European stories come to life in Longford's Dead of Night parade

FROM Halloween spectacle to the extraordinary life of an Edgeworthstown-born priest, Longford is set to explore its European connections through a series of cultural events taking place across the county

As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union until December 2026, Cultúr 2026: Sharing Ireland’s Culture, the official cultural programme of Ireland’s Presidency, is bringing Ireland’s artists, creativity and heritage to stages and communities across Europe and at home.

Here in Longford, local history, storytelling and creativity will meet European cultural connections throughout the autumn and winter, with a programme spanning spectacle, exhibitions, heritage and international exchange.

One of the highlights will come on Saturday, October 31, when European stories and folklore will inspire Longford’s spectacular Dead of Night Parade. The annual Halloween celebration will take on a distinctly European dimension for Cultúr 2026, drawing on stories, traditions and characters from across the continent and bringing them to life through creativity, performance and spectacle on the streets of Longford.

Throughout Ireland’s EU Presidency, The Extraordinary Life of Abbé Edgeworth exhibition will also be displayed across Longford Libraries, telling the remarkable story of Henry Essex Edgeworth, who was born in Edgeworthstown in 1745 and was a relative of renowned author Maria Edgeworth.

His family moved to France after converting to Catholicism in 1753, and Edgeworth was ordained a priest in 1769. He later became confessor to King Louis XVI and the King’s sister, Madame Elizabeth, during the French Revolution. Following the King’s execution in 1793, Edgeworth fled France and eventually became chaplain and almoner to the exiled King Louis XVIII. He died in 1807 in present-day Jelgava, Latvia.

The exhibition shines a light on a fascinating but lesser-known Longford story, tracing the connections between Ireland, France and Latvia through the extraordinary life of a man whose journey took him from Edgeworthstown to the heart of one of the defining periods in European history.

Those European connections continue on November 4, when Longford welcomes the Hungarian Ambassador for a special visit celebrating cultural links between Longford and Hungary. As part of the programme, specially commissioned Bog Oak presentations will reflect Longford’s landscape, heritage and craft traditions while creating a distinctive cultural connection between the county and its European visitors.

Also on November 4, Edgeworthstown Library will host a Rubik’s Cube Competition, celebrating one of Hungary’s most famous inventions. Created by Hungarian architect and professor Ernő Rubik, the iconic puzzle provides a playful connection between Longford and Hungary, bringing problem-solving, creativity and European cultural exchange together for the Presidency programme.

The programme continues on December 10 with Granard & East Rouen – Cairdeas et l’Amitié at Granard Library, celebrating friendship and cultural connections between Longford and France. The event will highlight the relationship between Granard and East Rouen, bringing communities together through the shared themes of friendship, culture and European exchange.

Together, Longford’s Cultúr 2026 programme will connect the county’s own stories, landscape and heritage with those of its European neighbours – from the extraordinary journey of Abbé Edgeworth between Ireland, France and Latvia, to Hungarian culture and creativity, French friendship and the European folklore brought to life through the Dead of Night Parade.

Supported by a €5 million investment from Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan and presented by Culture Ireland, Cultúr 2026 is bringing the work of Irish artists to audiences across all 27 EU Member States and beyond, while ensuring communities throughout Ireland can take part in the Presidency at home.

Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:

“Cultúr 2026 – Sharing Ireland’s Culture is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the breadth of Irish culture, not only on stages across Europe, but in communities throughout Ireland.

“It was important to me that Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union should also be celebrated here at home, and that communities in every county have an opportunity to take part. Our culture is rooted in people and place, in our artists, our language, our heritage and our communities. Through Cultúr 2026, we are creating opportunities for people to come together, experience the arts and celebrate the culture we share.”

Working in partnership with Local Authorities across the country, Cultúr 2026 is bringing the Presidency directly into communities, with each Local Authority shaping a programme that reflects the artists, heritage and creative life of its area. The programme also creates opportunities for cultural exchange across Europe, with many counties developing collaborations with their twin European cities, strengthening long-standing relationships and forging new connections through arts and culture.

Spanning theatre, literature, music, visual art, architecture, dance, film and more, these local, national and international collaborations reflect a living Irish culture, rooted in tradition and place, shaped by contemporary creativity, and open to exchange and connection across Europe.

Through events in libraries and communities across the county, Cultúr 2026 will bring the spirit of Ireland’s Presidency home to Longford, creating opportunities for people of all ages to discover the stories, histories and cultural connections that link the county with Europe.

For more information on Cultúr 2026 events see here.