Co. Tipperary town hosts Irish language cultural festival this weekend 

Conradh na Gaeilge is organising an Irish language cultural festival in Carrick-on-Suir this weekend.  

Carrick-on-Suir's An tAthair Micheál Ó hIcí branch of Conradh na Gaeilge is hosting the Fr Michael O'Hickey Memorial Weekend in honour of the Irish language campaigner the branch is called after. 

Fr O'Hickey was a Professor of Irish at St Patrick's College Maynooth and a prominent Irish language activist with Conradh na Gaeilge during the Gaelic revival of the late 19th and 20th centuries. He was born in Carrickbeg in Carrick-on-Suir and is buried in the Friary Cemetery in Carrickbeg. 

The Nano Nagle Community Resource Centre is the venue for the festival's lectures, talks, social music and dancing events on Saturday. First up will be Tomás Ó Nialláin's talk titled "Cill Chais Dan, Dúchas, Daoine" (Kilcash Poetry, Culture and People) at 12 noon. 

It will be followed up by a lecture "An tAthair Micheál Ó hIcí" given by his grand-niece Máire de Róiste at 2.30pm and Séamus Ó Máille's talk on Éin na hÉireann (Birds of Ireland) at 4.30pm. 

The day will end with a concert of Irish songs, music and dancing in the Nagle Centre. Renowned Irish harpist Siobhán Armstrong will perform as will a number of local musicians and singers. 

The focus will turn to Carrickbeg on Sunday with a Mass celebrated in St Molleran's Church at 11am followed by a walk first to Fr O'Hickey's grave at the Friary Cemetery and then to his statue in Carrickbeg. The cultural weekend will conclude with a trip to Kilcash. 

Treasa Mhic Sheoigh of  An tAthair Ó hIcí branch of Conradh na Gaeilge said they are expecting Conradh na Gaeilge members from other areas to visit Carrick-on-Suir for the Fr O'Hickey Memorial Weekend. 

She said the Conradh na Gaeilge branch welcomes new members. Branch members meet to converse as Gaeilge at Marty's Pantry, Sean Kelly Square on Wednesdays from 11am to 12noon and at The Old Mill Pub, New Street on Wednesdays from 9pm. 

For further details on the Fr O'Hickey Memorial Weekend and Carrick's branch of Conradh na Gaeilge contact Treasa at (087) 9731659 or Celine at (085) 8011570.