Rochfortbridge festival to celebrate memory of tragic Mary Molesworth

One of the saddest figures in Westmeath’s history was Mary Molesworth, whose husband, Robert Rochfort, the first Earl of Belvedere, cruelly locked her away from society – and even from her own family – for 31 years.

Mary’s ‘prison’ was the since-demolished Gaulstown House near Rochfortbridge, and on the first Sunday of this April, Rochfortbridge is set to celebrate the tragic Mary’s memory with a one-day festival that is to be part-art competition, part-history tour and part-celebration of the rich heritage of Rochfortbridge.

The idea for the Mary Molesworth Art and Heritage Festival, taking place on April 6, came from a local hiking group that “evolved” during the Covid crisis, the Rahanine Trailblazers.

“It’s about promoting everything we have in Rochfortbridge in a very positive light,” says local woman Mary Fallon, one of the organisers of the festival.

However, she admits, there is simply so much interest locally that for this inaugural event, they are keeping their focus on a select set of specific items – Mary Molesworth obviously, but also Castlelost church and graveyard, which are currently the subject of some conservation works; Boyhan’s Forge – remarkably still intact – where so many of the heritage cast iron gates around Rochfortbridge were made, and the former Protestant church in Rochfortbridge, where a bell from Gaulstown House is now located.

The festival will revolve around portraiture, with artists from all over Ireland contributing their interpretations of Mary Molesworth at various points in her life, for a major art competition. These portraits will be displayed in a long corridor in the convent in Rochfortbridge, allowing visitors to imagine what it was to be Mary Molesworth, who was largely confined to walking a portrait-filled corridor in Gaulstown House.

“The convent is going to be open the whole day from 9 o’clock in the morning. And as well as that to bring in the Bord na Móna link, we have podcasts of Bord na Móna workers who have been recorded by the transition year students in the secondary school.

“And there will be photographs then from the walks around the bogs and they’ll be on display.”

A significant highlight of the festival is the rediscovery of Boyhan’s Forge, a historic blacksmith’s forge at Farthingstown. Initially hidden beneath overgrown ivy, owner Moira Conroy got the doors opened and the forge was largely as it had been.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” says Mary.

On the day of the festival, the forge will be reopened to the public, featuring demonstrations by a blacksmith illustrating the traditional ironworking techniques once practised there. Three original gates forged in the town will also be displayed, further tying the festival to the past of Rochfortbridge.

Guided tours will offer visitors a chance to explore key historical landmarks, including Castlelost Church and Gaulstown Graveyard, where Robert Rochfort, the husband of Mary Molesworth, is buried. A dedicated bus service is being laid on for the day to take people to those locations.

Adding to the festival’s cultural offerings, at 5.30pm that day, historian Ruth Illingworth will give a talk on Mary Molesworth in the beautiful church at the convent.

“This event will conclude the day’s activities, along with the presentation of prizes to the winning portrait artists,” says Mary.

Molesworth Festival organisers offer cash prizes for portrait competition

A number of enticing prizes are on offer for the winners of the various categories in the Mary Molesworth Portrait competition, one of the many events taking place on the day of the festival.

The first-place winner will receive a €500 prize and the honour of having their painting framed and placed on display at Belvedere House for the following year.

The second-place winner will receive €200, while the third-placed artist will be awarded two tickets for an exclusive guided tour of Henrietta House in Dublin, which is the home in which Mary spent her childhood.

For the best under-18 entry, there is a €100 prize.

“The art competition is open to all,” says Mary Fallon of the organising committee, explaining that entrants are being asked to paint portraits of how they imagine Mary Molesworth to have looked, at any stage of her life.

Already, they have received enquiries from artists all over Ireland.

“The brief is that they do a portrait of Mary from any time during her life, and on the day of the festival, these will all be on display in the convent in Rochfortbridge.

“They will be on display in a corridor actually, reflecting how it was for Mary when she was locked up in Gaulstown, where she was confined to walking a corridor lined with portraits.”

On top of that, the local schools are also involved: St Joseph’s Secondary School is inviting students to take part in their own portrait competition and the primary schools in Milltownpass and Dalystown are having their own art exhibition, and those works will all be on display as well in the convent in one of the rooms off the corridors.

The organisers view this as not just a way of encouraging younger generations but of also ensuring that Mary Molesworth’s story is kept alive through new creative interpretations.

Artists are encouraged to explore a variety of media, from traditional oil and watercolour to charcoal and even collage.

The closing date for entries to the competition is March 21. Portraits will need to be dropped off at the event venue between March 21 and 29 to allow the organisers adequate time for adjudication. Portraits must be A3 size, no other size will be accepted.

• To enter see: instagram.com/mary_molesworth_festival.

Mary’s life one of sorrow and injustice

Mary Molesworth’s life story is one of profound sorrow and injustice.

“At the age of 16, she was married off to Robert Rochfort, the Earl of Belvedere, a powerful figure whose first wife had succumbed to smallpox,” says Mary.

“Robert Rochford was seen as a good catch. That’s the reality of it. And she went to live at Gaulstown.

“She was a very, very pretty girl; beautiful, but naturally at just 16 years of age, she did not want any part of it. It was totally against her wishes, so the marriage was very difficult from the beginning.”

Mary and the Earl of Belvedere had four children. But Rochfort, a high-profile man and a member of the Irish House of Commons and later the House of Lords, was away a lot and his brother Arthur befriended his young sister-in-law.

“Rochfort then accused them – although it has never been proven – of having an affair,” says Mary, explaining that as revenge for the “affair”, the earl decreed that Mary was to be locked up at Gaulstown, and banned from seeing her family – even her own children.

“Even when she went out into the yard, she would have servants in front of her who would ring a bell to make sure there was nobody around – so she had no contact with anybody for 31 years,” says Mary.

Rochfort also took revenge on his brother, successfully suing him for criminal conversation. Arthur, unable to pay the £2,000 in damages that Rochfort was awarded, died in debtor’s prison.

When Robert Rochfort finally died, his son came to Gaulstown to set his mother free, but by that stage, she was so damaged by her experience that she just couldn’t reconnect with people.

“It is a very sad story,” says Mary – adding that she is delighted at the irony that the winner of the Mary Molesworth portrait competition will have their painting displayed for a year at Belvedere House, which was built by Robert, and was the home at which he lived while his wife festered at Gaulstown.

The festival serves as a means to honour her memory, ensuring that her story is not forgotten.

Mary, despite not having a background in art or history (she is a former science teacher) has been deeply inspired by the impact of the festival. “I’ve learned so much, and I’m still learning,” she said enthusiastically. “This story just captures you.”