Heywood Gardens in County Laois have been presented to the state by the Salesians.
The gardens were once part of the Heywood estate and were commissioned in the 1900s by Sir William Hutchinson Poe who resided in Heywood House at that time.
Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens who was also responsible for the National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge, construction work began on the gardens circa 1909.
Heywood House and estate came into the possession of the Salesian Fathers in the 1940s, and the house itself was destroyed by fire in 1950.
The Salesian Order have transferred ownership of the gardens to the Office of Public Works (OPW), who will care for them to be enjoyed by local people and visitors alike. Father Seamus Cummins tells RTÉ News,
Gardens are made for viewing. They have golden memories, and they certainly give golden hours.
OPW Park Superintendent John McCullen says that the current restoration work on the gardens will continue and their immediate plans include,
A re-planting plan hopefully along the original Lutyens style.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 15 February 1993. The reporter is Tom Kelly.
