The Heart Of Ireland Festival team have enjoyed another productive week as they press ahead with plans for their big event this summer, the highlight of which is the Heart of Gold Competition, which has now been confirmed for the Mullingar Park Hotel on Sunday, 12 July.
“It is hard to predict from week to week what progress we will make,” explained Maria Bourke, the main driving force behind the Hi Festival.
“It is almost a year since we started working on this project now. Over that time we have sown a lot of seeds and received so much help and support.”
The past week has been particularly successful: on Tuesday the committee met with the Active Retirement Ireland team – Maureen Kavanagh CEO, Mai Quaid, President and local Multyfarnham lady Mary Daly, Secretary. By the end of the meeting, they had agreed that Active Retirement Ireland would become a partner organisation to Hi to promote the festival to their significant membership.
“This is fantastic news for Hi. It’s a perfect fit for both organisations. We are very grateful to Mary Daly for championing our cause. We look forward to a mutually beneficial lasting partnership,” enthused Maria.
RTE Midlands Correspondent Ciaran Mullooly has agreed to help the committee maximise the coverage of the festival both before and during the event. “This is great news and we will provide further details in due course,” said Maria.
Update
Local restaurants have been contacted about the Beef to the Heels Extravaganza and the Hi Festival team hope to showcase the early adopters over the next 10 days. “If any restaurant has not received an email – please get in touch. We want this – like all our initiatives – to be completely inclusive,” said Maria.
Emails have now gone to all the local national schools in the Mullingar area for the children’s Bunting Project and the instruction packs will arrive shortly. Each primary school child in the greater Mullingar area is being invited to make a piece of bunting that will be hanging in town during the festival. Any school that has not received an email is asked to contact Maria for details.
NEW HOME
Another great development is that the committee has just agreed with Kevin Byrne of CaToCa Fine Foods that they can work from his cafe in the courtyard at Belvedere House Park and Gardens, Mullingar.
“We have spent many productive days unofficially working here. It is such a lovely setting. Kevin and all his crew have been so helpful and supportive since we first told them of the festival,” said Maria.
For anyone looking for a nice venue you can now visit the lovely CaToCa Cafe / Restaurant without being a member of Belvedere House Gardens & Park. Note: FREE ENTRY is to the Cafe and Gift shop ONLY. If you wish to visit the Belvedere grounds you must pay their visitors fee.
