Deric Hartigan of Ireland AM helps kick off Birr Vintage Week

Offaly had a special visitor this week with weatherman, Deric Hartigan of Virgin Media, doing a number of live broadcasts from Birr and Birr Castle Demesne to mark the start of the 54th Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival, one of Ireland's longest running festivals, which will see 80 events taking place in 10 days.

While in town, Deric met many of the people behind Vintage Week, including Emma Nee Haslam Manager of Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, who spoke about the wide range of activities taking part at the festival. Deric also spoke to Ethna Garahy, Vintage car enthusiast and owner of a stunning 1967 duck egg blue vintage Morris Minor. She showed him some stunning Vintage cars that will be part of the vintage car. Robert Parkinson explained the fun to be had at the Crinkill Soap Box Derby taking place as one of the closing events of the festival and poet and writer Rita Kelly, who is a judge of the Victorian Sponge and cucumber sandwich competition at the Great Vintage Picnic held at Birr Castle, also participated.

It was an early start for many from the town, young and old, who turned up in full vintage costume for the broadcast, which gave a hint of the festivities scheduled for the next ten days.

The Birr Vintage and Arts Festival is just one of a number of festivals taking place in Co Offaly during 2022. For more information see www.visitoffaly.ie