Celebrating the life and legacy of Castlecomer miner Seamus Walsh

The visitor centre at the Castlecomer Discovery Park was packed to capacity last Friday to celebrate the life and legacy of miner Seamus Walsh. 

Before beginning Monsignor Ryan blessed the visitors with “A Miner’s Prayer”. The evening was full with music and memory, and MC Tommy O’Neill kept proceedings moving along as speakers such as Martin Bridgeman, Maurice Shortall, Michael Conway, Margaret McGrath, Chubby Brennan and Joe O’Neill regaled the audience with stories, memories and extracts from Seamus’s writing.

Music was spun through the evening with performances from the Male Voice Choir, Breege Phelan, singing “So Deep Within” a song she wrote with Michael Conway that was influenced by Seamus’s writings. Also playing beautifully on the night was Joe Brennan, Sarah Brennan and Jimmy Byrne. 

Singer/song writer Colm Egan played via video link with a song called “The Deerpark Mines” a song about an ex – miner revisiting the ruins of the mines after its closure. Colm and Seamus were great friends and the song was inspired by Seamus’s book In the Shadow of the Mines.

The Walsh family were all present and Seamus’s daughter Majella have a beautiful acapella rendition of “Joe Hill”.  Many of the family made other contributions such as Seamus’s granddaughter Lauren McCartney who recited a poem that Seamus wrote called “A Gathering of Miners”.  Seamus’s Grandson Jamie Walsh also presented a poem that Seamus wrote called “Lonely Days Past”.

The atmosphere was poignant as video from Mike Kealy and photos from John Coffey were interspersed through the evening.

Kathy Purcell launched the new “Castlecomer Museum of Mining” Free app, and encouraged everyone to download from their play stores for free.

Noelle Walsh thanked everyone before Chrissie Seamus’s wife was called on to unveil a specially commissioned portrait of Seamus by Castlecomer Craft Yard artist, Niamh Curry.