Longford to have Goldsmith shining for the weekend

Between May 30 and June 1, the Oliver Goldsmith Festival will be full of entertainment for various people, who may want fun or want to explore their interests in literature. Still going on into its 41st year, the festival proves to be a popular recurrence on the Irish calendar. 

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The chairperson of six years, Arthur Conlon, described the significance of the annual event. He said:

“It’s a unique social, cultural and literary event. It’s not just a literary event, but it combines music, drama, song, poetry and general good fun. So I became involved because of all those things. Undoubtedly, Oliver Goldsmith is the most significant writer to have emerged from Irish midlands and it’s essential that his life and works continue to be promoted. And his works are studied and critiqued across the world, so it’s promoted to continue to promote him in his local area.” 

Born in Co Longford in 1728, Goldsmith has written an array of works, such as The Elegy on the Death of the Mad Dog, and The Vicar of Wakefield. 

The Festival will take place in numerous locations: The Rustic Inn, Abbyshrule; Ballymahon Library; Skelly's Courtyard, Ballymahon; Pallas (Goldsmith’s birthplace); and The Three Jolly Pigeons. 

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The adjudicator for the Goldsmith Festival Poetry Competition is Noel Monahan. On Friday, there will be an address by Professor Frances Ruane. Saturday will have a Goldsmith Literary Tour. The Sunday awards for the poetry competition has free admission at Pallas at 3:30pm. 

However, the festival offers a Goldsmith Cabaret, as well as a string quartet, so it is filled with various types of entertainment for everyone to get involved and find an interest. 

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In terms of reemphasising Goldsmith’s importance as well as the purpose of the festival, Arthur adds: 

“We have two main aims: to promote Goldsmith country as a tourist attraction and to promote interest in the life and works of Oliver Goldsmith.”

Further information can be found on: https://olivergoldsmithfestival.com/