COMMEMORATION EVENT IN SLANE TO RECALL LEDWIDGE
MINISTER HEATHER HUMPHREYS TO BE PART OF NATIONAL EVENT
The Francis Ledwidge centenary programme will step up a gear this month with numerous events scheduled to mark the death of the poet near Ypres in Belgium in 1917.
A State commemoration will be held at the Ledwidge cottage on 24th June next. It will be led by Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys and the Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council. Up to 180 invited guests will attend the ceremony which is scheduled to start at 2.30pm and the organisers say that there will be standing room for up to 200 members of the general public. Local Councillors, TDs, Senator and members of the Ledwidge family living in Slane and the UK are also invited. Car parking will be available in the field adjacent to the museum and those wishing to attend are advised to arrive arly.
On 24th June Hill of Slane tours will take place at 12 noon. The theme is “Ledwidge and the Hill of Slane”.
On Friday 23rd June a poetry dinner will be held at the Conyngham Arms Hotel in Slane at 7.30pm. A special guest will be Marie Heaney, wife of the poet, the late Seamus Heaney and she will read his poem “In Memoriam”. Music will be provided by Dearbhail Finnegan and Robin Slater.
Also on 23rd June Michael Moylan, Irish History Live, will present “Francis Ledwidge’s War” in Slane Library at 10am.
From Thursday 22nd June to 2nd July, artists Liam O Broin, Mary McDonnell and Helen Tully will hold an exhibition inspired by the poetry of Ledwidge. It will open with a reception on 22nd at Slane Parish Hall at 7.30pm.
Sunday 25th June will see the staging of the “Off by Heart” event, a children’s event and prizegiving for the best oration of Ledwidge’s poem. It will be held in the Conyngham Arms Hotel at 3pm.
On the same night the Johnstons Folk Festival - “Ledwidge Music Night” - will take place in the Village Garden at 7pm. The Slane Guitar Trio will perform at the garden at 8.30pm.
On Monday 26th June “World War 1 and Ledwidge”, an afternoon tea dance, will be staged by Slane Active Retirement Group and Slane Youth Cafe to be held at Inside Out Restaurant at 3pm. Sean Tyrrell will sing songs associated with Ledwidge at Boyle’s Pub at 8pm on the same date.
On Tuesday 27th June, Slane Striders will step it out for their “In the Footsteps of Ledwidge” event starting at 7pm. At 8pm on the same eve ing Dr Danny Cusack will deliver a Slane Historical Society Ledwidge lecture in Slane Youth Cafe at 8pm.
On Wednesday 28th June the Teachraithneach Art Group Exhibition, inspired by Francis Ledwidge, will be held at the Art and Print Gallery Slane (running until Sunday 2nd July).
Award winning poet Susan Connolly will launch her poetry nook “The Orchard Keeper” on the same date. In St Patrick’s Church of Ireland, Slane on the same date at 8pm, the premiere of a new song cycle - “The Hills are Crying” - featuring selected poems of Francis Ledwidge will be staged by composer Michael Holohan. Slane GFC will stage a “Ledwidge Match” in Toddy Harding Park at 7pm.
On Thursday 29th June a tree planting ceremony will take place in the orchard of the late Matty McGoona at Donaghmore at 4pm. This event is with the kind permission of Eric and Rose Brady.
“Agriculture in The Ledwidge Era” is the title of a Slane Historical Society lecture in Slane Youth Cafe at 8pm on the same date.
A continuous performance of music for voice, piano and instruments featuring local artists and friends will take place in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland from 1pm to 4pm on Friday 30th June. Slane Wanders will stage a match - “The Francis Ledwidge Challenge” - at Wheat Field, Slane at 7pm. A story telling night - “Francis Ledwidge’s Slane” - will take place in the Village Inn at 9pm.
A apecial Ledwidge Centenary Gala Concert featuring soprano Louise Martyn, accompanist Richard McGrath, and special guest Alan Smale, violin and former leader of RTE NSO will take place on 1st July at 8pm in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland, Slane.
Details of all events can be obtained from the Francis Ledwidge Museum (tel 041 98 24544) or The Hub (tel 041 98 24000).