Plans under way for 2019 West Cork History Festival

WHO is Percy Ludgate which Skibbereen’s Ludgate hub is named after? 

This is one question which this summer’s West Cork History Festival hopes to answer, with plans also include youth workshops to help find trace ancestors.  

The festival, which has become a major attraction for many people both locally and beyond, will take place this year from Thursday, August 8th to Sunday, August 11th and promises to, once again, be packed with excellent speakers and events as well as a fair share of surprise, enlightenment and perhaps controversy.’

‘Were working hard to put the finishing touches to the programme,’ organiser Simon Kingston told The Southern Star. 

‘This year, for obvious reasons, we will be looking at the events of 1919 in West Cork and also looking beyond Ireland to the connections between our area, the UK and continental Europe.’

The History Festival, which first took place back in 2017, will be held once again at Rosebank House, which is just next to Liss Ard estate but will also feature field trips to sites across West Cork where tours and talks will also take place.

‘We will be looking at the Battle of Kinsale and the fortifications of our ports which was a reaction to the events in Europe during the Napoleonic Wars as well as Irish involvement in the French military and the United Irishmen.’

This year Simon and his wife Victoria are keen to have much more local events and subjects explored during the festival.

‘We will be working closely with the Ludgate to discover just who Percy Ludgate was,’ Victoria said. 

‘We are going to launch an appeal for information from anyone in the area that can tell us more and add to his story. And we are going to have workshops for kids and teenagers between 10 to 14 to help explore and find their ancestors. 

‘We will also have a short film by Ronan McGiven, Jessie Kennedy will be back with her wonderful music and of course there will be a delicious range of West Cork food available throughout the festival.’

Simon added: ‘The programme is not yet finalised but more and more speakers and events will be added as we confirm them,’ Simon said. ‘

‘Ticket sales and the full programme of events will soon be available on our website,’ said Simon, adding that the organisers were looking forward to another busy weekend at the West Cork History Festival in 2019.

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