Welcome to the 17th Lough Ree Environmental Summer Festival, featuring 3 days of poetry workshops facilitated by renowned poet Noel Monahan. This year we are delving into our past with an exhibition of photographs celebrating the businesses through the ages. Due to its previous success, we are bringing back Bushcraft camping. There will also be a stained glass workshop, fishing, archery, lots of family fun and local lake and woodland trips. We hope you will take part and enjoy our entertainment and exhibitions.

Noel Monahan

Noel Monahan Noel was born in Granard, Co Longford. He is the author of three collections of poetry, Opposite Walls (1991), Snowfire (1995) and the critically acclaimed Curse of the Birds (2001). He won the PJ O’Connor Award in 2001 for a radio play, Broken Cups. Noel’s work has also appeared in The Irish Times, The Sunday Tribune, Books Ireland, Poetry Australia, Paterson Literary Review, USA and many more outlets. Since the beginning of 1997, he has been consultant editor of W.P. Literature & Arts journal. His plays include Half A Vegetable and Feathers of Time. His poetry has been translated into Italian, Romanian and French and is now part of the Leaving Certificate English curriculum. Noel’s poem The Funeral Game was chosen as the overall winner, out of 2,500 poems, by renowned judges, Michael Longley, Cathal O’Searcaigh and Eavan Boland. In 2002 he received the A.S.T.I. Achievements Award for his contribution to literature in Ireland and abroad.

Festival Programme

THURSDAY, JULY 23rd

9.30am to 5:30pm—EXPLORATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF NATURE ON THE POETIC CREATIVE PROCESS
Full-Day workshop facilitated by Noel Monahan. Most of the poetry activity goes on in Saints Island—an exploration of the influence of nature/ landscape on the poetic creative process. Poets will be collected each morning at the Tourist Office in Longford at 9.30am and driven to Saint’s Island via the Lough Ree Resource Centre where they will be guided and facilitated by poet Noel Monahan. After absorbing the scenery and the environmental influences for the morning, the group will travel to Lanesborough for lunch at approx 1pm and are then free to tour the town and visit the Commons. At approx 3pm the group will return to the Resource Centre for a workshop with Noel Monahan and return by bus to Longford Tourist Office by 5.30pm. We can accommodate approx. 20 people per day which is a total of 60 people.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—DISPLAY OF SCIENCE IN NATURE COMPETITION
In the Resource Centre, sponsored by Abbott.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—BRUSHSTROKES & SHANNONSIDE CAMERA CLUB EXHIBITIONS
In the Resource Centre. Brushstrokes paintings in the Front Room and Shannonside Camera Club in the Corridor.
Cost: FREE

5pm to 8pm—FISHING FOR 8—14-YEAR-OLDS
On Hot Water Stretch, facilitated by Philip Gordon.
Cost: €5

7pm to 10pm—STAINED GLASS WORKSHOP
The 1st of 2 evenings, in the Resource Centre, facilitated by Helen Sexton.
Cost: €20 for 2 evenings

FRIDAY, JULY 24TH

9.30am to 5:30pm—EXPLORATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF NATURE ON THE POETIC CREATIVE PROCESS
As Thursday 23rd July.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—DISPLAY OF SCIENCE IN NATURE COMPETITION
In the Resource Centre, sponsored by Abbott.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—BRUSHSTROKES & SHANNONSIDE CAMERA CLUB EXHIBITIONS
In the Resource Centre. Brushstrokes paintings in the Front Room and Shannonside Camera Club in the Corridor.
Cost: FREE

4pm to 7pm—KIDS’ BUSHCRAFT WORKSHOP (8—12-YEARS)
In Commons Woods.
Cost: €5

7pm to 10pm—STAINED GLASS WORKSHOP
The 2nd of 2 evenings, in the Resource Centre, facilitated by Helen Sexton.
Cost: €20 for 2 evenings

8pm—TIMES PAST EXHIBITION LAUNCH
In the Library, officially opened by Eamon Flaherty.
Cost: FREE

SATURDAY, JULY 25th

9.30am to 5:30pm—EXPLORATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF NATURE ON THE POETIC CREATIVE PROCESS
As Thursday 23rd July.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—DISPLAY OF SCIENCE IN NATURE COMPETITION
In the Resource Centre, sponsored by Abbott.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—BRUSHSTROKES & SHANNONSIDE CAMERA CLUB EXHIBITIONS
In the Resource Centre. Brushstrokes paintings in the Front Room and Shannonside Camera Club in the Corridor.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—TIMES PAST EXHIBITION
In the Library.
Cost: FREE

10am to 11:30am—KIDS’ CRAFT WORKSHOP (4—9-YEARS)
In Resource Centre, facilitated by Nicolette Spelic.
Cost: €5

12noon to 2pm—KIDS’ NATURE WALK (8—12-YEARS)
In Woodland Walk, facilitated by Dick Warner.
Cost: €2

3pm to 5pm—ARCHERY LESSONS (OVER 12s)
At the Duck Pond, facilitated by Longford Archery Club.
Cost: €5

5pm to 8pm—EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF LOUGH REE
Boat trip on Lough Ree, facilitated by Dick Warner.
Cost: €10

7pm to 9am—KIDS’ BUSHCRAFT ALL-NIGHT CAMPING (10—15-YEARS)
In Commons Woods.
Cost: €15

9:30pm—TRADITIONAL MUSIC IN CLARKE’S BAR
By local artists.
Cost: FREE

SUNDAY, JULY 26th

10am to 4pm—BRUSHSTROKES & SHANNONSIDE CAMERA CLUB EXHIBITIONS
In the Resource Centre. Brushstrokes paintings in the Front Room and Shannonside Camera Club in the Corridor.
Cost: FREE

10am to 6pm—TIMES PAST EXHIBITION
In the Library.
Cost: FREE

11:30am—ENVIRONMENTAL MASS
St. Mary’s Church, Lanesborough.
Cost: —

12:30pm to 2pm—BOGLAND WALK
In Lough Bannow Walk, facilitated by Dick Warner.
Cost: €5

2:30pm—SCIENCE IN NATURE COMPETITION JUDGING
In the Resource Centre, sponsored by Abbott.
Cost: FREE

2:30pm to 6pm—FAMILY FUN DAY
On the banks of the Shannon, includes: Bouncing Castles, Kids’ Lake Trip with Lough Ree Sub Aqua, BBQ, Welly Throwing, Horse Shoe Throwing, White Mouse Race, Raft Race, Trap Rides, and Motorbike Display.
Cost: FREE

6:30pm—TEA & BISCUITS
In Resource Centre by Co-Op Committee.
Cost: FREE

All events are dependent on weather conditions and participation levels. The organising committee retains the right to amend any section of the programme.

BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES

Lough Ree Community Resource Centre
Main Street, Lanesborough, Co. Longford.
Tel: 085 800 4216
Email: loughreeresources@gmail.com
Web: www.loughree.ie

KEEP OUR TOWN LITTER FREE