Celebrating a woman silenced
Mary Molesworth Art and Heritage Festival in Rochfortbridge
On Sunday April 6, Rochfortbridge will host the inaugural Mary Molesworth Art and Heritage Festival, a one-day celebration honouring the life and legacy of Lady Belvedere Mary Molesworth, a woman whose voice was stifled but whose story continues to inspire.
Married to Robert Rochfort, the infamous 'Wicked Earl', Mary Molesworth was imprisoned for over three decades in Gaulstown House, her only companions said to be the portraits that hung its walls.
Now, centuries later, she takes centre stage in a festival designed to reclaim her narrative through art, heritage, and community storytelling.
At the heart of the festival is the Mary Molesworth Portrait Competition, which invites artists from across Ireland to interpret the theme 'Mary Molesworth' in their own style and medium.
The winning artwork will be unveiled during the festival and will remain on public display as part of an ongoing celebration of the area’s rich and often overlooked history.
Festival organiser Mary Fallon said: “This festival is about more than just one woman—it’s about acknowledging forgotten voices and examining the past with fresh eyes. Through art and storytelling, we are giving Mary back her presence in the world.”
Artists, historians, and members of the public are invited to take part. Details on how to enter the portrait competition are available on their Instagram page.
The festival will showcase a selection of the rich history of Rochfortbridge, featuring talks and visits to some of the most fascinating historical sites in the area.
A bus will transport visitors from the church car park to the various sites throughout the day, as parking is limited at the sites.
The first bus of the day will depart at 9.20am and the first stop, scheduled 9.30-10.30am, is Gaulstown Churchyard. There, visitors will delve into the history and architecture of the church, with Shirley McCormack, followed by a talk on the Rochfort Family by Denis O’Neill.
At 11am, it’s the Protestant Church on Rochfortbridge main street, where visitors can view the Robert Rochfort Church Bell, presented by the O’Connor family.
The bus will depart at 12.15pm to the next destination, Castlelost church and graveyard, where John Gavin will lead a guided tour (12.30-2pm), including an update on the work of the Castlelost Heritage Project to date.
At 2.15pm, the bus will head to Boyhan’s Forge in nearby Farthingstown. This historic building, recently cleared and opened after many years, will host a blacksmith demonstration by Stephen Quinn, a wrought iron gate display, in association with Westmeath Heritage and a talk by Shem Caulfield on ‘The vernacular wrought iron gate’.
The final proceedings of the day are in the beautiful convent chapel at 5.30pm. Historian Ruth Illingworth will deliver ‘The Inaugural Mary Molesworth Lecture’, followed by the award ceremony for the Mary Molesworth Portrait competition.
The convent will remain open from 9am, exhibiting a variety of historical displays, including podcasts from retired Bord na Móna workers, local stories, photographs, art and history projects from our local primary schools and artwork from the portrait competition.
Throughout the day, local historian Eugene Dunbar will enrich the bus trips with intriguing snippets of historical interest, including a talk on the stunning Harry Clarke window in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Hot food, tea, coffee, and snacks will be available for purchase in St Joseph’s Secondary School canteen from 11am to 2.30pm.
The organisers would like to thank the festival sponsors, Rochfortbridge Credit Union, Floods, Creative Ireland, Kilmurrays, Flex Gen Castlelost for their generous support.