Patrick Kavanagh Centre

About the museum

The Patrick Kavanagh Centre is in Inniskeen, the Monaghan village where the poet Patrick Kavanagh was born in 1904 and spent his first thirty-five years on a small farm. It is housed in the former St Mary’s church, built around 1820 and no longer used for worship since a new parish church replaced it in 1974. Kavanagh was baptised here and served as an altar boy, and the church appears in his novels Tarry Flynn and The Green Fool.

The poet is buried in the churchyard next to the building, together with his wife and several members of his family.

The refurbished exhibition follows Kavanagh from his childhood on the farm to his life as a poet and well-known figure in Dublin. It uses touchscreens, memory boxes, letters and other items from the early twentieth century. The centre also shows an award-winning short film that sets ten of his poems against Monaghan scenery, and it offers guided tours and a walking or cycling trail to places linked to the poet, such as his family farm, Billy Brennan’s barn and the local school.

Highlights

• Exhibition on the life and poetry of Patrick Kavanagh with touchscreens and memory boxes
• Short film The Pincer Jaws of Heaven with ten of his poems
• Kavanagh’s grave in the churchyard beside the centre
• Kavanagh Trail through the landscape of his poems
• Poetry Jukebox beside the River Fane

Permanent exhibition

• Patrick Kavanagh Exhibition Experience – A self-guided exhibition on the poet’s life from his childhood in Inniskeen to his years in Dublin, with touchscreens, memory boxes, letters and the film The Pincer Jaws of Heaven.

Admission & discounts

The standard ticket is a self-guided visit of the exhibition and film.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main exhibition space, the toilet and all other exhibition areas are step-free. A self-service wheelchair lift and guide rails serve the cinema space. Disabled parking is beside the entrance. Tours can be adapted to mobility needs, and an access welcome guide is published online.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

The toilets have baby-changing facilities. Children under 7 enter free and a family ticket is available.

Getting there & parking

Inniskeen is about a 20-minute drive from Dundalk (off the M1) and about 15 minutes from Carrickmacross (off the N2). Dublin Airport is around 80 km away.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Free WiFi for visitors. The Raglan Road Tea Rooms are in a restored cottage beside the centre. The centre has a gift store and also gives tourist information for south Monaghan.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit