Lovely Laois singer reveals plans for exciting county homecoming festival

Laois people are going to be treated to an incredible new countywide festival this year, with celebrities, musicians, arts and a warm welcome for both diaspora and newcomers to Laois.

The Lovely Laois Homecoming Festival will take place on the weekend of September 5, 6 and 7, the brainchild of Lovely Laois singer Trudi Lalor.

With more events to be confirmed, she already has big names in the bag like Hollywood actor and musician Patrick Bergin and Channel 4 Supervet Professor Noel Fitzpatrick from Ballyfin.

Trudi told the Leinster Express / Laois Live what inspired her idea, and what the public can expect.

“I go on the road singing Lovely Laois around the world and I always meet someone from Laois at the end of the show, and they say how they hadn't been home in years, or they were and didn't meet anyone they knew.

“I am also part of the Class of 1990 steering committee in BloomHQ Mountrath, and we found that two former pupils lived five miles apart from each other in Sydney for 20 years and never knew. It's a pity so I said we have to do something,” she said.

That something has grown into a major event for Laois thanks to the unstoppable Trudi's work and widespread connections in the entertainment industry.

A highlight is a gala dinner in the Midlands Park Hotel with awards to be presented to five Laois people, including special guest Prof Noel Fitzpatrick from the UK.

“The idea was to honour a well known Laois celebrity. I reached out and I couldn't believe it, he came back and said he'd be deeply honoured, and loved the idea of bringing Laois people back together, he was very nice and excited about it,” Trudi said.

Also receiving awards will be songwriter Christy Cullen from Abbeyleix who penned Lovely Laois, Jack McDonald who runs the Laois People Worldwide Facebook group, Ger Thompson of the Laois Association in Dublin and members of the PATH homeless support charity.

The gala night will include performances by the Muskateers, Trudi Lalor, Shawn Cuddy and Damien Bowe, tickets on sale at €59.

Hollywood actor, poet and songwriter Patrick Bergin who lives in Offaly will join the festival on Saturday at an open mic poetry day in Preston House, Abbeyleix. It will include a writing workshop by Mountmellick native author Helen Moorehouse, also a member of the Class of 1990 in Mountrath convent.

“Patrick is a prolific poet and he will share some of his poetry, he's very excited about attending,” Trudi said.

Saturday evening will offer a Céili Mór by the reknowned Kilfenora Céili Band in Castletown community hall, tickets €15.

There will be photography and art exhibitions in multiple venues around Laois, including an art and craft exhibition by the inmates of Portlaoise Prison.

On Saturday afternoon there will be a family day out with an ABBA tribute act in the Old Fort Quarter Portlaoise with free family fun. That canopied venue will also have free live music on Friday and Saturday.

To help Laois natives trace their roots, Laois geneologist and historian Regina Dunne will be hosting a workshop.

On Sunday Morning, Portlaoise PP Monsignor Byrne will host an ecumenical service with performances by the Laois Community Choir and Timahoe Male Choir in St Peter & Paul's church.

Trudi is organising no less than seven age friendly afternoon Tea Dances in halls around the county, with Laois ICA on board to supply refreshments. She has also enlisted Jack Nolan to organise a sporting event.

She will host a special tribute to the late Shane McGowan with the aid of Laois band Pogueology and other Laois musicians on Friday night in the Old Fort Quarter.

She is even organising bus tours of the county's top visitor attractions.

“it's a chance to go and see the places we all take for granted. The festival is for people who have moved to Laois too, who still might not know their neighbours. People who drive through Laois and never stopped are coming to stay here for the first time. The emphasis is on inclusion with as many free events as possible,” she explained.

She is hoping to receive grants from Government bodies to cover costs.

While a website and other social media pages are yet to be launched, a Facebook page for the festival is stirring up excitement with each new event added.

“The response has been phenomenal from Laois associations around the world. People are coming home for the festival, from as far as Australia.

“That's the whole reason for it, to bring us together for one weekend, to meet family, old schoolmates and teammates, and for it to become an annual event. There is just a lovely feeling about it,” Trudi Lalor said.

Lovely Laois Homecoming Festival is on Facebook.