The Grand Old Lady of Castle Street, The Athenaeum is a theatre and town hall built in 1892 at the behest of the Roman Catholic Administrator of St Aidan’s Parish, Reverend William Fortune.
Michael Lynch of Court Street won the contract to build The Athenaeum according to the plans of architect JK Freeman, and the people of Enniscorthy raised all of the money to cover the costs of the building.
As a theatre it was hugely successful with travelling dramatic companies or ‘outfits’ featuring theatrical greats like Anew MacMaster, Mícheál Mac Líammóir and Hilton Edwards. Local drama and musical groups also performed in The Athenaeum, many winning All-Ireland awards.
The Gaelic League met regularly in the Athenaeum and played host to Douglas Hyde, Erskine Childers and, after the inception of the Irish Volunteers, members of the supreme executive, including Seán Mac Diarmada and Pádraig Pearse. Both Pearse and Mac Diarmada addressed audiences from the theatre’s iconic stage.
During the Easter Rising in 1916, County Wexford’s Irish Volunteers occupied the Athenaeum. Using it as their headquarters, every aspect of Rising activity in the county was co-ordinated from there. When not out on duty The Volunteers ate and slept in the building, while Cumann na mBan established a hospital in the auditorium and dormitories in the dressing rooms on the first floor. Remarkably, there was also a kitchen in the skating rink, while the handball alley was used as a drilling and manoeuvre practice space.
The leaders of the Rising in County Wexford: Séamus Rafter, Robert Brennan, Séumus Doyle, Seán Etchingham, Richard King and Michael de Lacy, were the last leaders of any garrison nationwide to surrender.
The Volunteers’ choice of The Athenaeum as their command post in 1916 has assured its place in Irish history.
The Athenaeum is one of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme’s Permanent Reminders and will officially be re-opened, fully refurbished on the 23rd of September 2016.
Amharclann agus halla an bhaile atá san Ataenaem ar a dtugtar Seanbhean Mhór Shráid an Chaisleáin a tógadh in 1892 ar ordú ó Riarthóir Caitliceach Rómhánach pharóiste Naomh Aodán, an tOirmhinneach William Fortune.
Bhuaigh Michael Lynch as Sráid na Cúirte an conradh chun an tAtaenaem a thógáil de réir phleananna an ailtire JK Freeman, agus bhailigh muintir Inis Córthaidh an t-airgead le híoc as tógáil an fhoirgnimh.
Mar amharclann, d’éirigh go hiontach leis le compántais taistil nó ‘dreamanna’ ina raibh daoine mór le rá i saol na hamharclainne cosúil le Anew MacMaster, Mícheál Mac Líammóir agus Hilton Edwards. Thaibhigh grúpaí drámaíochta agus ceoil san Ataenaem, agus bhuaigh go leor díobh gradaim uile-Éireann.
Bhí cruinnithe rialta ag Conradh na Gaeilge san Ataenaem agus bhí Dubhghlas de hÍde, Erskine Childers agus, tar éis bunú Óglaigh na hÉireann, comhaltaí den ardchoiste feidhmeach, Seán Mac Diarmada agus Pádraig Mac Piarais ina measc. Thug Mac Piarais agus Mac Diarmada óráidí do lucht éisteachta ó stáitse íocónach na hamharclainne.
I rith Éirí Amach 1916, bhí Óglaigh Chontae Loch Garman san Ataenaem. Bhí sé mar cheanncheathrú acu, agus comhordaíodh gach gné de ghníomhaíocht an Éirí Amach as sin. Mura raibh siad ar dualgas d’ith agus chodail na hÓglaigh san fhoirgneamh, agus bhunaigh Cumann na mBan ospidéal sa halla éisteachta agus suanliosanna sna seomraí gléasta ar an gcéad urlár. Is iontach go raibh cistin sa rinc scátála, agus úsáideadh an pinniúr mar spás chun druileáil agus inlíochtaí a chleachtadh.
Ceannairí an Éirí Amach i gContae Loch Garman: Ba iad Séamus Rafter, Robert Brennan, Séumas Doyle, Seán Etchingham, Richard King agus Michael de Lacy, na ceannairí deireanacha in aon gharastún ar fud na tíre a ghéill.
Mar gheall gur roghnaigh na hÓglaigh an tAtaenaem mar phost ceannais in 1916, cinntíodh go mbeadh áit aige sa stair.
Tá an tAtaenaem ar cheann de na Meabhrúcháin Bhuana i gClár Comórtha Céad Bliain Éire 2016 agus athosclófar é, iomlán athchóirithe ar an 23 Meán Fómhair 2016.