Blessington Publications
The group was established in 1998. The society has always been concerned for the preservation of the heritage of the local area. For example, in recent years the society was associated with the restoration of St Patrick’s well and the cleaning and resetting of the granite stones around the Four-stone Tree, a longstanding Blessington landmark.
To promote an interest in family history, a comprehensive survey of the old grave-yard in Manor Kilbride was undertaken in 2007-8. The results of the survey, which has been put on a database, augments previous work undertaken by members on the transcription from the registers of births and marriages 1822-1852 and 1852-1900 for the Catholic parish of Blessington. The society has made available information from these sources to people (many of them outside the area) who were undertaking family research. Copies of the transcribed registers and the Manor Kilbride grave-yard survey can also be consulted in Blessington library. Members are currently recording the story of some of the older residents of the Blessington area.
The society is affiliated to the County Kildare Federation of Local History Groups since the Blessington area has much in common, both geographically and historically with east Kildare.
The Committee, which meets at regular intervals throughout the year, elected at AGM each February.
Five lectures by visiting speakers are held during the year normally on the third Thursday of month in St Kevin’s Community Centre.