Picture Credit: Hurson Photography
In the coming weeks a small village in South Roscommon is going to once again come alive with what promises to be one of the highlights of the Roscommon events calendar this summer.
The Brideswell Pattern Festival takes place on the last weekend every July and this year’s festival will take place between Friday July 28th and Sunday July 30th and will mark Brideswell Annual Pattern’s 60th year since its revival in 1957.
Brideswell Pattern Festival celebrates all aspects of county Roscommon’s, heritage, craft, farming and most importantly – family, in a range of events designed to suit everyone’s tastes. The festival committee’s ambition is to grow and attract visitors from around not only the country but from around the world and we are emerging as a regionally recognised festival in the centre of Ireland and an annual cultural celebration for the people of South Roscommon and its visitors.
The Celts divided their year into two main seasons’ summer and winter, both marked by 2 festivals, giving the standard 4 seasons. Summer began with Bealtaine or May Day and reached its point of celebration at Lughnasa, while winter began with Samhain, and changed to spring at a feast called Imbolg. For centuries now people have assembled at Brideswell without any consciousness of an ancient celebration of a Celtic God, but to honour the patron saint of the parish, St. Brigid. The success of the spread of Christianity in Ireland owes a lot probably to the fact that the old pagan festivals such as Lughnasa became Christianised at an early stage and apparently without much opposition as Christian heroes or heroines like St. Brigid’s took the place of their pagan predecessors.
Programme of Events
Right through from Friday to Monday we have an action packed schedule of events that once again will leave everyone with fond memories of their visit to the heartland of South Roscommon.
On Friday, 28th July, we kick off with a Stetson’s and Stilettos Night in the festival marquee with MC comedian, Frank Ford. There will be a Country BBQ, Line Dancing with the opportunity for everyone to get involved followed by live band ‘The Buckley’s’. This promises to be great night of entertainment for all the family.
Bright and early the following day, Saturday 29th, boasts a number of festival highlights including The Inaugural Brideswell Pattern Cycle with three routes offering something for cyclists of all abilities; A challenging 120km route, 50km route, 10km family cycle, including a food stop and after cycle refreshments. There will be a walk in association with the local defibrillator group from the Festival marquee and at 3pm we will have a GAA blitz for the local teams followed by refreshments in the marquee. This will be followed by dancing with Declan Nerney and his band supported by Seamus Moore (‘The JCB Man’) with special guest Shane Moore in the Festival Marquee till late.
Sunday 30th July will also play host to an action-packed schedule of events starting with the Annual Pattern Mass at 12 noon in the village followed by a cake sale in aid of Brideswell National School and Wheel of Fortune. There will also be a kids tractor run, children’s workshops, entertainment and amusements, and the annual traditional stations. And don’t forget at 4pm we the inaugural Brideswell Pattern Festival Soapbox Run, an event certainly not to be missed!
The Gerry O’Malley Memorial Raffle will take place on Pattern Sunday evening and Brideswell Pattern Festival Committee are proud to host Derek Ryan and his band. The Cowboy Roadshow will act as a support act so come early to enjoy a night that will certainly be one to remember!
Outside of the festivities one can relax in the two pubs (O’Connell’s and Hamrock’s) we have music running throughout the weekend.
For more information contact us on www.brideswellpatternfestival.com, call Tomas on 086 0876933 email [email protected] or find the Festival on Facebook.