THE village of Inistioge will host a unique event which is set to become a great addition to Kilkenny’s summer calendar.
The Inistioge Summer Festival takes place on May 31 with family fun from 1pm to 6pm and craic agus ceol in all of the villa
ge pubs from 9pm. All proceeds will go towards a new community centre for the village.
Legendary local hurler and Inistioge resident, Eddie Keher will cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony at 2pm.
Festival activities include children’s sports and games, puppet show, ribbon dancing workshop, felt workshop, set and line dancing, Irish dancing, bucking bronco, sumo wrestling, bouncy castle, arts and crafts and many more.
Graignamanagh Brass Band will provide music during the day and evening entertainment will take place from 9pm, provided by Bob Walsh and The Holden Bros, Satellite and guests and Terry Bannon and guests.
“Inistioge is blessed with outstanding natural beauty and receives many visitors throughout the summer months,” said festival committee chair, John Kelly. “To capitalise on this we developed the Inistioge Summer Festival which, as well as raising much needed funds, will offer a fantastic family day both for the local and wider communities.”
Inistioge is one of the last villages in Ireland to have neither changing rooms, nor a community centre. The local community, in the shape of the Inistioge Community Council and the Rower Inistioge GAA club came together in 2006 to begin working on, and raising funds for, the project.
Some grant aid has been received from both the Sports Capital Fund and the Kilkenny Local Authorities however the bulk of the funding has come from the local community. In a bid to boost those funds in these difficult economic times a special committee has been set up to launch what it is hoped may become an annual event.
Entrance to the festival is f10 per adult, f15 for two adults and all children go free. For further information about the Inistioge Summer Festival please email info@inistioge.ie or call Fiona on 086 171 3959.
