2006
Where wealth accumulates and men decay
The long running Goldsmith Summer School, this year rebranded as the Goldsmith International Literary Festival take place this weekend. As well as the name change the focus and format of the event has also undergone a radical overhaul. The result is a programme which has brought together some of the most well known, outspoken, informed, interesting and indeed controversial politicians and social commentators in Ireland . This certainly gives the 2006 renewal a more contemporary and “cutting edge” feel.
This year’s theme is “where wealth accumulates and men decay”, an assessment of the 21st century tiger economy. Goldsmith in the 1770s at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution recognised a time of great change, economic development and social upheaval. His great pastoral poem the Deserted Village ” is, in one sense a record of the changes taking place during that time. This year’s theme will explore the changes taking place in Irish society almost 240 years later.
On Friday June 2nd, under the chairmanship of Paul McGrath TD, the official opening will be performed by Fr. Peter McVerry, one of Ireland ‘s foremost champions of those on the margins of Irish society. Then the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen TD, and Labour party Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs will debate this year’s theme. This will be followed by a panel discussion and finally musical entertainment.
Saturdays events commence in the Bog Lane Theatre in Ballymahon, Co. Longford where Kieran Allen of UCD and Constantin Gurdgiev of TCD will continue the debate followed by a lecture entitled, “Goldsmith the Radical” by Athlone Historian Dr. Paddy Murray.
The Festival continues with one of last year’s successful innovations, the Goldsmith Literary Tour. Beginning in Ballymahon at 2.30 the tour will visit many of the famous sites associated with Goldsmith including Pallas, Forgney, the Three Jolly Pigeons, the Busy Mill, the Parsonage and Kilkenny West. Readings from Goldsmiths works and from the work of local writers will take place at every site. The tour will be followed by an evening of musical entertainment in the famous “Three Jolly Pigeons” pub in Tang, near Athlone.
The social aspect is also strengthened with music and entertainment on both Friday and Saturday night. The Three Jolly Pigeons in Tang promises to be the place to be on Saturday evening when following the Goldsmith Literary Tour a session of Ceol and Craic will take place.
The final day of the Summer School, Sunday June 4th, begins at 3.30 pm at Goldsmith’s birthplace in Pallas and in keeping with the theme of promoting the local literary scene this year sees the second year of an important new national poetry prize, “The Goldsmith International Poetry Prize”. This will be sponsored by Noel O’Connor of Longford Bookshop, soon to be Eason’s. Carrying a first prize of €500 it has attracted a wide ranging entry of the highest quality. The judge is award winning Co. Cavan poet Noel Monahan. The existing children’s poetry competition is this year sponsored by Bank of Ireland, and judged by Pauline Devine. The unique setting of Goldsmith’s birthplace at Pallas provides a beautiful location for this event. The world renowned poet John F. Deane will round off the festival by reading from his new work, “The instruments of Art”.
In conjunction with the Summer School an Art Exhibition will be held in the Rustic Inn over the weekend. This will be officially opened at 8.30 on Thursday June 1st and will feature the work of many well known local artists. The official opening will be followed by a recital from the renowned Innyside Singers at 9.00pm.