Locals pull out all the stops for All Saints and Singers heritage celebration with an action packed family day of fun in the village on the May Bank Holiday weekend.
In association with the Ballyhoura Walking Festival, All Saints and Singers is the first event from a new group in the village, LOVE Castleconnell, which stands for Live, Own, Visit, Enjoy.
All Saints and Singers is a day-long celebration of the rich history of the village. Kicking off at 2.30pm in Bradshaw’s Bar, tourists and residents alike are encouraged to come along and learn more about the history of Castleconnell from local historian Paddy Tuohy.
At 4pm walkers are invited to stroll around the area to admire its Georgian architecture, visit the Heritage Centre, view the Castle and discover the beauty of the nature trail along the River Shannon.
7.30pm that evening, celebrations culminate with an “Other Voices” style concert at the historic All Saints Church in Stradbally. The show features music, comedy and poetry. Amongst the local well known artists booked to perform are the talented Shane Bond, the Castleconnell Folk Club and special Ghost Appearances by “General Sir Richard Bourke”, former Governor of NSW, Australia and “Black Jack Fitzgibbon” first Earl of Clare.
“We are so lucky to have rich culture and history on our doorstep in Castleconnell that we felt it needed to be celebrated and shared!” said Tara Hartigan, resident and founder of LOVE Castleconnell.
“I’m fortunate enough to have grown up in the village so I’m aware of much of it’s history, but newer residents and visitors might not know where to begin to find out about Castleconnell. So what started as a chat over a cup of coffee with some neighbors, Jenny Caffrey and Dee Ryan, grew to include the talents of many locals, including a founder of the local Heritage Centre, and has ended up being a one-day-festival supported by Ballyhoura Development”.
All events on the day are free but you are advised to turn up early for the evening event! For further information, please visit the LOVE Castleconnell Facebook page.
