All roads lead to Longford for second Granard Booktown Festival (2024)

You are in:
>
Longfordleader
>
Home

Visitors from across the globe will flock to the town to enjoy a packed programme of events over three days

Reporter:

Thomas Lyons

17 Apr 2024 9:28 AM

Email:

thomas.lyons@longfordleader.ie

This weekend Granard assumes the role of a literary hub as it hosts its second Booktown Festival.

Visitors from across the globe will flock to the town to enjoy a packed programme of events over three days.

“We are really looking forward to the festival this weekend,” organiser John Connell told the Leader.

He enthused, “All roads lead to Granard from April 19 to 21. Although a number of the Booktown events are already sold out, we still have tickets available for many of our great offerings.”

Also read:New chapter for Longford based Booktown Festival

Granard Booktown Festival encourages book lovers to visit the town and share in the written arts. The festival provides cultural amenities throughout the town, creating a wellspring of literary creation.

Also read:Renowned crime writer Patricia Gibney comes to Longford for Granard Booktown Festival

“We are looking forward to the contribution of our first artist in residence, Noel Monahan. Our Friday night headliner takes place in the library. This will see Sinead Gleeson discussing her new book Hagstone,” John outlined.

Also read:Longford date for Sinéad Gleeson

Inspired by the global Booktown movement, Granard's literary get-together sees the town dedicated itself to books, literature, and the arts for three glorious days.

PICTURES | Longford literary triumph: Visitors flock to Granard for hugely successful inaugural Booktown Festival

John says there is great interest in the festival: “Other highlights include Ciaran Murphy (of Second Captains) in conversation with Longford's own Mickey Quinn and the famous North American writer Patrick DeWitt, as well as chef Gary O'Hanlon talking with RTE's Ella McSweeney.

“We have Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch and the BBC's Fergal Keane. We have something for everyone this weekend. There will be live music in the town and a warm welcome for everyone.”

Also read:Longford literary connoisseurs ‘Blown away’ by Granard Booktown success

Granard is the first Irish town to organise a Booktown Festival.

The festival brings speakers, writers and artists to the town from Friday April 19 to Sunday April 21.

ADVERTIsem*nT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

'); $(".sommario_articolo").detach().appendTo($(".summary_container").first()); } // // Move Outbrain if before Next button // if($(".banner_content_ad_in_article_desktop").offset().top < $(".vc_story_telling_link").offset().top ) { // // Move Outbrain to after Next button. // $(".banner_content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().appendTo($(".vc_story_telling_link").parent()); // } // Move Next button to be under first slideshow image. $(".vc_story_telling_link").detach().appendTo($(".vc_story_telling img:nth-of-type(1)").first().parent()); // Make slideshow image click to next page. $(".vc_story_telling img:nth-of-type(1)").on('click', function(){ $(".vc_story_telling_link").click() } ); function moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, divSelector, divName){ // Move adSelector that have been placed in the divSelector (e.g. related articles, twitter feeds), if($(divSelector + " " + adSelector).length>0){ console.log("Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") ad out of div " + divSelector + " (" + divName + ")."); var divSelectorElement = $(divSelector + " " + adSelector).parents(divSelector); $(divSelector + " " + adSelector).detach().appendTo(divSelectorElement.next("p")); } } function moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName){ moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".vc_shortcode_article_preview", "Recommended Article Preview"); moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".twitter", "Twitter Feed"); moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".author_email", "By Line"); }function moveAd(adSelector, adName, targetContentParagraph){ var pCount=0; var pIndex=0; var contentParagraphs = 0; var targetPindex = 0; var contentMinHeight = 10; var contentMinLength = 1; if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").length > 0){ pIndex=0; while($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).length){ if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).height()>=contentMinHeight){ if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).text().length>contentMinLength){if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).children("img").length) {// Do nothing} else { console.log("moveAd: p " + pIndex + " height=" + $(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).height()+ " width=" + $(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).text().length++);contentParagraphs++;if(contentParagraphs==targetContentParagraph){ targetPindex=pIndex;}} } } pIndex++; } pCount = pIndex; } console.log("moveAd: Total Paragraphs: " + pCount + ". Paragraphs With Content: " + contentParagraphs + ". targetPindex: " + targetPindex + ". targetContentParagraph:" + targetContentParagraph + "."); if($(adSelector).length){ if(contentParagraphs>targetContentParagraph){ console.log("moveAd: Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ")."); $(adSelector).detach().appendTo($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(targetPindex)); } else { console.log("moveAd: Cannot move Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ") => Removing Ad."); $(adSelector).remove(); } } else { console.log("moveAd: Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") does not exist."); } moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName); } function moveAd_bk(adSelector, adName, targetContentParagraph){ var pCount=0; var pIndex=0; var contentParagraphs = 0; var targetPindex = 0; var contentMinHeight = 10; var contentMinLength = 1; if($(".testo_articolo p").length){ pIndex=0; while($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).length){ if($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).height()>=contentMinHeight){ if($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).text().length>contentMinLength){ console.log("moveAd: p " + pIndex + " height=" + $(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).height()+ " width=" + $(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).text().length); contentParagraphs++; if(contentParagraphs==targetContentParagraph){ targetPindex=pIndex; } } } pIndex++; } pCount = pIndex; } console.log("moveAd: Total Paragraphs: " + pCount + ". Paragraphs With Content: " + contentParagraphs + ". targetPindex: " + targetPindex + ". targetContentParagraph:" + targetContentParagraph + "."); if($(adSelector).length){ if(contentParagraphs>targetContentParagraph){ console.log("moveAd: Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ")."); $(adSelector).detach().appendTo($(".testo_articolo p").eq(targetPindex)); } else { console.log("moveAd: Cannot move Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ") => Removing Ad."); $(adSelector).remove(); } } else { console.log("moveAd: Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") does not exist."); } moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName); } function styleRelatedArticle(){ if($(".vc_shortcode_article_preview a")){ var link = $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview a").attr("href"); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview").attr("href", link); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview").append('

