The organisers of the annual Oliver Goldsmith festival in Longford say they'll be exploring another very contemporary theme as part of this year's event.
Emigration and immigration will be discussed and debated across a number of talks and workshops taking place in Abbeyshrule, Tang and Ballymahon this weekend.
Guest speakers include historian and Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, Professor Michael Griffin of the University of Limerick, as well as former Labour TD Willie Penrose, and Longford councillor Uruemu Adejinmi
Arthur Conlon from the festival committee says they aim to keep interest in the Longford writer alive by discussing contemporary topics alongside his life and works…
"Our main aim is to preserve interest in the writings and life of Oliver Goldsmith and we feel that the best way to do that is to look at current issues through Goldsmith's eyes. What we find amazing every year is that, as we discuss a modern theme, is how his writings resonate 250 years later. We've based our theme on "Citizens of the world: Ireland's emigrants and immigrants" and Goldsmith, like a lot of Irish people, had to go to another country to find success"
