Maria Edgeworth Festival 2022

To begin of our Literary Festival 2022, we met with the more senior members of our community on Friday morning. The local Active age group welcomed us in the Green and we watched a video of our town going back down the years, which you can view here, and some chat about old times.

Furthermore, Angela Tuite, a local artist, gave an Art Workshop in the Green in the afternoon.

Matt Farrell guided a group of visitors on our History & Literary Trail through Edgeworthstown and regaled them with stories about the Edgeworth Family. 

Afterwards, in the early evening Noreen McLoughlin facilitated an interesting biodiversity workshop. This was quite apt given Maria Edgeworth’s love of gardening, her links to the Royal Botanical Gardens and her brother’s interests in botany. As a nice extra we planted an ‘Edgeworthia Chrysantha’ at the Maria Edgeworth Centre.

Edgeworthstown is also the birthplace of noted zoologist George Edward Dobson

Lastly the day ended with an open mic night – Mostrim Laughs Out Loud. Local comedian, Jimmy Jests (Jimmy Connell), provided us with music, song and tall tall tales. It was a fun evening and featured a lot of local participation.

The Saturday morning of our Literary Festival 2022 began in the Library with a story telling session led by Eileen Moynihan for children.

Afterwards, down in the Green our Festival judges June Caldwell, (author of Little Town Moone) and John McAuliffe (author of several books of Poetry) hosted Story and Poetry workshops.

Later on, back at the Library a number of musicians took to the stage and entertained shoppers and other locals in the afternoon sun on the plaza.

Also, noted artist Bernard Canavan, an Edgeworthstown native, dropped by to see us and was taken to see the Co:Worx Digital Hub.

For the final event of the day we headed to the Manor, where our Festival judges and some of the winners (who could make it) read from their works. Local musicians Ríl Óg and singer Sarah Haughey provided musical interludes. Furthermore, one of our biggest supporters Dr Philip Brady who also writes poetry, read from his work.

Sunday was a very sunny day, for which we were very grateful as this was to be our second 18th Century Mostrim Tea Party. The success of our initial effort in 2019 had the town buzzing for more and with very pleasant weather all we needed was some entertainment to round things off.

Mostrim Players performed the drama ‘ The Life and Times of Maria Edgeworth’ written by Pauline Flood and directed by Kate O’Donohoe.

After that, Longford Live and Local organised some entertainment with live music including the Ross Sisters.

Meanwhile, the younger attendees could enjoy an Obstacle Course, Target Practice, Skittles, Cornhole and Face Painting.

All in all a successful grand finale for our Literary Festival 2022.