Historic Slane fete to raise funds for village enhancement

The traditional Ladywell Fete in the grounds of Slane Castle, a colourful fund-raising venture for the local community, will take place this year on 16th August. The traditional 'Ladywell' day has been celebrated on 15th August in Slane for centuries with an annual pilgrimage to the holy well in the grounds of the castle. Legend has it is that the water in the well, which rises in an opening in the woodland, becomes holy on the 15th August. The pilgrimage will take place as usual on the 15th August, but Lord Alex Slane Mountcharles explained the fete will be held the following day as they want to ensure free admission to the holy well on the traditional feast day of 15th August. There will be an admittance charge of €10 for adults to the fete on 16th August because it is a fundraising event. Admission for children is free. Thousands of people make the journey through the woods in the castle grounds each year to drink from the well. "Every year, I drink the water from the well and, when I was christened, my father, much to the surprise of the vicar, produced a plastic bottle with water taken from the well on 15th August and added it to the font," said Lord Alex Mountcharles. "In my grandfather's time, 15th August was quite a celebration and it is wonderful to have the chance to resurrect it. This has been a community effort and the funds raised will make a contribution towards the improvement of the village." He said that the fete would provide fun for all the family and be a get-together for local people, but everyone was welcome to attend. The organising committee is putting together a huge effort to make this year's event even more action packed and enjoyable than last year's great success. Their hope is to build on last year, with a view to having a truly memorable weekend in 2010 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the historic Georgian village of Slane. All the proceeds will go towards enhancing the village and protecting its charming Georgian appeal. The events are community-driven and the fete promises to be a fun-filled day for all the family. Local GAA and soccer matches, bouncy castles, a race car track, kids sports, a magician and a dog show are among the activities. There will be vintage cars on display, a falconry exhibition, a Chinese dragon display and coracles on the Boyne. The fete will also include a country market with a wide selection of food and craft stalls. There will be live entertainment all day on the main stage and among the performers will be the Rathkenny Revels, The Boyne Valley Blues Band, Gordon Leonard, Alan Buckley and Wayne Brennan. Hot air balloons will also be among the attractions and Slane Castle will be open for tours on the day. One of the highlights will be the duck race on the Boyne. The day starts at 2pm and is packed with activities and fun until the event closes at 7pm. Locals are encouraged to walk to the event but parking will be provided on-site. Food and toilets will be available but no alcohol will be served. Alex Mountcharles said that they are better prepared for the weather than they were last year when the event had to be postponed for a few weeks due to heavy rain. There will be more marquees this year to cater for the crowds. The funds raised at last year's fete are currently being used to provide street signs in the village and the proceeds this year will go towards similar heritage projects.