TAP TO READ MORE

'); var logoUrl = $(".logo a img").attr("src"); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview .vc_cont .vc_title").prepend('

'); // Increase resolution of image if($(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").length){ var imageUrl = $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").attr("src"); imageUrl = imageUrl.replace(/resizer\/150\/-1\//g, 'resizer\/300\/-1\/'); //$(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").attr("src", imageUrl); } } } function moveAds(){ console.log("moveAds: Replace all br tags to p."); $(".testo_articolo").html("

" + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(/
/g, '

') + "

"); // ** NOTE: Mobile uses "content_ad_in_article_mobile"; Desktop uses "content_ad_in_article_desktop". ** moveAd("#mpu_1_in_article","mpu_1_in_article",1); moveAd("#content_ad_in_article_desktop", "Outbrain In Article", 4); moveAd(".teads_ad", "Teads", 7); moveAd("#mpu_2_in_article","mpu_2_in_article",10); moveAd("#mpu_3_in_article","mpu_3_in_article",13); moveAd(".teads_ad2", "Teads", 16); moveAd("#mpu_4_in_article","mpu_4_in_article",19); moveAd("#mpu_5_in_article","mpu_5_in_article",22); moveAd("#mpu_6_in_article","mpu_6_in_article",25); moveAd("#mpu_7_in_article","mpu_7_in_article",28); moveAd("#mpu_8_in_article","mpu_8_in_article",31); if(localStorage.getItem("debug")=="1"){ $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").css("border", "dashed 2px #55ffff"); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").prepend('

Teads Ad

'); $("head").append('

