Charlotte Bronte’s birthday to be remembered in Offaly town

CHARLOTTE Bronte’s 209th birthday will be remembered in Banagher on Saturday April 26^th coming.

Proceedings will start at Charlotte’s Way, The Hill, Banagher at 1.30pm, where they will gather to carpool for a field trip to Shannon Harbour, Shannonbridge, Meelick Weir Walkway, Victoria Lock and Eyrecourt. The purpose of the trip is to visit places outside Banagher which Arthur Bell Nicholls would have been proud to show his new wife, the eminent novelist Charlotte Brontë, when they honeymooned in Banagher in July 1854.

On their return to Banagher about 5pm, they will gather in the new snug in Hough’s pub for readings by, on or about the Brontës of Haworth and the Bells of Banagher. This will be an open mike format so now is your chance to have your spake. The readings will conclude about 6.30pm. Some folks will then repair to Flynn’s restaurant for food. Please make your own booking to guarantee a place at a table at (057) 91 51312.

Proceedings will conclude with a recital by the Banagher Brontë Ensemble in Corrigan’s Corner Pub at 9pm. The ensemble is now an integral part of the group, and they have been awarded a grant of €800 to reward the gifted players for creating an extensive and growing repertoire of appropriate music. The group will perform twice more this year, once in Heritage Week in Tullamore, as part of four days of celebration of the Brontë associations with County Offaly, particularly Banagher, from Friday August 15^th to Monday August 18^th, full details coming out soon.

The final events for 2025 will be held over the weekend of Saturday and November 29^th and 30^th when they will commemorate Arthur Bell Nicholls’s 119^th anniversary.

The Iban for the group is IE30BOFI90167745779855 and the BIC is BOFIIE2DXXX if you wish to join. Membership is just €20 and can be paid to James Scully, Nicola Daly, Donie Hogan or Sean Corrigan. All are most welcome.

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