The 2016 Táin March Festival gets under in Rathcroghan on Sunday morning with a re-inactment and mock battle followed by the first leg of the March- a 25km walk between Rathcroghan and Scramogue.
The Táin March Festival is a family-friendly celebration, tracing the route of Queen Meabh and her army in their attempt to seize The Brown Bull of Cooley as told in Ireland’s greatest epic – An Táin Bó Cúailnge. Packed full of music, storytelling, performances and much more, this festival is the ideal way to soak in Irish culture and heritage with something for everyone to enjoy along the route this year.
“It is great to see the Táin March grow from strength to strength”, says Paul Gosling, Archaeologist and Senior Lecturer at GMIT Galway. “I’ve been involved for the past 6 years as a storyteller of Ireland’s legends along the way while it was only a Louth event and now last year it took a leap of faith to incorporate the full route of Queen Meabh’s army from Rathcroghan, Roscommon and finishing in Omeath in Louth. What a spectacular family event to teach adults and children along the way about the legends of Ireland”, he added.
The following is the schedule for Sunday and all are welcome
10am: Participants and the Public gather at the Rathcroghan Mound
10:30am: A speech by Queen Maeve (Bernadette), followed by warrior re-enacting a battle
11am: Marchers set off for Tulsk
12pm: Arrive in Tulsk, welcomed by the Raheen Pipe Band. Tea and coffee at Rathcroghan Visitor Centre and possibly another Warrior battle with the re-enactors.
12:45 pm: Set off for Scramogue
5:15 pm: Arrive in Scramoge, with refrehments at Leahy’s Pub.
After stops at Ballinalee, Longford and Ballymanus, the march then descends into Kells on June 1st with the day finishing up in the Commons of Lloyd, where Meabh was said to have camped during her quest. Further stops in Rathkenny, Ardee, Moore Hall and Knockbridge will follow before Meabh and her army arrives in Dundalk on June 4th, where the epic battle between Ferdia and Cú Chulainn commences at the Market Square.
The next day, the marchers will be joined by students from Dulargy National School and a barbecue will take place at the Lumpers Bar in Ballymakellett with the festival concluding on the shores of the beautiful Carlingford Lough in Omeath on June 6th.
Local community groups are highly encouraged to fundraise through sponsored walk cards, which can be provided, and workshops for national schools along the route have also proved to be very successful in the past. The Táin March Festival is honoured to have members of the 27th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army involved once again this year. Headquartered at Aiken Barracks in Dundalk, they have provided the march with both their participation and logistical support since 2014.
For more information call Tom Laramie on 087 217 0131 or visit www.tainmarch.ie