'); } } function fixDesktopAudio(){ // 2022-05-27: ACHAM: Fix Flash issue. const mp3File = $(".vc_flowplayer").attr("href"); if(mp3File){ if(mp3File.slice(-4)===".mp3"){ console.log("Fixing Desktop Audio (vc_flowplayer using Flash so change it to audio)"); $("a.vc_flowplayer").html(''); } } } $(function(){ // Move ads to end of article for polling, story telling, quiz and sponsored articles. // 2022-05-22: ACHAM: If sponsored article, also remove Teads and Seedtag ads. var docKeywords = ""; if(document.querySelector("meta[name='Keywords']")){ docKeywords = document.querySelector("meta[name='Keywords']").getAttribute("content").toLowerCase(); } console.log("Article keywords:" + docKeywords); if(docKeywords.includes("sponsor")) { console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Moving Outbrain to end of article."); $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads. (banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1)"); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").remove(); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_2").remove(); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads. (teads-inread)"); $(".teads-inread").remove(); setTimeout(function(){ console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads after 5 seconds. (teads-inread)"); $(".teads-inread").remove(); }, 5000); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove seedtag ads."); $("#div-gpt-ad-in-image").remove(); } else if($(".vc_story_telling").length) { console.log("Moving Outbrain to end of article."); $("#story_contact_container").before(''); $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); } else if(($(".container_response").length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("quiz:")').length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("live blog:")').length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("poll")').length) ){ $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); } else { moveAds(); styleRelatedArticle(); //fixDesktopAudio(); } if($(".container_response .photo img").length) { console.log("Resize images"); $(".container_response .photo img").each(function(){ var oldSrc = this.src; var newSrc = oldSrc.replace("resizer/120/", "resizer/300/"); console.log("newSrc = " + newSrc); this.src = newSrc; $(this).attr("width", "300"); }); } });

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!

Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.

Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

'); $(".vc_article_body_new").append($('#paywall_message')); $('#paywall_message').css("display", "block"); $(".testo_articolo").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".testo_articolo").height(550); $(".vc_article_body_new").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".vc_article_body_new").height(550); $(function(){ console.log("Moving ads to paywall message."); // Desktop $("#content_ad_in_article_placeholder").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); // Mobile $("#content_ad_in_article_mobile").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").css("margin-top","30px"); }); console.log("Remove unruly/teads ad."); $('.banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1').remove(); } else { if(isArticleBlocked){ console.log("Article is blocked."); $(".vc_article_body_new").append('

'); $(".vc_article_body_new").append($('#paywall_dialog')); $('#paywall_dialog').css("display", "block"); $(".testo_articolo").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".testo_articolo").height(550); $(".vc_article_body_new").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".vc_article_body_new").height(550); $(function(){ console.log("Moving ads to paywall dialog."); // Desktop $("#content_ad_in_article_placeholder").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); // Mobile $("#content_ad_in_article_mobile").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").css("margin-top","30px"); }); console.log("Remove unruly/teads ad."); $('.banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1').remove(); } $('.apri_login').click(function(){ $('.user_access_orizzontale').removeClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Login"); }); $('#paywall_login_button').click(function(){ // Show login box var speed=300; $('.user_access_orizzontale').toggleClass('aperto'); $('.user_access_orizzontale').slideToggle(speed,function(){ if(!$(".apri_login").hasClass('aperto')){ $('.user_login').show(); $('.user_access_orizzontale .recupera_password').hide(); $("#show_login_button_1").removeClass("collapsed"); $('.user_access_orizzontale').addClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Close"); } else { $('.user_access_orizzontale').removeClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Login"); } }); // For mobile $(".vc_open_user_login").click() }); // 2022-09-03: ACHAM: For Paywall Login button, show standard login box at top right of screen instead of paywall login box. $('.vc_paywall_login a.dropdown-toggle').removeAttr("href"); $('.vc_paywall_login a.dropdown-toggle').click(function(){ // Show login box var speed=300; $('.user_access_orizzontale').toggleClass('aperto'); $('.user_access_orizzontale').slideToggle(speed,function(){ if(!$(".apri_login").hasClass('aperto')){ $('.user_login').show(); $('.user_access_orizzontale .recupera_password').hide(); $("#show_login_button_1").removeClass("collapsed"); } }); }); $('.vc_paywall_subscription input').click(function(){ //location.href='https://vnpiconic.virtualcom.it/iconic/includes/shop/?testata=digital'; location.href="https://vnpiconic.virtualcom.it/iconic/includes/shop/?testata=digital&domain=www.longfordleader.ie&channelName=longfordleader&channelId=" + virtualcmsPageInfo.channelId + "&originalUrl=" + encodeURIComponent(virtualcmsPageInfo.article.link); }); } } $(function(){ showHidePaywall(); })