Saints and Scholars festival proposed for Clonmacnois

Clonmacnois may get its own "Saints and Scholars" festival as part of The Gathering 2013 if the idea of one local businessman is taken on. Shannonbridge B&B owner Brian O'Carroll, who is also behind the visitor shop at Clonmacnois, has come up with the festival idea as a way to try and connect with other monastic sites. His vision is a summer school, complete with lectures, guest speakers, field trips and social events. Other monastic sites such as Durrow could also become involved, he said, while the local authority could look at twinning with other monastic towns. "The idea is to connect with Celtic monasteries throughout Europe as part of the festival and regenerate an interest in Clonmacnois' legacy," Mr O'Carroll told the Offaly Independent this week. "There's a network of communities around Europe who owe their existence to those monks. "It's just an idea I had," Mr O'Carroll continued, adding that he's happy for someone else to run with the idea into the future. "It's worth seeing if others are interested," he added. Ideally, Mr O'Carroll said the festival would run into the future and not just as a Gathering event. Anyone interested in finding out more about the idea and adding to it can attend a meeting taking place next Thursday, November 29 at 8pm in the Old Fort in Shannonbridge.