New arts and craft event at expanded Delvin Book Fest

This year’s Delvin Book Festival over the May bank holiday weekend will include an arts and crafts exhibition and demonstration.

The new event takes place in St Patrick’s Hall on Friday April 28 (noon-6pm) and will feature well-known local artists and crafters, many of who will be both exhibiting pieces and demonstrating.

Hazel Revington-Cross of the Purple Raven Gallery, who has helped put the event together with Patrick Murphy, is one of those who will be both exhibiting and working on pieces on the day, as will Jonathan Von Baumann, ceramicist Denise Kelly, glass artist Eddie Byrne, crafter Rhoda O’Dare, Lorna O’Neill, Ita Copley and weaver Margaret Melvin.

Other artists exhibiting at the event include Fiona Seoige, Alecksandara Nowosielska, Ger Canning, Melody’s Mandrakes, Peter Nagy and photographers Willie and Jayde Forde.

"The exhibition and demonstrations promise to be a unique and exciting event for both locals and visitors," Patrick Murphy told the Westmeath Examiner.

"It will showcase the very best of local and national arts and crafts with a wide range of talented artists and crafters displaying their work and providing demonstrations throughout the day.

"The addition of this new event has been made possible by the input and hard work of local artist and owner of the Purple Raven Art Gallery, Hazel Revington-Cross.

"Throughout the day visitors will have the opportunity to chat and watch the artists at work, thus gaining a deeper insight into the creative process and it is not to be missed."

While the Friday of the festival will be taken up with all things arts and crafts, Saturday will showcase the many talented traditional musicians in the locality. Trad sessions will be taking place in all the local pubs, and musicians of all ages are invited to take part.

The main event of the festival, The Delvin Book Fair, is on the Sunday and is expected to attract in the region of 4,000 people to the village.