Press Release
1st March 2013

This year which is the year of the Gathering when we welcome everyone back
to their roots we are delighted that as part of this year’s FESTIVAL we will welcome back to Lucan an electric tram and the paintings(National Gallery life size copies) of Lucan Demesne (painted in aprox 1768 by Thomas Roberts). The Tram was last seen in Lucan in 1940 and the paintings resided in Lucan House until 1925 (157 years in the House) when together with the House’s contents they were sold.

This is also the Centenary of the 1913 Lockout and Lucan was involved at the time. Shackleton’s Mills was the first employer to refuse recognition to the TGWU and effectively the workers were locked out. This happened in Aug 1913 and the main Lockout started in September with the Dublin United Tramways.

The Tram then in this year has 2 connections with the two main events of The Gathering and the 1913 Lockout. The Tram together with a 1940/50′s double decker bus (remember running after the bus and being able to jump on to the open platform) will be on display on our Festival Day in the Village main Street.

The paintings of Lucan Demesne and a portrait of Elizabeth Vesey for whom Lucan House was built by her husband Agmondisham Vesey will be part of a display including other items relating to Lucan House and Demesne. This display will be in the Vesey Arms(Kennys) by kind permission and will run from the
Monday of the Festival week until Friday afternoon (23rd to 27th September).
Our Festival this year is from 23rd to the 29th September and we invite all local groups and organizations who would like to participate particularly on the 29th when we hold our Open Day to contact us . We would like local bands, performers to participate and show off their talents. We are also looking for local makers of goods such as jams, sauces, bread, cakes, chocolate, candles, , knitwear, etc to partake on our Village open day.
Events will also take place throughout the week which be announced at a later date.
Contact us at Lucanfestival@gmail.com or facebook.com/Lucanfestival or
directly to Joe Byrne Chairman 0867944074.

This Sunday 3rd March you will see our committee at Superquinn raising funds for the 2013 Festival. Please give generously….

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