McGovern Clan Festival Weekend

As part of Heritage Week Bawnboy Heritage staged a McGovern Clan Festival Weekend on 22nd, 23rd and 24th of August 2014. Here follows an account of the event details. The events were reported in the Anglo Celt issues of 20/8/2014 and 27/8/2014. The support of Cavan County Council is gratefully acknowledged.

Friday 22 August

The festival commenced with a talk on the McGovern Clan by Fr. Liam Kelly in Templeport Resource Centre. A refreshment break followed consisting of tea/ coffee, cakes/biscuits and other light refreshments. Entertainment followed performed by Swanlinbar Comhaltas, a ballad group called Éirú and the evening closed with a performance by the Lough Oughter Ceili Band. Bawnboy Heritage provided a free bus to and from the venue from Glangevlin and Swanlinbar. The event was attended by approximately 60 people.
Photographs taken by Jim Ryan may be found below, please click on the thumnbnails for larger versions.

 

Saturday 23rd August

The first of the Heritage Tours, covering the lower end of the McGovern territory, left Ballymagovern at 2.00 P.M. Prominent McGovern locations in; Ballymagovern, Lisanover, Corneen, the Bawn in Bawnboy and Corlough were visited and the guides gave detailed accounts to the events that occurred and lifestyles of the people in a historical context. The tour returned to Ballymagovern at 6.00 P.M. where tea and sandwiches were provided. This tour was free of charge and was attended by eight people.

 

Sunday 24th August

The second Heritage Tour, Covering the upper end of the McGovern territory, left Bawnboy at 1.30 P.M. The format was the same as the previous day, visiting; Lunney’s Ford, Killyaghduff Cemetery, Swanlinbar, Tullydermot, Blackrocks, Glangevlin (where we were joined by local historians Peter McGovern and Tomás Mag Samharán), the Burren (supported by Geopark Guide Seamus Nolan) Blacklion, Redlion, Lough McNean, Tober and returning to Glangevlin where Refreshments were served and local entertainment provided. The tour ended in Bawnboy at 8.00 P.M. This tour was also free of charge and was attended by thirteen people.