On Wednesday October 28th , the Committee was invited by Mr. Sean Power T.D. to enjoy a Guided Tour of The Dáil and Seanad. The outing proved enormously successful and interesting; for many, it was a first and the tour of historic Leinster House was of absorbing interest. We saw historical portraits; records of visits by various American Presidents and the flag of The Fighting Sixty-Ninth, commanded by Kildare educated, Thomas Francis Meagher ...

Dail Eireann Visit marks Newbridge move for Hopkins Festival

On Wednesday October 28, to initiate this Newbridge chapter, the Committee of the Hopkins Festival was invited to Dublin by Mr. Sean Power T. D. to enjoy a Guided Tour of The Dáil and Seanad. 'The outing proved enormously successful and interesting; for many members, it was a first and the tour of the historic Leinster House was of absorbing interest,' according to Desmond Egan. And he added, 'We saw historical portraits; records of visits by various American Presidents and the Flag of the Fighting Sixty-Ninth, commanded by Kildare educated, Thomas Francis Meagher, which was presented by President Kennedy on his 1963 visit.' Our Guide was particularly helpful in drawing attention to various architectural features with the Kildare connection strongly emphasized."

23rd HOPKINS FESTIVAL - the best yet! Now in its twenty-third year, the Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival l is moving to Newbridge College in view of continuing success and growing demands of what has been described by the Editor of The Oxford Companion to Irish Literature as 'the best literary festival in Ireland'. Download the Hopkins Festival 2009 Programme here On September 1, 2009, the Committee, for a number of reasons, voted to move to Newbridge. Now, with a re-envigorated Committeee, preparations for our 22nd Festival are moving ahead with gusto.

Hopkins Festival Moves to Newbridge

The Gerard Manley Hopkins International has just picked up sticks, moving from Monasterevin to Newbridge. Now in its twenty-third year, the Hopkins Festival, which celebrates the life and the works of the esteemed poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, attracts devotees from around the world, so much so, that it has outgrown Monsterevin. "We just got too big for the place," said festival foundner and poet, Desmond Egan. "It got too demanding with150 or 200 people attending every year so we had to look elsewhere. Newbridge is nearer to Dublin and it has a terrific rail and bus service in comparison to Monasterevin. Hopkins had many connections in Kildare. He wrote some of is poetry in Clongowes Wood. He often rode through Newbridge and he used to go on retreat down to Emo. The Kildare connection with Hopkins is very important not only the Monasterevin connection." The move was decided on by the committee in view of the continuing success and growing demands of what has been described by the Editor of the Oxford Companion to Irish Literature as "the best literary festival in Ireland". And according to Mr. Egan, Monasterevin may not even notice that the festival will no longer be located there. "I don't think they (Monasterevin) will miss us too much," he said. "We've done our bit for Monasterevin and they now have a Hopkins Lane; a Hopkins Garden; a Hopkins monument worth €100,000, a pub, a walk and the Hopkins Haven. They didn't overwhelm us with support so I don't think they will miss us and we needed more resources. Monasterevin was awkward to the people coming from around the world. The issue is not that we are moving but that we didn't move a lot sooner. This is the second oldest poetry festival in Ireland and it becomes more and more of a headache in a small place. Nearly all the committee are form Newbridge and they were keen on the move but we won't lose the connection with Monasterevin. The monument, by the late sculptor, James McKenna, has been defaced many times already. This is a major work of art and it has been vandalised and not much has been done about it."

Organisers are now hoping that the festival will create much excitement in the Newbridge area during the last week of July 2010. The last 22 years have marked great achievements over a wide spectrum of the arts including poetry, lectures; film; theatre; visual arts and live music. "A particular achievement of the Hopkins Festival has been its development of a Hopkins Festival Youth Programme," he added. "This came about through the dedication of its Director, Derek Egan.

The Youth Programme is geared toward the needs of young people and non-specialists; it has become so popular that places have had to be limited to 40. Hopkins faced up to the darkness and refused to give up to despair. He has lasted through the years with me and his poetry has tremendous depth and sincerity. He was a master of master of language. Very few can match him much less better him. He would be my desert island choice - there is nourishment in every line." © Paula Campbell, The Leinster Leader

The Hopkins Committee Celebrate 21 years with a Reception from the President
The move to Newbridge celebrated with Trip to Dail
Friends of The Hopkins Society
FAQs on The Hopkins Society
The Hopkins Festival Moves to Newbridge College