Follies Trust Competition – The Naas Pyramids

The Follies Trust is a charity involved in preserving interesting and unusual structureswhich are in danger. They are at risk because no one owns them and they no longer have a purpose. However these structures – sometimes called ‘follies’ – are part of Ireland’s history and heritage and are important to us all. They show how craftspeople worked long ago, how skilled they were and how people wished to remember themselves and others.

Naas is unique as nowhere else in Ireland or England are there two large pyramids in such close proximity. But these special structures which were built to mark the burial place of two important local families are in danger. When the Follies Trust saw them first they were covered in ivy with trees growing out of them. The vegetation was removed in 2020 and the pyramids have been restored. This year the doors are being conserved by Bushy Park Ironworks.

Would you like to take part in a competition to mark their conservation?

Below are the rules and categories. Please read them!

Challenge A – Competition for young people aged 6-11:

One of the mausolea was built in 1834 by Walter Hussey Burgh in which to bury his wife Elizabeth Jane Fitzgerald. The inscription on the pyramid reads:

Sacred To the memory of Elizabeth Anne Hussey Burgh otherwise Fitzgerald.

Eminently distinguished by unaffected humility, exemplary piety and Christian

charity, approaching dissolution had no terrors for her thro the merits of Christ alone,

who died in the blessed hope of eternal life. In grateful remembrance of her

disinterested affection this Mausoleum is erected by her afflicted widower, who best

knew her worth and reserved her virtues, as a monument to her departed worth and a

resting place for himself and family in future, Walter Hussey Burgh Esq of Donore in

this County, grandson to the celebrated Patriot Walter Hussey Burgh Lord Chief

Baron of His Majesty’s Court of Exchequer in Ireland and member of the Irish House

of Commons for Trinity College Dublin. She departed this life 7th day February in the

year of our Lord 1834 in the 55th year of her life, leaving one son and seven infant

daughters to mourn.

The other pyramid has no inscription, so no one knows who built it and why. It is almost identical to the one Walter de Burgh built but is lined with bricks inside.

Write a short story of not more than 500 words about the pyramids. Here are a couple of suggestions to get you thinking:

• Who built the second pyramid? Perhaps one of Walter and Elizabeth’s 8 children built it for their father when he died?
• Why did they build it?
• Where did the idea for building pyramid mausolea come from?

Challenge B – Competition for young people aged 6-11:

Draw a picture of one of the pyramids or a detail of one of the pyramids.

Challenge C – Competition for young people aged 12-17:

There are two pyramid mausolea in Maudlins graveyard near Naas. The first of these was built for Elizabeth, the first wife of Walter Hussey Burgh. She died in 1834. The couple had married in 1820 and they produced eight children. Walter then went on to marry Hester McClintock in 1840 and they produced nine more children. When Hester died, Walter married Jane Digby but produced no more children. Walter died in 1862 aged 61.

The second pyramid, however, has no inscription. It is identical to the de Burgh pyramid, aside from having a brick interior rather than a stone one.There were other pyramid type mausolea being built in Ireland in the late 18th and 19th century and these may have had an influence on the Naas examples. Information on these can be found on theNational Inventory of Architectural Heritage website. Go to advanced search and choose “burial ground” as “group”, and “mausoleum” as“type”.

From this information, and using your imagination write a short story or essay of around 800 words based around the second pyramid – Who built it? Who was buried in it? Why is it so similar to the de Burgh pyramid in nearly every way?Is there a connection?Where did the pyramid idea come from?

Challenge D

Draw a picture of one of the pyramids or a detail of one or more of them

Prizes

Prizes for the winners of each of the four challenges is as follows:

Challenges A&B:

• First place wins €50
• Second place wins €30
• Third place wins €20

Challenges C&D:

• First place wins €75
• Second place wins €50
• Third place wins €30

The Follies Trust hopes you enjoy these challenges and feel free to do your own research. Remember the better your story, the better your chance of winning!

COMPETITION RULES

• The judges decision is final.
• You may enter for more than one Challenge if you are eligible.
• Entries must be submitted by noon on 30 September 2021. Closing date for competition is 14 October, not 30 September as originally advertised
• Entries must be submitted on A4 paper and may be delivered to arrive before noon in term time to:

FOLLIES TRUST COMPETITION
Pipers Hill Education Centre
Kilcullen Road
NAAS
Co. Kildare
W91 AE26

• Alternatively they can be posted to the above address.
• Please submit your entry stating your name/ age/ date of birth/ home or school address/ contact phone number and category entry number