stone replica of the emblem of the Dominicans at the newly refurbished Abbey Lane, while an 'edimental' garden area with an edible/ornamental planting will reimagine the former kitchen gardens there, which will be introduced into a selection of raised beds. 'We approached the Arklow Chamber with the idea that we wanted to remember the Dominican Friars that came to the town in 1260,' she said. 'They were the first educators in the town, the first preachers in the town, and brought some semblance of Christianity to the town. 'When the council upgraded the Abbey Cemetery, repaired the wall and put the old stone wall back, it was reminiscent of the former abbey. So, we in Tidy Towns wanted to reintroduce that forgotten heritage while making the lane more attractive for people walking from the car park to the Main Street. 'The Chamber liked the idea and came on board to sponsor the project, particularly as it's an initiative to regenerate an area linked to Main Street and would help support businesses in the town. 'Main Street is trying to recover from years of neglect and years of lack of development, but now with the wastewater treatment plant opening up, we're hoping that would bring a huge injection of interest, small businesses and residents to the town,' she added. 'So, we're trying to create different offerings for people, to show them a little bit of heritage, and also to enhance the landscape of the town centre with more pedestrian experiences that are unique. 'We're really focusing on dressing the town in anticipation of these developments and enticing new businesses into the town by making it more attractive. 'A big thanks to the Chamber for their continuous support, which is such a vital resource for us. We simply could not survive without it. When the coffers are bare, they always come through for us.' Declaring their pride at supporting Arklow Tidy Town's vision with a recent donation, an Arklow & District Chamber of Commerce spokesperson said: 'This contribution reflects our Chamber's commitment to supporting community-led efforts that enhance Arklow's cultural and historical landscape. 'Well done to the Tidy Towns team for their continued dedication to preserving and beautifying our town.'