All eyes on north Longford as historic four day festival to mark 225th anniversary of Battle of Ballinamuck gets underway

The north Longford village will be the centre of historical attention over four action packed days starting tomorrow (Thursday), climaxing with a full scale re-enactment on Saturday involving in the region of 300 pikemen.

The festival itself, which has been the best part of six months in the making, gets underway with a commemorative mass (7pm) to remember the 500 Irish troops under General Jean Joseph Humbert who are believed to be buried in mass graves on Shanmullagh Hill.

In the immediate aftermath of that, live music which promises to be a regular feature of the weekend, will take centre stage in the village’s 98 Bar ahead of an eagerly awaited fireworks display on Kiltycreevagh and Shanmullagh Hill.

Over the course of the next two days, no fewer than 25 different, but equally captivating events are planned as part of a spectacle that promises to be as insightful as it is entertaining.

The last of those preparations were in rich display last Saturday afternoon when the Leader called out to the idyllic north Longford village last Saturday afternoon.

Upon our arrival, the raucous sound of power washers undertaking a deep clean of the village’s main buildings allied by the sight of bunting being erected across both sections of its main thoroughfare.

“Hello Liam, you are very welcome to Ballinamuck,” came the friendly clamour from Margaret Dillon, one of the event’s 20 strong committee members as she spoke of how last minute arrangements were being put in place.

“We are involved in so many things and there is so much going on. For a small village, it’s unreal all that is going on. You can already see all the tourists that are around. There is a lot around the pikeman and they are doing the walks. There are holiday makers here already and they are hearing about what is going on in the village.”

She was soon accompanied by the festival’s secretary Siobhan Mulligan. In carefully rhyming out the names of each committee member responsible for bringing what is arguably Longford’s most keenly anticipated tourism attraction to its borders for some time, you could almost feel the sense of unbridled anticipation at the festival’s imminent arrival.

“There is a great buzz around the place, everyone is working together,” she said.

“It started in mid April and we have had meetings every week since then getting the plans up and going and it’s all voluntary too.

“It will bring a great sense of pride to us as a community and to showcase what we have here.”

Evidence of that notion of fulfilment is perhaps best illustrated in how organisers have managed to not just pull in, but train 300 pikemen for Saturday afternoon’s centrepiece and full scale re-enactment.

One of those casting a watchful eye over the last minute organising was local man Frank McKenna.

In joking how his own residence was “city centred” located for the four day extravaganza, he like fellow villager Dessie Connell told of how the re-enactment was undoubtedly the highlight he was relishing the most.

“I was here for the last one but I didn’t get to see much of it, so I am really looking forward to this one,” remarked Dessie.

“It’s massive, absolutely massive for the area. There is lots for everyone, young and old are catered for. There is a great committee working on it with everyone working together.”

That overriding impression of common partnership was further endorsed by three other committee members as they took a welcome breather, Gary McNally and festival chairperson Mark Cunningham.

Gary spoke of how he could “vaguely” recall its corresponding equivalent a quarter of a century earlier, adding that aside from organising final parking arrangements and erecting a marquee, the vast majority of heavy lifting ahead of Thursday had already been done.

“We have been putting up bunting for the last couple of weeks and adding a bit of colour to the place,” he said.

“We are expecting a big crowd over the weekend and hopefully the weather is in our favour.”

“We've got some great live music too. Friday night is Bríd Shaughnessy and Johnny Brady and High Stool Prophets and Rhythm and Sticks is Saturday night, Sunday night is Mick Flavin, Cronin and Night Fever.”

Standing alongside him, hands on hips, the man charged with directing this week’s litany of festivities cut an enthusiastic figure as he looked proudly on a village decked out in colour and pristine refinement.

Asked somewhat sarcastically about whether he would be joining the 200 odd volunteers on the battlefield on Saturday, the chartered engineer laughed “I have the pike with me at all times.”

Joking aside, Mark said anticipation in the village and surrounding area could not be any more palpable.

“We are very excited about the week ahead. It has been a relentless six months and we are in the last week of it now.

“It’s all about tightening things up and making sure we are ready for Thursday evening where our commemoration weekend commences with a mass for all those that perished in The Battle of Ballinamuck and indeed in The 1798 Rebellion”.

“Friday we have Shannonside here all day and we have the official opening from 4pm to 7pm with music each night in the Hall and the re-enactment on the Saturday together with a family fun filled day on Sunday.”

Apart from the pageantry an event of its ilk will undeniably bring to the north Longford region, Mark said there was just as much of an onus on the necessity to honour Ballinamuck’s fallen fathers 225 years later.

“It’s very important to remember history, The Battle of Ballinamuck was the last battle of The 1798 Rebellion and it planted the seed for the War of Independence in 1922.

“There is a great community spirit in north Longford and south Leitrim and we see that every year with the various committees that are involved in Ballinamuck.

"We have a St Patrick’s Day parade which proved to be a great success, a fair day where people come from far and near and also events at Halloween and Christmas. As a result we are expecting huge crowds in Ballinamuck next weekend.

When asked how many did he expect to visit Ballinamuck this coming weekend the proud Ballinamuck man said: “Back in 1798 there were 26,000 in Ballinamuck and you never know 225 years later if we get the weather we might welcome something similar.”

Bold words they may be, they are ones you would not bet against becoming a breathtaking reality as Ballinamuck prepares to put on a celebration and commemorative weekend like no other.

*For a full breakdown of the 225th Battle of Ballinamuck’s event guide, log on to www.battleofballinamuck.ie