Slane revives its holy well fete

The traditional Lady Well Fete in the grounds of Slane Castle will be revived this year as a colourful fund-raising venture for the local community. The traditional 'Holy Well" day has been celebrated on 15th August in Slane for centuries, but this year the annual pilgrimage to the well will coincide with what promises to be a fun-filled day in the grounds of Slane Castle. A food fair, vintage cars, junior GAA and soccer matches, treasure hunt, dog trails, a Chinese dragon, bouncy castles, sack races, castle tours, live music, Irish dancing as well as coracles and kayaks on will be among the many attractions. One of the highlights will be the duck race from Stackallen Bridge to the Slane Castle weir. There are prizes of €500, €300 and €200 for ducks that come in first, second and third place. The event is being held to to raise funds for ongoing community projects, including some identified in the recent 'Slane at the Crossroads" study. The Slane Parish monster draw will also take place at the fete. This draw is raising funds for the Slane and Monknewtown Church Renovation project and boasts prizes of over €80,000. Lady Well Day in Slane marks the day that the water of the Lady Well, which rises in an opening in the woodland of the Slane Castle grounds, is deemed to be holy. Thousands of peope make the Journey to the woods every year to drink from the well and, traditionally, a fete was held in the adjoining field below the castle. Pilgrims are welcome to continue their jounrey to the well on 15th August, but this year they will also have the chance to enjoy the colourful fete which starts at 3pm which will be packed with activities and fun until it closes at 9.30pm. Alexander Slane, the chairman of the organising committee and son of castle owner, Lord Henry Mountcharles, said he was delighted to be involved in the Lady Well Fete this year. 'Every year, I drink the water from the well and, when I was christened, my father, much to the surprise of the vicar, produced a plastic bottle with water taken from the well on 15th August and added to the font,' he said. 'In my grandfather"s time, 15th August was quite a celebration and it is wonderful to have the chance to resurrect it. This has been a community effort and the funds raised will make a contribution towards the improvement of the village,' he said. Even in recent years, up to 1,000 people walked from the village to the well, many of them at daybreak, to drink from the well. Lord Henry Mountcharles recalled that it was a huge event when he was a child and there was always a GAA match in the village on the day. In fact, he says that one of the earliest Gaelic football matches played in Ireland took place in what is now known as the concert field, in 1767. In January this year, the Slane at the Crossroads study was published, setting out a development and conservation plan for the village. The study, which was commissioned by Slane Community Forum, and written by Prof Philip Geoghegan, identified a number of projects which would enhance and protect the future of the village. Implementing these projects will require funding and the Lady Well Fete will make a valuable contribution towards this. Locals are encouraged to walk to the event but parking will be provided on-site. Food and toilets will be available but no alcohol will be served.