Major preparations underway for first State Commemoration to take place in county Longford

Details of the preparations for Edgeworthstown to host the National Famine Commemoration were outlined to councillors at the April meeting of Longford County Council.

Elected members were given an overview of the event that will be held in The Green in Edgeworthstown at the monthly meeting of the local authority.

This year's National Famine Commemoration takes place in Edgeworthstown in Longford on Sunday, May 19.

The day is a culmination of a week of events across county Longford in the run up to the official function.

The public ceremony will be broadcast on the RTÉ News Now channel. It provides an opportunity for the people of Longford and surrounding counties to honour the memory of those who perished or sought escape to a new life abroad during the an Gorta Mór.

When announcing details of the Edgeworthstown event Culture Minister Catherine Martin says it gives communities a chance to “gather and pay their respects to the people of our nation who faced hardship and suffering”.

Minister Martin noted the many charitable efforts of the Edgeworth family, and their efforts to provide assistance during the famine.

It's the first State Commemoration to take place in County Longford, and will include military honours and a wreath-laying ceremony in remembrance of the dark period of Irish history.

Also read: A first for Longford as Edgeworthstown chosen to host 2024 National Famine Commemoration

At the council meeting Longford County Librarian Martina Needham spoke of the significance of the event: “We are delighted this is happening, but there is a huge amount of work, she told members, “The event starts at 11:15am and the RTE coverage commences at 12:00 noon.”

The keynote speaker on the day will be the Taoiseach Simon Harris. Three different committees are coordinating the event; the National Steering Committee, The Executive Committee of Longford County Council, and a local Edgeworthstown committee with members from local voluntary groups.

The committees are composed of members of The Department of Defence, the Diplomatic Corp, Department of the Taoiseach, The Department of Tourism,Culture, Art, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, members of An Garda Síochána and local authority staff.

The community committee will bring together representatives from the Tidy Town, The EDDA, The Marie Edgeworth Centre, the GAA, local National Schools and Edgeworthstown traders.

Ms Needham said it was important to include as many local representatives as possible to be a part of the day.

The 98 Hall, Ballinamuck, the Latin School in Moyne, the Workhouse in Longford town and the Hub in Abbeyshrule will all host events in the run up to the ceremony.

The ceremony at The Green will accommodate 530 guests, 300 of which are invited guests, with 200 seats for the public. The allocation of the seats has yet to be determined, but will be done online. There will be no charge for the tickets allocated under the public allotment.

The address to the gathered guests will take place in the bandstand on The Green. The ceremony will take around one and a half hours to complete.

There will be two musical performances and poet Noel Monahan has composed a bespoke Irish language poem, which will be read by three pupils from St Mary's NS.

There will be a gathering in Edgeworthstown after the official function is completed. It is anticipated that there will be 78 foreign diplomats in attendance on the day.

Ms Needham said this will be a wonderful opportunity to show the welcoming nature of Longford people: “This county excels at including people and welcoming outsiders. This event is a great chance to show this.”

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Colm Murray, spoke of the honour attached to hosting the event: “It's a huge national event, one watched by a lot of people.

“The people of Edgeworthstown and the wider community will embrace this commemoration as an opportunity to remember the victims of the Famine both locally and across the country, and to recognise the role of those who strove to alleviate the devastating impact of this disaster, such as Maria Edgeworth and her family.”

Cllr Paul Ross noted the work of the County Librarian: “It really is a huge deal and we must acknowledge the unbelievable work Martina had done to get this across the line. It is a credit to all the work going on in the town of Edgeworthstown.”

Cllr Mick Cahill described it as “a marvellous opportunity for Longford” and “a hugely significant day”.

Cllr Paraic Brady made a proposal asking: “I hope that as part of the week we can have the musical manuscripts of Thomas 'Blind' Kiernan put on display in the Library. It is in a private collection in Leitrim, but it would be appropriate to have it on display for the week.”