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The passage of time and strife has exerted its toll, and the plantation castles, built like the sentinels of the Erne, have given way to destruction and ruin.

Different images are now in position. At the west of the island of Enniskillen, where the original Maguire medieval fortress was located, a modern Enniskillen Castle Complex has developed. To the east, the Castle has been joined by another sentinel - The Fermanagh Higher Bridges Complex, the INTEC (INteractive TEChnology) Centre. This new campus is rising on the banks of the Erne where it will have the 'freedom of the information superhighway'.

The two sentinels do not depend on bawns or flankers and we wish fair winds for both as they reach out to take the Erne through the 21st century.

ENNISKILLEN CASTLE COMPLEX

Following Coles departure, the castle became very run down and by the 18th century was almost non-existent. The need for defensive structures occurred again during the late 18th century. During the Napoleonic wars, in anticipation of an invasion from the west by the French, refortification followed with the construction of the Castle Barracks. The Castle Keep and surrounding Barracks remained in military hands until it passed into State care in 1950 - some 500 years since this area first provided a fortified site for the Maguires.

Today the castle presents an array of 19th century Barrack buildings surrounding the Keep. To the south, with its distinctive turrets, is the 17th century Watergate. Adjacent to the Watergate is the Barrack Store. To the east is the Fermanagh County Museum, built in 1992.

CASTLE KEEP

The rectangular three storey Keep in the centre of the complex incorporates the former Maguire stronghold. The drawing depicting Captain Dowdall's siege portrays the Keep as a 4-storey square block with a pitched gabled roof with a battlemented parapet. In the 16th century it was exactly the length and breadth as it is today but was higher and had at least four storeys. It consists of vaulted ground level chambers originally devoted to storage and defence. The pronounced batter to the base of the Keep is all that can be linked externally to the Maguire building. The upper storeys date from the Cole era of building. The present windows are 19th century in date.

The Regimental Museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is based here and tells the story of this distinguished Enniskillen Regiment from its foundation in the 17th century to the present day. An important collection of medals, engravings, photographs, uniforms, silver, standards, badges and weapons records the history of the Regiment.

The Victoria Cross

In 1856 Queen Victoria instituted a plain bronze cross. The decoration bears the Monarch's name and was first awarded for gallantry in the Crimean War. In addition to the inscription 'FOR VALOUR', the Victoria Cross also carries the recipient's name and date of the act of gallantry, on the medal's reverse. The bronze metal from which all Victoria Crosses are made is taken from Russian cannon captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War. In turn the Russians had taken the cannon from the Chinese, so that the metal is originally from the Orient. The Cross continues to be made from the original bronze. Initially, each Cross with its ribbon and the engraving of the recipient's name and date, or dates, for which the award was made, cost the War Office the princely sum of £1. The true value arises from the story of the individual who won the Cross. Awarded sparingly, the Victoria Cross without question has long had a reputation as the world's premier gallantry award.

During the Great War, eight Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Two Victoria Crosses are held in the Regimental collection and in February 2001 a third Cross was presented to the Museum in Enniskillen.

Four Irish soldiers each won the Victoria Cross on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. One of the four soldiers was Captain Eric N F Bell, age 20, born in Enniskillen and a member of the 9th Bn, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers who won his award in recognition of courageous action during the Battle of the Somme. The posthumous award, received by his father , also an officer of the Inniskillings, was later taken to New Zealand in 1933 by his sister Dora, where it remained for 67 years. Following her death the medal was returned to Enniskillen, Captain Bell's birthplace, by her stepson, Air Marshall Sir Richard Bolt, former Chief of Defence Staff, New Zealand. The Victoria Cross will be displayed at the Museum along with other memorabilia of Captain Bell's Regiment.

The history of the Castle and the development of Enniskillen town are also displayed in the Keep.

Captain Lawrence E G Oates, the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, one of the British Army's outstanding cavalry regiments, was a member of the fateful expedition to the South Pole in 1912, led by Captain Robert F Scott RN. His gallantry, for the sake of his companions, is commemorated by a tablet in the Enniskillen Town Hall.

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THE WATERGATE

Flying from the Watergate, built by Cole between 1615 and 1620, is the flag of St George, the English national banner until 1606. It may commemorate the original Inniskillen Regiments, which are said to have fought under this flag. In recognition of their service the right was granted to use the symbol of a castle flying a St George flag on their regimental badges and colours.

ARCADED BARRACKS

The Arcaded Barracks, with the gunsheds on the ground floor, provide accommodation for displays relating to archaeological and historic monuments found in County Fermanagh.

THE FERMANAGH COUNTY MUSEUM

On the east side of the complex stands the recently constructed building, the Fermanagh County Museum. The design, by local architect Richard Pierce, is in sympathy with the architecture of the surrounding buildings. The arches on the ground floor echo the façade of the 1796 barracks across the courtyard. The slit windows, rough blocky stonework and roof design reflect the medieval and later elements of the Keep.

Audio-visual programmes enhance Fermanagh's history, wildlife and landscape displays. Special exhibitions are held throughout the year, many of local and Irish interest. Educational programmes are provided for both adult and school groups. The museum participitates in the annual European Heritage Open Days.

