Laois woman campaigns for country’s first ‘memory room’ for precious mementos

In an effort to protect priceless memories and hundreds of photographs, a Laois woman has started a campaign for the country's first ‘memory room’.

Abbeyleix woman Joan Dunne (née Coady) came up with the idea of a safe, secure place for people to leave their photographs and memorabilia to ensure they are protected in the years to come.

The idea came from her own concerns that her extensive collection of photographs, spanning over 100 years, are protected after she is gone.

“I have collected so many photos down through the years, and I brought the idea to local historian Noel Burke,” Mrs Dunne told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“I’m 81 now, and I would hate to see the photos lost or destroyed after I’m gone. I have so many photographs of my family on both sides, with photos going back to 1914,” she explained.

“I have so many photos of my mother’s people and my father’s people, and I have the best ones on display in my house. I have albums full of them,” she said.

“I used to have an uncle in America, he would come over to Ireland and he took an awful lot of photos. I would be so delighted to see the memories live on, and for people to admire them,” she said.

“It would be great for anyone belonging to me in America who was trying to trace their roots, knowing that they would be able to see the photos if they looked,” she said.

Along with help from Mr Burke, the plan for a safe, private sanctuary where people can place their personal heritage items has been proposed by the Abbeyleix and District Historical Society.

“This would be a secure place to store personal heritage items,” Mr Burke told us.

“The room would feature a simple “Heritage Instruction” so people can record their wishes, and a named Heritage Executor to carry out those wishes. It would be respectful, private custodianship, not a public exhibition,” Mr Burke said.

“We want to provide protection for stories that might otherwise disappear. No other community in Ireland offers this, Abbeyleix can be the first,” he said.

Mrs Dunne’s uncle James Coady was a soldier who fought in the first World War. He sadly died in France in 1916. Mrs Dunne hopes that her photos of her uncle, along with his story, will not be lost to time.

“If approved by the Society, the memory room will move into its planning phase later this year, including securing a suitable space in the community and exploring funding options to make it a reality,” the local historian said.

“No one’s life story should be thrown away. No one’s memories should be lost. Abbeyleix can lead the way in protecting them,” he said.

Mr Burke described a story where a neighbour of his had three centuries of his personal photographs and memorabilia dumped in Kyletalesha Landfill waste and recycling facility in Portlaoise after his will was read.

“There are others out there too, who fear their prized possessions may die with them. Let them know there will soon be a place where their story can live on,” Mr Burke finished.