Bagenalstown in Bloom

A splash of blazing colour, a feast of music and workshops exploring all sorts of creativity. The annual festival is sure to be basked in glorious colours and welcomes lots of participation by the local community and beyond. Colour is in no short supply, with everything from street signs to benches experiencing an explosion of yarn bombing, thanks to the wonderful work of local yarn bombers including The Barrow Knitters supported by CCDP. Their skills are varied but their enthusiasm is unrivalled! High praise was shared in this year’s Tidy Towns Report- “What can I say, I absolutely LOVED my walk around your wonderful town… in no small part to the yarn bombing project. To say it lifted my spirits would be an understatement and the amount of visitors with whom I struck up conversations with as I took photo after photo after photo was amazing. Even as I write my report, a couple of weeks after my visit, I find myself smiling. A huge congratulations to all involved.” Like last year everyone is encouraged to collect a yarn bombing treasure hunt map and have fun finding all the fabulous work around the area.

Cruinniú na nÓg coincides with the festival and there will be lots for children to enjoy, including plenty of games and activities, thanks to County Carlow Sports Partnership. They are organising a 5km run to get our BIB festival off to an energetic start. Carlow Regional Youth Services also hold a number of workshops for young people in Gleann na Bearú community building. The Bagenalstown Community Garden (BCG) will also be a hive of activity with fantastic music, thanks to the talents of local artists supported by Bagenalstown Creative Places and Music Generation. Workshops in the community garden will capture the imagination of the public and delicious refreshments will be available too.

Tours of the inspirational and beautiful Barrow Experience Garden situated at BEAM are not to be missed. The experience is a unique series of ten interconnecting gardens which bring to life the history, folklore and heritage of the beautiful Barrow Valley.

www.carlowtourism.com/attraction/beam-the-barrow-experience-garden/

And if your feet need a rest, why not board An Bád Keppel, our Barrow River boat experience. You can relax and enjoy the fantastic scenery along the River Barrow surrounded by the history that makes Bagenalstown so beautiful. There is no better way to do it than a trip onboard Bád Keppel, along the man-made canal in Bagenalstown, and share the story of how it all happened, enjoy the beauty of the wildlife and river. It is a journey you don’t want to miss and will not forget. www. bagenalstowntripboat.com