The museum provides a focus for the exhibition and collection of paintings, some by local artists. Kathleen Bridle (1897-1989) will be remembered mainly for her watercolours. Although she painted internationally, the Fermanagh lakeland remained her favourite source of inspiration and Enniskillen her adopted home.
'Fruitshop through Curtained Window, Enniskillen' c.1960 will register a special chord for all who are familiar with the island town.

The world-renowned Belleek Parian type china is fashioned by the hands of Fermanagh and Donegal people in a traditional manner, skills often handed down from generation to generation. Recently the museum's Belleek collection has been enriched by the addition of the first period Belleek figure 'The Gypsy Bather.'

Gulbenkian /Heritage Council Awards

The museum and staff have received national recognition and many awards.

Education Officer, Kellie Beacom, received the top Gulbenkian/Heritage Award, on behalf of the Fermanagh County Museum, for Best Education Project in 2000. The award, for a number of projects including a science programme 'Earth Bound', was won in the face of tough national competition, including three national institutions in Dublin. Sile De Valera, the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, presented the award at a ceremony at Dublin Castle.

In 1998 the Museum also won a Gulbenkian/Heritage Council Award, on this occasion for Best Smaller Museum. President Mary McAleese presented the Award to the museum curator, Helen Lanigan Wood and the chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Mr Patrick McCaffrey, at a ceremony in Dublin Castle. The judges felt that the Fermanagh County Museum is an excellent example of what a local museum should be. The museum has also won four other Gulbenkian awards, including one for Best Customer Care Project.

We congratulate the museum curator and her talented staff on these magnificent awards.

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BARRACK STORE to EDUCATION ROOM

Space for expansion is usually at a premium, and a welcome addition in 1998 was the restoration of a former barrack store adjacent to the Watergate. This area is used for a range of activities including educational programmes, lectures, workshops, exhibitions and other special events.

Fermanagh County Museum's Millennium Sculpture 'Reflections on Water'

Philip Flanagan, a contemporary Irish artist and portrait sculptor, added lustre to the former Barrack Store. As 'Artist in Residence' he completed the preparatory work for the commissioned sculpture in glass and bronze, based on the theme of water 'Reflections on Water' for the Museum.

The composition depended on forms abstracted from the landscape around Lough Erne. These forms were developed in a series of watercolour drawings. The colour and movement of the paintings and sculpture are closely related. The sculpture is constructed to represent key elements of the landscape. The wooden base is made from ash, chosen because it comes from one of the ancient trees of Fermanagh. The pattern of the grain complements the movement of the glass and metal fins above. The open box represents water as a container, holding the reflections of the bronze which rise above it.

The sculpture commission was supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Museums Council and the Association of Friends of the Fermanagh County Museum.

PORTRAITS IN BRONZE

This was a further welcome association with the portrait sculptor. In 1996 his 'Portraits in Bronze', to celebrate the lives of Irish men and women who had contributed to the richness and diversity of cultural life in Ireland, was launched in the Museum. Seamus Heaney was the subject of an early 'Bronze' sculptured in 1990. The idea of combining the portrait with the voice of the person represented was an imaginative innovation. The resultant 'Bronze Voices' adds another dimension to the sculpture. Each portrait is accompanied by an audio recording of the voice of the subject and by merging the sound and shape the unique character of each person is captured.

It is not unreasonable now to indulge, for a moment, on 'Reflections on the Arts'. The poet Timothy O'Higgins, writing about life in the 15th century castle, described 'the castle hall crowded with poets and musicians'. We are indeed fortunate in the 21st century to have a 'Maguire kinsman', in the person of Philip Flanagan, exercising his artistic talents within the castle precincts.

FERMANAGH HIGHER BRIDGES PROJECT

A new campus is rising on the banks of the Erne. Since 1988 the University of Ulster has developed a presence in County Fermanagh through its work with the Fermanagh District Council, Fermanagh College and the Fermanagh College of Agriculture. Study area and course access includes Information Technology, Equine Studies, Tourism, Business Studies and Enterprise Development.

THE INTEC CENTRE (Phase 1)

Funding is now in place and work is underway to provide a state of the art facility. The INTEC (INteractive TEChnology) nucleus, established in 1988 in the early 19th century Buttermarket in Enniskillen, has been relocated. The present location is a former 19th century building at the east end of the island of Enniskillen. The local architect Richard Pierce, has completely restructured the building internally and all renovations have been designed to maintain the listed façade. The estimated completion date for the new campus is 2001.

THE FERMANAGH HIGHER BRIDGES BUILDING (Phase 2)

This building, presently under construction on the opposite bank of the river Erne, is scheduled to be completed by August 2001. Located on the site of the Enniskillen Poppy Day bomb, this unit will contain a community, arts and residential facility. It will focus on community, cultural and tourism activities in County Fermanagh.

The two buildings stand on either side of the river Erne on the approach to the east end of Enniskillen and will be linked by a footbridge and riverside walks. Thus the project will bridge two sites that have been physically and culturally divided.

The symbolism of the two sites requires little explanation. By bridging the past and future, they will combine the best of the past, present and future to become a symbol of hope and unity in County Fermanagh in the new millennium and a worthy sentinel for the Erne.

Contact details:
Tel : ++44 (0)28 6634 3940 or ++44 (0)28 6632 2556
Fax: ++44 (0)28 6634 2955
Email: info@inteccentre.org.uk
Website: www.inteccentre.org.uk

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