Renowned Carrick-on-Suir writer's study has found new home in Tides of Time Visitor Centre
Tourism Minister Peter Burke visited the late Michael Coady’s office that has been carefully reconstructed in the revamped Carrick-on-Suir heritage centre
One of the centrepiece attractions of Carrick's Tides of Time Visitor Centre is the reconstructed study of the town's renowned poet and writer Michael Coady.
The late writer's widow Martina, children James, Lucy and Niamh and grandchildren were special guests at the official opening of the centre last Thursday and showed Minister Peter Burke around the office when he visited it after the official ceremony.
The recreation of the study, including Mr Coady's desk and shelves laden with books, is a fitting tribute to the writer, who with the late Hugh Ryan, advocated in the 1980s for the restoration of the dilapidated St Nicholas Church of Ireland, which led to its transformation into the town’s heritage centre.
A framed photo of Hugh stands on one of the study's bookshelves, and both men are depicted in one of the centre's new stained-glass windows.
At the opening ceremony, Lucy Coady expressed deep gratitude on behalf of her family for the “careful and considered” presentation of her father's study in the centre, which held such a “special place in his heart”.
She said the vision and idea for the project came from Waterford playwright Jim Nolan, whom her father had huge respect and love for as a fellow writer.
She thanked Minister Burke for taking the time to celebrate the opening of the Tides of Time centre and Carrick-on-Suir Development Association for its work, with special thanks also to Tony Musiol and Maurice Power for their support.
She praised Sarah Jane Cleary of Explore Carrick-on-Suir for her tireless work over the last 18 months to turn the idea of reconstructing her father's office at the centre into reality. “I commend her for her care, sensitivity and positive energy and knowledge in dealing with us on all aspects of the study.”
Lucy also thanked the centre's funders and expressed gratitude to Mirador Media for the careful disassembling and assembling of the study.
And she paid tribute to her mother, who took on the lion's share of the work and spent many hours dealing with books, documents and photographs.
Lucy concluded her speech by reciting a poem she composed about her father and his beloved study called “In this Room”.