‘Castle of the Island’ to feature film excellence
THE Castle of the Island Festival will have, as its main event, the premiere of the documentary The Castle of the Island at a special screening for the general public.
This will be held at the River Island Hotel on Saturday, April 21, at 7:30pm. Admission is free and limited tickets are now available for collection at the hotel.
Earlier on that Saturday, and as part of the festival, a Medieval Village will be set up on the grounds of Castleisland Rugby Club from 1pm to 5pm.
Again, admission is free and families and people of all ages are invited to attend and enjoy the spectacle and atmosphere.
“As founder and chairperson of the Castle of the Island Society it gives me great pleasure to announce that the long-awaited documentary The Castle of the Island is finally ready to be revealed,” said Rob McGuire who has been working on the project for the past few years, contemplating the enormity of the undertaking.
“This documentary will uncover the captivating and engaging story of our local Desmond Castle in Castleisland; which was inhabited by the Fitzgeralds, the Earls of Desmond,” Rob continued. “The event will commence on Friday, April 20 when local secondary school students will attend a free educational screening of the documentary at the River Island Hotel at 1pm.
“This will be followed by the premiere screening for the cast, crew and donors at 7:30pm. This event is currently booked out and it will include an introduction by Minister Brendan Griffin TD.
“The general public will have a chance to view the documentary on Saturday, April 21 at 7:30pm.
“Even though admission is free, the public is advised to collect a ticket at the reception of the River Island Hotel as only a limited number of spaces are available in the venue. Tickets are now available for collection.”
To coincide with the screening of the documentary, a medieval village will be set up by the living-history group Déise Medieval.
This will take place at the local Castleisland Rugby Club from 1pm to 5pm. The village will be occupied by re-en actors, all of whom dress and work in an authentic recreation of medieval life.
“Here visitors can get a glimpse of how the daily lives and crafts were conducted by our ancestors,” Mr McGuire said. “The crafts on show will include: spinning and weaving; daily life; cooking and food display; and a weapons display. People will have a chance, under strict supervision, to handle authentic weapons and chain- mail.
“The climax of the event will be two open battles between the Normans and the Gaelic Irish which will occur at 2pm and 4pm.
“Furthermore there will be food and refreshments available at the event. Admission is free and families and people of all ages are welcome to attend and immerse themselves in the almost forgotten world of our medieval ancestors in Castleisland.
“Overall the Castle of the Island Festival promises to give people a greater understanding, pride and appreciation of their local history.
“I hope that the local community will come together in great numbers and support us in sharing and enjoying this unique and special experience. Thank you and hope to see you there.”
You can find out more about the society on Facebook at The Castle of the Island or on the website: www.castleislandcastle.com