07. An Séipéal

An Séipéal

Tá an leabharlann ar Shráid na hEaglaise suite sa seanséipéal Protastúnach a tógadh i rith na 1820idí. Ar an láthair chéanna a bhíodh séipéal an bhaile mhóir i ré na meánaoiseanna roimhe sin. Bhíodh an-tábhacht mar fhoirgneamh leis an séipéal agus meastar go bhfuil roinnt de na leaca atá le huaigheanna sa reilig ann ó aimsir na Meánaoiseanna anall. Tá seans maith gur le taobh an tséipéil a bhíodh an margadh ar siúl an tráth sin ós mar sin a bhíodh leagtha amach go hiondúil i mbailte na Normannach. Ba é an margadh croí an bhaile mhóir, áit ghlórach ina mbíodh fir cheirde agus tráchtála i mbun a gcuid oibre agus a gcuid trádála. Bhíodh oibrithe de dhíth i mbailte de leithéid Bhaile Locha Riach ag déanamh na nithe a bhíodh de dhíth ar dhaoine, bia, éadach, uirlisí, airm agus mar sin de. Ar an margadh a d’fheictí na daoine sin uilig ag obair agus ag díol a gcuid earraí. Bhíodh feirmeoirí agus lucht tráchtála ón taobh amuigh den bhaile mór i láthair freisin ag díol agus ag ceannach earraí agus ainmhithe.

The Church

The library in Church Street is situated in the former Protestant Church, which was built in the 1820’s. This was also the site of the original medieval town church. The church was a very important building and it is believed that some of the headstones in the graveyard date from the Middle Ages. There is also a good chance that the medieval market was situated beside the church as this was what normally happened in Norman towns. The market was the heart of the town, a busy noisy place where trades people and merchants worked and traded. Towns like Loughrea needed workers who could make all the things people needed, like food, clothes, tools, weapons and so on. The marketplace was where you would see these people working and selling their goods. Local farmers and merchants from outside the town would also could here to buy and sell goods and animals.