LALOR HOUSE RESTORATION PROJECT, TENAKILL, Raheen

Future of Tennakill

Many have asked what of the future of Tennakill House. When the house is fully restored it is intended to dedicate a room each to highlight the life and achievements of “Honest” Patt Lalor MP and his three sons James Fintan, Richard and Peter. Indeed the life story of any one of the above mentioned personalities would fill all of the rooms of the entire house. It is unlikely that throughout the length and breadth of the country that the families of any house has produced a similar quartet who have had such an influence on the political and social life of Ireland, America and Australia. To date there is no venue in Ireland that honours and reflects their achievements. What better place to do that than in their own home, Tennakill House, in County Laois.

The life of Honest Patt Lalor MP, his stance against the hated Tithe Taxes, his friendship with Daniel O’Connell, The Liberator, a regular visitor to Tennakill House, his opposition to the Act of Union , his contributions to the debates in Westminster and his establishment of the Reform Club are a remarkable testimony to his commitment to Ireland.

His eldest son, James Fintan, despite indifferent health though his short life, is giant among Irishmen who displayed a fearless courage and spirit in highlighting the terrible conditions of the small land holders and the farm labourers. He was the first nationalist to link the land question to the national aspiration of freedom and independence. His writings and policies were popular with Padraig Pearse and James Connolly, two of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising in 1919 and with Eamon de Valera later Taoiseach and President of Ireland.

Another son, Richard Lalor, MP, was a land reform agitator, anti Union opponent and reformer of the Independence Club set up by father, Honest Patt Lalor. He was very involved in the local politics of the day both in Ireland and England and his contributions to Westminster debates would reflect attitudes to Ireland and the Irish nation in general and would make great study material for students of history. Richard, like his brothers James Fintan and Peter, were all involved in the Young Ireland movement and took part in the abortive rising in Tipperary in 1848.

What can be said of the other member of this illustrious quartet, Peter Lalor, leader and defender of the miners at the Eureka Stockade, fugitive from justice with a price on his head, later turned business man, politician who became a national figure in Australia and who is universally known as “The Father of Australian Democracy”. He was the subject of four films and a two part television series about his involvement in the events at Eureka. He has streets, electoral divisions, public buildings and even university student accommodation named in his honour. It was at the Eureka Stockade that the famous “Southern Cross” flag, the unofficial emblem of Australia first made its appearance having been created by the women who stood by their men inside the stockade.

Why should such a house as Tennakill not be restored ? It has produced a quartet of remarkable people but there are other members of that family who have also featured abroad and they are the three other brothers who emigrated to America and fought in the America Civil War. Many of the American Lalor family have been involved in politics in the state of Wisconsin and are still very much to the fore there.

The foregoing is very short resume of not four, but seven members of this family, which is surely a very unique record which must be commemorated by the restoration of Tennakill House.

To date over E100,000 has been spent on work on the house but to completely bring it back to its former glory it will require many multiples of that amount . That is why the committee is launching this “GO Fund Me” appeal. The committee has received grants from Laois County Council, The National Heritage Council, and has held many fundraising events and is now making this international appeal to complete the work. The current owner of the house, Kevin Lalor-Fitzpatrick, a direct descendant of “Honest” Patt Lalor, made a considerable financial contribution to the work.