New Brontë group formed in Offaly town

FOLLOWING a recent successful gathering of friends of the Brontës in The Hill House, Banagher, a new society called the Banagher Brontë Group has been established.

The Hill House (now Charlotte’s Way, a well-appointed guest house) was home to Arthur Bell Nicholls, husband of Charlotte Brontë from July 1854 until her untimely death in March 1855. Arthur remained at Haworth with Patrick Brontë, Charlotte’s father until his death in 1861. Sadly Mr Brontë had been predeceased by his wife, Maria Branwell and all of their six children, Maria, Elizabeth, Branwell, Emily, Anne and Charlotte.

Membership for 2024 will be set at €20 and will include admission to talks, walks, exhibitions, films, etc., etc., as well as news updates like this one.

The objective of the group will be to foster a growing awareness of the association of Charlotte Brontë and her husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, with the town of Banagher. This will be achieved by hosting a weekend of literary events annually in late April, near to April 21st, Charlotte's birthday and again near to December 2nd, the anniversary of Arthur's death. The winter gathering will consist of commemorative wreath laying ceremony, with readings, walks, talks, films, music and possibly illuminations.

The group also intend to publish as many of the letters and manuscripts relating to Arthur Bell Nicholls as possible. Consideration will also be given to the creation of a large triptych mural of Charlotte, Arthur and Mary Anna Bell somewhere prominent in Banagher. Mary Anna Bell was Arthur's second wife whom he married a few years after his return from Haworth in 1864 and lived with for forty-two years in Hill House (now Charlotte’s Way) until his death in 1906.

The group also intend further promote a travelling exhibition of entitled The Legacy of the Brontës made up of embroidered works by the Banagher Crafting Group and Maebh O’Regan of NCAD, Dublin. The tapestries depict many of the precious Brontë treasures which Arthur brought back to Banagher in 1861, many of which made their way back to the Parsonage in Haworth after his death in 1906.

The memorials of Arthur and Mary Anna and other members of the Bell Family are in need of greater care. Contact has been made with Nigel West, a descendant of Arthur with regard to the possibility of cleaning and refurbishing them. The same Nigel West is deeply involved in the current project to save the Brontë Birthplace at Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire. Several members of the Banagher Brontë Group have generously subscribed.