Name Athy Heritage Centre County Kildare Nearest Town Naas Access Road M7 About The Athy Heritage Centre is a superb attraction in this town of 8,000 people located on the border with County Laois.

The centre contains the only permanent exhibition on Ernest Shackleton, who was born quite close to Athy in Kilkea House.

The exhibit is housed, which has a collection of artifacts from Athy’s past as well as some interesting articles from Shackleton’s expeditions.

Among the most impressive exhibits is a scale model of the Endurance.

Each year the Centre arranges and hosts the Shackleton Autumn School, with speakers from around the world to speak on different aspects of Antarctica and Shackleton’s life in particular.

There is also interesting exhibitions relating to the war of Independence and, contrastingly, the Gordon Bennett Commemorative Rally Exhibition.

A summer school on the works of poet Cecil Day Lewis is also held annually.

Enquiries: Contact Margaret Walsh at: 00353 59 8633075.

Email: athyheritage@eircom.

net Athy Heritage Centre-Museum, Town Hall, Emily Square, Athy, Co.

Kildare.

Open Mon-Fri 10am 5pm.

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