Lots for everyone promised at Dunshaughlin's Harvest Festival
A Harvest Queen competition, concerts, heritage exhibitions, a tractor run, drama, pageantry and music will be among among the many events which will take place during the Dunshaughlin Harvest Festival, which runs from 17th to 25th September. The local community is holding the festival to coincide with the Solheim Cup at nearby Killeen Castle and recently launched a very entertaining YouTube clip, featuring local characters advertising the festival. It can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=atAUomJjS3w There will be a special Festival Mass at St Seachnall's Church at 7pm on Saturday 17th September and the festival will be launched on the main stage in the village on Sunday 19th when comedian Alan Shortt crowns the Harvest Queen. There will be a Van Diessel Exhibition at the Pastoral Centre on the Monday and, on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Odd Ball Productions will present a one-act comedy in the Arch Bar at 8.30pm, while Dunshaughlin Players will perform a one-act play upstairs in Peter's Bar at 9.30pm. Thursday will see the official opening of heritage exhibitions in the courthouse and pastoral centre. Don Baker will perform on the main stage from 8.30pm to 10pm and there will be a culture night pageant in the community centre with Irish dancing, singing and music. Local pubs will feature music and entertainment as well as a pub poetry competition. On Friday 23rd September, there will be a food market in the SuperValu car park from 9.30am to 6pm, with demonstrations, music and dance. Other events will include a working craft village with demonstrations and workshops from 12 noon to 6pm and a heritage trail guided tour at 3pm. Community theatre will come to Dunshaughlin with petty court sessions in the courthouse from 4 to 5pm and a historical talk in the same venue at 7pm. A genealogy service will be available at the courthouse between 4pm and 6pm. Music on the main stage will feature Brush Shiels, followed by Shaken Edge from 7pm, and there will be a teen disco by Funshaughlin Promotions in the community centre from 8pm to midnight. For those of a brave disposition, there will also be a Dunshaughlin ghost tour, departing the courthouse after dark. On the Saturday, the food market and working craft village will continue in the same locations and there will be a mobile petting farm outside the courthouse from 2pm to 6pm. A soap box derby will be staged from 2pm to 6pm and another Dunshaughlin ghost tour after dark. Eamon Toal will perform on the main stage from 3pm to 4pm and this will be followed by a Battle of the Bands. Flash Fleadh will be on main stage from 6pm and Electric Lemon and Niamh Collins will perform from 7.30pm to 10pm. The town's Maeldúin estate will play host to a vintage car display from 3.30pm to 6pm and the petty court sessions and historical talk will take place in the courthouse. There will be traditional music throughout the village from 3pm to 6pm. A Céilí Mór in the community centre at 8.30pm and pub music and entertainment from 10pm until late will round out the day's activities. On Sunday 25th September, the food market, working craft village, mobile farm and petty court sessions will continue. An inflatable play zone and arts and crafts workshops will keep the children entertained in the park and there will be a tractor run from 12 noon to 2pm. Mary Duff, supported by Ray Murtagh, will perform on main stage from 3pm. The local fire station will hold an open day and there will be heritage trail guided tours from 2pm to 3pm and village games in the park from 2pm to 5pm. The festival entertainment culminates with a concert featuring Liam Lawton, Ceoltoirí Carolan and The Keynotes at SS Patrick and Seachnall's Church from 7pm.