The inaugural Kathleen Browne Arts and Literary Festival took place over the weekend in Bridgetown, Co. Wexford.

A group of local businesses, community workers, artists and writers were prompted to commemorate Kathleen Browne's lasting contributio to the history of County Wexford.

Her many achievements included:

• Wexford's first female senator
• Successful politician
• Farmer
• Writer
• Artist
• Historian
• Environmentalist

As a member of the Land League, the Gaelic League, Sinn Fean and Cumann na mBan, Browne played an active role in the Gaelic Revival, 1916 Rising and the War of Independence. From 1929 to 1936 she served as a member of Seanad Eireann where she promoted the rights of farmers and women. In agriculture she helped develop beet growing around Co. Wexford. As an environmentalist she campaigned in favour of tree planting and for the Great Saltee (Island) to be a designated bird sanctuary (Glen Fuels featured the Saltees bird sanctuary in an article in 2018, click here for more information).

The Festival:

The festival featured art exhibitions, writer's workshops, theatrical performances, children's camps and a concert. A locally designed and hand-crafted monument has been erected at Browne's 1876 birthplace which is today known as Doyle's dwelling house between Molly & Dolly's Tearoom and Red Books (Ireland's smallest bookshop and once Kathleen Browne's art studio. 

For more information on Kathleen Brown, visit Wexford News.