'I don't think it could have gone better': Crowds delight as Longford Lights Festival exceeds expectations

“My whole body feels like I was beaten with a pole,” artistic director of Longford Lights Festival Tom Meskell was feeling the effects of the efforts of the last eight week when he spoke to the Leader on Monday, “sore, but very happy.”

Anyone who witnessed the exertions the Ballyhaunis man went through over the last week as he drew together the final strands to complete the tapestry of Longford Lights Festival would understand the physical toll of his efforts.

It was a gargantuan task, 17 individual projects laid out across the expanse of the 18 century barracks. It was Ireland’s first large-scale community based lantern festival.

“I don't think it could have gone better. It was an amazing tribute to everyone involved. There was such a huge team that made it happen. Everyone was on their A game. I think it was great for Longford, because it was a real Longford gig.”

Tom spoke of the 200 people from community groups across the county who participated in making the Longford Lights and facilitated the three day event. These include local schools, Drumlish and Killoe Men Sheds, Longford Irish Countrywoman's Associations, Longford Women’s Link, St Christopher’s and the Ethnic Minority Hub.

Keeping the gates of Connolly Barracks open were the volunteers and invigilators including members of the Peter Keenan branch of Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE).

The festival builds on the success of last year’s The Light Brigade which attracted over 2,000 people to Longford: “This time last year we were taking down the horses that were part of the Light Brigade. That went well, but in hindsight compared to Longford Lights it was in the ha'penny place. Myself and Shane (Crossan- Festival Producer) were very excited by the success of it. Then in the summer a funding opportunity through the Arts Council came up and so we applied for it.”

Longford Lights benefited from the expertise of Victoria McCormack and Johnny O'Reilly from Macnas in Galway and the Liverpool Lantern Company.

“It came together as we planned, but to be honest we did not think it would be so successful,” Tom says of the 12,000 visitors who poured through the gates of the barracks.

Though the illumination phase of the exhibition took place over three days, the public engagement phase was much longer: “I was there in Providers for eight weeks. It was an open workshop and people could see it happening. People called in every day.

They saw the way things developed and some people just popped in and helped out. It was an eight week project that had a flowering of three days.

“There wasn't a hitch. It's a tremendous testament to the community that you can have so many people in one place and have no trouble at all. As an accessible, child friendly arts project this is the template for how well such an event can go,” Tom concluded.

Shane Crossan, producer of the festival, was delighted with the public response to the event: “It was an absolutely amazing art project. I'm so proud to have been a part of it, in the company of brilliant artists and fantastic friends. The whole weekend was an incredible achievement, but also a groundbreaking success for Longford and Ireland.”

Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added: “Longford County Council is proud to get behind this new festival, the largest of its kind in Ireland. It shows great collaboration between the Council, artists and community groups.”
Longford Lights Festival was a free and fully-accessible, public event funded by the Arts Council and Longford Council.