Wow! What a weekend for our Ferns Medieval Gathering. So much hard work by a lot of dedicated people over many months has paid off. Bathed in sunshine for the whole weekend, luck was on our side, but there was a lot of planning and preparation which ensured its success.
The purpose of the weekend was to highlight Ferns significant medieval heritage through involvement of the local community. The weekend was a celebration of what makes Ferns special – its people and its heritage, bringing people together, inviting people home to join us in our celebration. It evolved from small beginnings to what became a very comprehensive Calendar of Events, with something for everyone from genealogy and shield making workshops to a Banquet with a medieval flavour.
Community involvement was key to the success of the weekend, from the teachers and pupils from all schools in the parish, to the various clubs and groups who got involved in the months leading up to the weekend. Tapping into the skills in the community enabled us to achieve way beyond what we had hoped as so much was done on a voluntary basis. Connections and bonds were made between individuals and groups that will last into the future -it is these connections that will live in the memory and benefit us in the future.
Accessing part funding from Wexford Local Development enabled us to make it something truly special. With a focus on spending locally, the vast majority of our products and services were sourced locally, this was an important factor in our choice of supplier. If it wasn’t available in Ferns, we went wider but prioritised Wexford based suppliers and products.
Click here for details of the Gathering and get a flavour of what went on over the weekend.
Have a look at the highlights of the weekend in the Gallery of Images
