We had such a wonderful time with you all at our 2021 festival! We would like to thank the following people and businesses who supported us in making The Power of Words Festival such a success.

Abbeyleix Community Garden - Mary White and Committee, Breslin’s Supervalu,                     Casserley’s Pharmacy, Cleland’s Supermarket, Mairead Connell Graphic Design and Illustration, Creative PR Dude – David Delaney, Ffyffes, Gallic Kitchen @Bramley’s – Sarah and all the team,      Mary Hanrahan, Joy Hewitt, Siobhan Hoy, Ladybelle Boutique – Mary and team, MAC’s @ McEvoy’s Steak & Wine Bar – Alice and all the team, Mary Miller, Midland Pet Supplies, Mary Pat Moloney,                              Paul Moore Furniture – Tara Doyle, Preston  House - Ross McDonald & Team,                                          N.M O’Connell & Associates, O’Donnell Pharmacy – John and team, The Red Door Gift Shop – Alissa, Sue Ryders’s - Claudette and team, Margaret Shanahan, Sideline Cuts – Eoin and all the team,                      Alan and Sandra Smith, Stone House Hair and Beauty – Pauline and Mags,                                    Vincents’s – Kelly and all the team.

Due to time constraints, we did not have the opportunity to engage with every business in Abbeyleix this time, but we are assured of your support to our festival and we will be in touch with you all next time!

Thank you to our wonderful Writers and Illustrator for your readings, workshops, interviews and the sharing of your expertise.

Niamh Boyce, Arthur Broomfield, David Butler, Andrea Carter, Pauline Clooney, Bronwyn Doyle Cuddy, Sheila Forsey, Angela Keogh, Geraldine O’Neill, Suzanne Power.

Thank You to ‘Living Poets Society Award’ Winner - Rita Ann Higgins for being here and sharing your powerful words with us.

Thank you, Erin and Colleen Lalor, for all the beautiful music throughout the weekend.

Thanks also to the winning authors of our Short Story Anthology ‘Unlocked’

Siobhan Flynn, John Geoghegan, Jillian Godsil, Mary Hanrahan, Laura-Blaise McDowell, Helen O’Leary, Patrick Olwill, Rachel Roberts, Johnny Thompson and Katy White for coming and sharing your stories with us.

Thank you, Dr. Mark Hilliard, and all the Team at Hilliard Press for all the hard work, support and involvement in publishing ‘Unlocked’.

And to everyone who came and shared a story, poem or song at our Open Mic events, thank you so much for sharing your talent with us.

Thank you to our friends and festival team members who conducted interviews and facilitated events: - Mairead Connell, Mary Hanrahan, Stan Henderson, Siobhan Hoy, Ruth Miller,                       Mary Pat Moloney, Noelle O’Connell and Margaret Shanahan.

Thank you to photographer Kevin Byrne, for all your amazing photographs of our weekend!

Thank you to both our Local and National Media, for letting people know about our festival: - Abbeyleix Facebook Page – Robbie Quinn, Dublin City FM – Jillian Godsil, Stan Henderson,      Midland’s 103 ‘Encore’ – Claire O’Brien, Irish Times, Sunday Independent, Woman’s Way,                  Laois Nationalist, Leinster Express, Laois People and Laois Today.

Thank you also to Laois Tourism for liking and sharing all of our posts and thank you to everyone else who liked and shared any of our posts. We really appreciate the support.

We would really like to thank all who volunteered at our festival this year! So, THANK YOU Robbie Byrne, Conor Carroll, Mary Connell, Conor Dunphy, Stephen Dunphy, Alan Kelly, Gavin Kelly, Orla Kelly, Ann Oxley and Karen Phelan.  Thank you for your enthusiasm and hard work over the weekend and in the run up to it. We look forward to your involvement again next year!

Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to thank everyone who came to the festival, bought a copy of our Anthology or a raffle ticket.  Without your attendance there wouldn’t have been a Festival!  So, THANK YOU!

If we have inadvertently forgotten to mention you, please accept our apologies and thank you so much for your contribution to the festival.

All that remains is to say goodbye for now from all the team and to let you know that we will be in touch about some interesting festival fund-raising ideas that we’ve been percolating…….so watch this space!

Amanda Kelly, Mairead Connell, David Delaney, Tara Doyle Ruth Miller and Noelle O’Connell 

- The Power of Words Festival Team 2021