Host of events planned for Brideswell Pattern Festival this weekend
A spirit of community and camaraderie will be in the air in the village of Brideswell this weekend, with the annual Brideswell Pattern Festival taking place.
An established fixture on the South Roscommon calendar, the festival aims to promote a social atmosphere in the parish through heritage, arts and crafts, sport and family.
It will get underway on Friday evening with a magician's performance at 6.30pm followed by a short movie in the festival marquee, and a trad music session in Courtneys at 7.30pm. There will also be 'Trial the Trail' 3.5km introduction to the new bog walk, which will be led by Christine O'Malley, from the marquee, at 7.30pm (dress appropriately for off-road terrain).
On Saturday, a Cam Defibrillator Group 10km fundraising walk will take place from 11.30am. Brideswell Farmers Market will be held from 12 noon on Saturday, while there will be a GAA blitz at Cam from 11.30am, followed by a medal presentation and disco in the marquee.
The annual Sean Gately Memorial Cup soccer game is planned for 7pm on Saturday and there will be entertainment that evening in the marquee, including local storyteller Vincent Pierce (7pm), and 'Learn to Jive with Niall Doorhy' at 8pm (free entry).
On Sunday, the Kiltoom & Cam parish Camino of St Brigid will take place, with registration at Ballybay Hall at 9.30am.
Walkers can then decide if they will walk the 11.7 km route from Ballybay Church (10am start) to St Brigid's Well at Brideswell NS, or the shorter walk from Curraghboy Church to St Brigid’s Well.
Refreshments will be provided in Brideswell on arrival at the end of the Camino route, followed by Mass at 12.30pm at St Brigid's Well.
The Mass will mark the 400th anniversary of the erection of the gateway leading to the local Holy Well, which was erected by the First Earl of Antrim, Randall McDonnell.
The tenth Earl of Antrim, also named Randall Mac Donnell, is due to attend for the 400-year commemoration on Sunday.
A Family Fun Day, including a kids' tractor run, will take place from 1.30pm on Sunday, with the All Ireland football final between Kerry and Donegal also due to be shown on a screen in the marquee that afternoon.
For full details of all events, see Brideswell Pattern Festival on Facebook and Instagram.