Tuamgraney Community Weekend will take place in the East Clare village on this coming June Bank Holiday weekend with a range of music and family fun events.
Plenty of music in the Marquee at Nuala’s Bar and Restaurant in the village with The Prophets on Saturday night and local crowd pleasers Naked Bare taking the stage on Sunday night. The ever popular Community Weekend BBQ organised by Tuamgraney Development Association takes place on Sunday afternoon in the Memorial Park and a Fun Run and Walk will depart from Bodyke GAA on Sunday morning.
This year the festival has an expanded schedule on Thursday and Friday with a number of Free events, funded by Creative Ireland and supported by Clare County Council taking place. With a focus on a celebration of Literature, Place and Legacy these events will celebrate Tuamgraney’s most famous daughter – the Late Enda O’Brien – who herself was Honorary President of the Community Weekend since its founding in 2013.
Edna’s son Carlo Gebler, himself a renowned author and director, will attend on Thursday 28th May and will present the winners of the 5th Edna O’Brien Literary awards at Scariff Community College. On Thursday afternoon he will also host “A discussion of narrative and how stories work” in the intimate setting of St Cronan’s 10th century Church. Later that evening at 9.15pm Carlo will Officially open the weekend and take part in an “In Conversation” at Nuala’s Marquee. Here he will discuss his own career as well as talk about his late mother. Both of these events are Free but must be pre booked on eventbrite with limited numbers available for both. The annual Festival concert also takes place on Thursday evening in St Joseph’s Church at 7.30pm with the East Clare Community Choir, the Ducks Ukulele Collective and special guests.
Other events taking place over the weekend include a professional guided walking tour of Tuamgraney village on both Friday and Saturday. On Friday evening Dr Maureen O’Connor of UCC will give a Literary Heritage talk about Edna’s critical reputation and reception from her early career to the last years of her writing life. This will be followed by a special screening of ‘Blue Road – The Edna O‘Brien Story’ which will take place in Ireland’s oldest cinema – St Cronan’s 10th century Church.
On Saturday afternoon a bus will depart from the gates of Drewsborough House (Edna’s family home) to the Inis Cealtra interpretative centre in Mountshannon, then on to Knockaphort to travel by boat for a guided tour of Holy Island and a visit to Edna O’Brien’s final resting place. Saturday’s activities are also funded by Creative Ireland and are Free to attend but again pre booking is required as spaces are limited.
A full list of events and links to book tickets are available her.
