Loughrea was packed to capacity last weekend with close on 15,000 people from home and abroad attending the various events held in the town as part of its Medieval Festival.
Everything from a Medieval Banquet to puppeteers and from lectures and tours to children’s workshops ensured that the weekend had something for everyone.
The weekend commenced with a Medieval Banquet in the Loughrea Hotel and Spa, where over 250 people attended this night of fun and merriment – and several dressed up in medieval costumes.
The Temperance Hall was the centre of medieval creativity for over 450 children where they part-took in medieval games and archaeologist Anne Carey introduced a number of them to the skills of medieval calligraphy and investigated the amazing gold works of the period. Over 400 people attended the jousting picnic at the ‘Walks’ where medieval Knights battled it out on horse-back.
The Hall was also the venue for an outstanding puppet shows and paper bag puppet making by Carmel Balfe.
Loughrea Library hosted two packed to capacity heritage lectures one was a fascinating lecture by Clodagh Doyle from the National Museum about early hair hurling balls, while Dr. Jim McKeon gave a very insightful talk on the archaeology of medieval Loughrea.
This was followed by genealogical workshops from Western Family History Association, East Galway Genealogical Centre and Ireland Reaching Out.
Several restaurants, pubs, bakeries and businesses offered medieval fine dining and sustinance over the weekend and a number of shops decorated their windows with various medieval themes.
Over 100 people took the opportunity to visit Clonfert Diocesan museum and view their wonderful medieval collection that includes the Kilcorban Madonna that dates from c1180AD and the ‘Matheus Macraith’ chalice that is over 500 years old.
New additions to the weekend this year included the medieval tavern trail, the tug-o-war and the medieval busking competition that drew large crowds.
In excess of 240 people attended a wonderful Latin mass in the ruins of the Carmelite Abbey. It was a very moving and atmospheric event with mass commencing at dusk. There, mellifluous singing of the choir added to the ambience of the mass. Many of those in attendance had never been in the ruined abbey previously.
People had the opportunity to travel back in time to medieval Loughrea where they could see a 3D model of the town with its moat, earthen banks, the priory, castle and see the inhabitants who lived in the town.
This project is being developed by Realsim and is being funded by Loughrea Medieval Festival Committee, Galway County Council and the Heritage Council.
Sunday saw a group of over 100 people start the day off with heritage walks around the town with Colman Shaughnessy and Joe Loughnane.
This was followed by a Grand Clan Parade and then by a Walled Towns Family Fun Day.
Displays and events included a medieval weapons talk and demonstration, butter making, spinning, basket making, leather works, archers, potters, blacksmiths, woodturning, traditional crafts workshops, archaeological dig, bee keeping, circus skills workshops, traditional games, the medieval photo booth, medieval Olympics, boat trips on the lake and a falconry display.
It also saw the launch a special commemorative Loughrea Medieval Coin by Cllr. Peter Roche, Cathaoirleach, Galway County Council. This was followed by the launch of Dr. Fiona Beglane’s magnificent book on ‘Anglo-Norman Parks in Ireland’.
“The partnership between local businesses, local communities, Galway County Council, The Irish Walled Towns Network and the Heritage Council in developing the Medieval Festival is very welcome and much needed to promote and sustain our community, our heritage and be a driver for tourism for the town and hinterland,” said Loughrea Medieval Festival Committee Chairperson Cllr. Michael Maher.
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