Beautiful Terryglass is celebrating the best of Lough Derg

Beautiful Terryglass is celebrating the best of Lough Derg this weekend during its Le Chéile Cultural Festival.

The festival is running until Sunday evening (September 20) and during it the picturesque village will be a showcase for the finest food, culture, heritage and community experiences in the Lough Derg region.

With the theme Le Chéile, meaning “together”, this three-day festival brings together local food producers, suppliers, craftspeople, historians, artists, musicians and community groups in a celebration of everything that makes Terryglass a unique place to live, work and visit.

At the heart of this year’s festival is a celebration of local food and culinary heritage. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy specially curated menus designed exclusively for the weekend by Paddy’s Bar & Restaurant and The Derg Inn, both showcasing the exceptional quality and diversity of ingredients produced throughout the Lough Derg region.

At The Derg Inn, guests can enjoy a bespoke menu inspired by the culture, traditions and landscape of the Lough Derg region, celebrating the local producers whose passion and commitment are helping to establish the area as a distinctive food destination.

Paddy’s Bar & Restaurant will present a unique menu inspired by Terryglass’s monastic heritage, drawing on local ingredients and historical influences to tell the story of the village through food. Best of luck to Paddy’s Bar & Restaurant, which also celebrated its own cultural event, its 200th anniversary as a pub, on Thursday 17th September in advance of the festival.

Food lovers can also explore the Lakeshore Market (Saturday 10am to 12.30pm), which will feature artisan food producers and craftspeople, and attend a Traditional Cookery Demonstration in the courtyard of The Derg Inn, where local recipes and culinary traditions will be brought to life. The festival begins tonight, Culture Night with a special screening of The Playboy of the Western World in Terryglass Community Hall (8pm, free), setting the scene for a weekend that celebrates Irish culture, creativity and heritage.

A highlight of Saturday’s programme will be a fascinating presentation by Dr John Gillis, Chief Manuscript Conservator at Trinity College Dublin, who will discuss the conservation and origins of the historic Book of Leinster, a manuscript with strong links to the area (12 noon in Terryglass Hall).

The village’s artistic spirit will be showcased through an En Plein Air Outdoor Art Event, where artists will paint throughout Terryglass and the historic old graveyard, capturing the beauty of the landscape and village streetscape. The artworks will then be exhibited in the Community Hall, with prizes awarded to participating artists. (Sunday 12 to 5pm; exhibition from 5 to 6pm).

Visitors can also attend the launch of the new Gerardine Wisdom Monk Sculpture, celebrating Terryglass’s rich monastic history, while creative workshops throughout the weekend will include traditional reed-weaving demonstrations and hands-on reed-sculpting workshops led by Gerardine. (Gerardine's Monk Sculpture will be officially launched at 11am on the Terryglass Village Bench opposite the Hall).

Families are particularly well catered for, with free children’s activities taking place at Terryglass National School, including games, penalty shoot-outs and other outdoor fun, alongside face painting and a special children’s traditional music session at The Derg Inn. All junior musicians are invited to participate in the sessions.

For adventure seekers, Derg Lake Tours will offer exhilarating speedboat experiences throughout the Cultural Weekend, taking visitors beyond Terryglass Harbour to enjoy a unique perspective on Lough Derg and its spectacular scenery. Lough Derg Water Sports will also provide kayaking sessions from the harbour, suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. Places are limited, and both activities can be booked directly through the respective Derg Lake Tours and Lough Derg Water Sports websites. T

The programme also includes Tai Chi, Heartfulness Meditation and a lakeside wood-fired sauna experience, reflecting the festival’s emphasis on wellbeing and connection with nature. Music will play a central role throughout the weekend, with performances in local venues and outdoor settings. On Saturday evening, the village square will come alive with a free open-air music event featuring local performers, culminating in a headline performance by the hugely popular Tradstone, whose energetic blend of traditional Irish music and contemporary arrangements promises to create a memorable festival atmosphere in the heart of Terryglass. Music sessions will also take place in Paddy’s Bar and The Derg Inn throughout the weekend.

For more information go to the Discover Lough Derg Facebook page where you can view a programme of events.