Rare donation for county Longford museum during highly successful Heritage Week

Heritage Week for the Maria Edgeworth Centre had been a great success to highlight the museum’s efforts and town’s history.

August 16 saw the centre open for free, for visitors to enjoy the impressive collection of artefacts, manuscripts, letters and books.

Guests expressed their admiration for the rich history showcased and the captivating stories behind each item.

On August 19, the Centre premiered a short film compiled and edited by John McGerr.

The film included footage from the 1930s captured by Bernard Noonan, then owner of Edgeworthstown House and estate, as well as later clips filmed by Thomas Walshe in the 1970s and John McGerr himself.

On Thursday, August 21, the Centre was presented with an unexpected and significant gift. Éamon de Búrca of De Búrca Rare Books donated a rare, eight-volume set of the Memoirs of Madame la Comtesse de Genlis, each volume personally signed by Maria Edgeworth.

Heritage Week highlighted Maria Edgeworth and Longford in the literary world.

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