Shine a light festival – Hook Lighthouse
– Saturday, Sunday and Monday 12pm – 4pm
The Shine A Light festival takes place in conjunction with the Great Lighthouses of Ireland, ‘Shine a Light’ events over the May bank holiday weekend whereby 12 lighthouses around Ireland including Hook Lighthouse will shine a light and celebrate and share the rich tradition and work that they did of carrying out daily.
An action-packed weekend is on offer with free fun and games for all the family and entertainment from the Hook band of pirates. Younger visitors will have the chance to join in pirate fun and games with Pirate Pat and the Hook Pirates who will host all sorts of Pirate fun and games. The festival will get under way from noon on Saturday with Montague Heritage showcasing the life and times of Medieval Ireland featuring the Norman Knight William Marshal who was responsible for the building of the Hook Lighthouse. Visitors can join in the medieval games and combat school on offer at their medieval style tent on the lighthouse lawns, plus The Dunbrody Archers will be on hand on Sunday and Monday to offer archery ‘try-outs’. To remember all of those lost at sea, on Sunday afternoon members of the public are invited to the cobbled yard under the lighthouse to take a moment to reflect and remember all those lost at Sea, on Monday at 3 p.m. a Piper’s Lament will be performed by a member of the New Ross Pipe Band. On Sunday evening a unique sunset and food tour experience will be on offer exclusively to ticket holders at the lighthouse at 7.45 p.m. Visitors can enjoy a unique opportunity to take a bespoke tour of the lighthouse, and savour the delights of seafood and local food buffet along with Irish Mead and Prosecco in the Lighthouse Watchroom whilst enjoying the majesty of the sun setting over the Celtic Sea. A limited number of tickets to this adult-only experience are available from www.hookheritage.ie
Normans 1169 Invasion – Carrig on Bannow
– Saturday & Sunday
On Saturday and Sunday, the medieval village will accommodate living history tents, living craft displays, a display of Norman cavalry welfare and fully trained warriors for a showcase of battle re-enactments twice per day on Saturday and Sunday inclusive. The village of Carrig on Bannow will be overrun with Normans as the battles of yore are recreated and reenacted by fully trained warriors. A Medieval Living History Tented Village with 14 living history tents, 15 living heritage craft displays, and a display of Norman cavalry warfare will be erected and historical lectures with Turtle Bunbury and Emmet Stafford will also take place. In addition, a commemorative ceremony and concerts featuring local and French musicians will mark this most important and consequential event in Irish history.
Bealtaine Festival – Loftus Hall
– Sunday 2pm – 6pm and Monday 1pm – 6pm
A Free Family Festival this Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday
Festival goers are invited to dress up as Lugh the Sun God of Ireland and Aine the Goddess of the land for the festival of Bealtaine! with Celtic music and dance, bringing the past back to life with storytelling, take part in the May queen pageant, watch blacksmith demonstrations, craft workshops are just some of the many events on this two day festival.
Tullogher – Rosbercon Vintage and Classic Car Club
Rosbercon Parish Centre – Sunday 1pm
This year’s special guest is Kilkenny hurling star Walter Walsh who will do the official opening to the event which has raised more than €60,000 for charities over the past decade.
Now in its 11th year the event is always a fantastic family day. This year’s theme is David Brown tractors and the organisers, Tullogher-Rosbercon Vintage and Classic Car Club are putting a challenge out there to see how many tractors can fit in a field. There will be a special appearance from Paw Patrol and lots of fun for the children including a bouncy castle and children’s fancy dress. Among the events and games to look forward to are: horse shoe throwing, Hanging Tough (as seen on Ireland’s Fittest Family), rugby skills, hurling skills, a fun fair, a bottle stall, butter making, a working stationary engine, children’s fancy dress, an under 8 hurling tournament, toss the sheaf, pony rides, quad bike rides, a home baked cake stall, a line dancing display, bucking bronco’s bull, children’s races and more.