23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
June bank holiday in Longford: Sample the breathtaking delights of Center Parcs and take in a slice of history at 20th Annual Vintage Show & Family Fun Day
From the rolling hills of north Longford to the enchanting Royal Canal Greenway of its mid and southern equivalent, there isn't many boxes this rapidly developing midlands tourism county doesn't tick.
Here are a flavour of just some of the many attractions that you can find over the course of what's sure to be a long weekend to remember.
Longford Vintage Show & Family Fun Day
Longford Vintage Club Vintage Show and Family Fun Day takes place on Sunday, 1 June 2025 in Connolly Barracks, Longford town.
The occasion is one its members are particularly relishing as it is their 20th anniversary and an afternoon that promises to tick every conceivable box.
There will be free kids entertainment, face painting and train rides, as well as a motorbike stunt show, ride-on lawnmower racing, a dog show, a wood carving exhibition and plenty of live music. Gates open at 12pm with kids going free.
Go dancing in Edgeworthstown
Miss Mary is an outdoor solo dance, tracing the footsteps of Ireland's traveling dance masters.
Created by Kristyn Fontanella, it explores her dance lineage and heritage, inviting the audience to connect with the land, share stories, and ask: Where did you come from? How do you move? Will you dance with me?
This is an outdoor solo dance piece you will be standing and possibly moving around the space… so bring your comfy shoes and enjoy.
Both the workshop and performance are taking place in Edgeworthstown Library this Friday (May 30) at 11am and 2pm respectively.
Take in a visit to Granard's Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre
The bustling north Longford town of Granard is steeped in no shortage of history, a repute that is perhaps best exemplified by its Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre.
This immersive visitor experience that brings visitors on a journey through the town's Anglo-Norman history. During the self-guided tour, you'll come face to face with Henry II and King Rory O'Connor, visit a recreated Norman home and dig for artefacts in the Norman CSI room.
Kids dress up in Norman clothes, receive their Norman name and a list of duties for their visit, including completing an interactive quiz - that should keep them entertained for the hour-long tour.
Dedicated to Granard's most-famous resident, your journey ends at Kitty Kiernan's Drawing Room where you'll find out about Kitty's place in the War of Independence and her fiancé Michael Collins.
Bask in the delights of Center Parcs
Set in the mature woodlands of County Longford near Ballymahon, Center Parcs holiday village is a great place to escape to any time of year.
There's a full line-up of outdoor and indoor activities for all ages and the popular dome-covered swimming pool is heated to a balmy 27 degrees.
There's also a relaxing spa with a full range of holistic treatments. Stay in one of the 400 lodges that range from one-bedroom apartments to eight-bedroom lodges with saunas, steam baths and hot tubs.
Take a stroll in north Longford's picturesque Derrycassin Wood
North of Granard and hugging the shoreline of Lough Gowna, picturesque Derrycassin Wood is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll.
There are three popular waymarked walks to choose from; the Nature Trail (1.2km), Walled Garden Walk (2.3km) and the Main Avenue Walk (3.2km), each bringing you along spruce-scented river paths and past scenic viewing points on the lake shore.
In late April or early May, the Nature Trail is particularly beautiful with a carpet of bluebells dancing in the spring breeze.
Keep watch on the long walks for the fascinating foundations of an old mansion and walled gardens demolished in 1939 and the remains of a historic ringfort in the woods, formerly the dwelling place of the earliest inhabitants of the area. You can finish your walk with a picnic under a canopy of trees by the riverside.
With so much history, gastronomic delights, and natural beauty to discover, it's hardly surprising why this unspoiled and charming county is being billed as the jewel in Fáilte Ireland's 'Hidden Heartlands' tourism brand.
