Castlepollard May Festival returns and includes launch of Town Centre First Plan
The Castlepollard May Festival returns this year, on May 2, with a full day of entertainment, plus the launch of the Castlepollard Town Centre First Plan.
Organised by the Castlepollard Town Team, this year’s festival is at The Square and Castle Varagh Hotel, with a programme designed to appeal to all ages.
Headlining is Mick Foster, performing alongside Moyra Fraser. The line-up also features The Cruachan Balladeers, the folk offshoot of Irish folk metal pioneers Cruachan, alongside a mix of traditional, folk, and contemporary acts including Clann Lír CCÉ, CAS, and local hip-hop artist Amplifi.
Also making a return are the Viking re-enactment group led by Tara Byrne and Bart Gozdur. Expect to see Viking battles, pose for photos and learn something about Ireland’s Viking heritage. As part of that, the organisers also welcome Raven Haven Aviaries, who will have a display of birds of prey.
As well as the more serious business of launching the Castlepollard Town Centre First plan (see below) in conjunction with Westmeath County Council, there will also be art exhibitions and workshops; Maypole dancing; a rising stars drama group performance; a community market with local vendors; and a late-night karaoke session in Comiskey’s bar.
The event builds on the success of last year’s inaugural festival, which brought together music, arts and heritage in a celebration of community spirit in Castlepollard.
It’s on Saturday May 2 from 12 noon; for updates, schedules, and announcements, follow Castlepollard Town Team on Facebook.
Town Centre First Plan
The Castlepollard Town Centre First Plan will guide development in areas such as housing, tourism, biodiversity, heritage and commerce and it includes five ‘Priority Projects’: rejuvenate The Square and main access roads and junctions; rejuvenate Killafree Church and Graveyard; rejuvenate Church Lane leading to Killafree; provide preschool children’s care and education services; develop loop walks to promote the biodiversity and heritage around Castlepollard town centre.
Cllr Alfie Devine said: “The north of the county is like a blank canvas, in my opinion. Because there’s a huge amount of areas that are really untouched… people get on the bus in Dublin, and they go straight to the cliffs of Moher, and they don’t go anywhere in between, so this area is a sort of in between, a halfway journey.
“We hope to make the footpaths and roadways around Castlepollard more accessible for everybody to use, including cyclists, people walking, and people who are using wheelchairs or invalidity scooters.”
The proposed developments have the potential to draw attention to Castlepollard as a tourist destination, with a spotlight on what it already has to offer, including Tullynally Castle, Mullaghmeen Forest and Lough Derravaragh, one of the most famous lakes in Irish folklore.
Information about the Town Centre First Plan will be available at a designated marquee at the May bank holiday festival from 11am.