More than 800 creative postcards by young artists from across Ireland and the UK celebrate friendship, literature and the enduring influence of Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth.
Edgeworthstown welcomed a very special literary exhibition this spring as the Friendship Postcards Exhibition arrived at Edgeworthstown Library, bringing together the creativity of more than 800 young people from across Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Running from 20 April to 16 May 2026, the exhibition formed part of a major UK–Ireland creative collaboration celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. It brought a fresh and imaginative perspective to the theme of friendship, drawing inspiration from two remarkable literary figures: Jane Austen and her Irish contemporary, Maria Edgeworth.
The exhibition featured more than 800 postcards created by young people aged 13–18 from 35 schools across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
Using excerpts from Jane Austen’s novels, the writing of Maria Edgeworth and illustrations from the National Library of Ireland’s Prints & Drawings Collection as inspiration, the students explored the theme of friendship through a variety of artistic approaches.
The postcards showcased an impressive range of creativity, including writing, printmaking, drawing and painting. Each piece offered a personal interpretation of friendship, demonstrating how the ideas and themes found in classic literature continue to resonate with younger generations.
Following its launch in Dublin, the exhibition travelled to Jane Austen’s House in England before making its way to Edgeworthstown, County Longford – the home place of Maria Edgeworth.
Its arrival here was particularly meaningful. Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth were contemporaries whose literary achievements helped shape the development of the nineteenth-century novel. Both writers explored questions of character, relationships, society and human behaviour, leaving a lasting influence on literature.
Bringing the exhibition to Edgeworthstown therefore created a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this literary connection and introduce a new generation to Maria Edgeworth’s work.
As Kim Taylor, Head Librarian at Edgeworthstown Library, remarked:
“We are delighted to welcome this wonderful exhibition to Edgeworthstown. It is particularly fitting that a project celebrating the friendship and literary influence of Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth should come to Edgeworth’s home place. The creativity and insight shown by these young artists demonstrates how these writers continue to inspire new generations.”
The Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre was delighted to see this inspiring exhibition come to Edgeworthstown and extends its sincere thanks to Longford Library Services for hosting the collection and making it accessible to the local community and visitors.
Janine Roder of the Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre also expressed her appreciation to the teams at British Council Ireland and the National Library of Ireland for developing such an imaginative project.
“By bringing together young voices from across these islands, the exhibition highlights the enduring connection between Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth and reminds us how important and relevant Edgeworth’s work remains today.”
Special thanks were also extended to everyone who helped coordinate the exhibition’s visit, particularly Fergal Kennedy of St Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, for his support in bringing the project to Edgeworthstown.
The exhibition was a fitting addition to Edgeworthstown’s cultural calendar, taking place in the lead-up to the town’s annual Maria Edgeworth Festival, which celebrates the life, work and legacy of one of Ireland’s most influential nineteenth-century writers.
By combining literary heritage with the imagination and creativity of young people, the Friendship Postcards Exhibition offered a reminder that great literature is never confined to the past. Its themes continue to inspire conversations, creativity and connections across generations.
The Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre was delighted to welcome this project to Maria Edgeworth’s home place and to celebrate the lasting literary relationship between two extraordinary women writers.
