Meath Live reporter Paul Murphy gets his teeth into the extravaganza!
You could search the dictionary for many words to describe the grand finale procession – The Gathering of the Spirits – of the four-day Puca Hallowe’en Festival in Trim. Would “Just Monster” fill the bill? And there’s room for some more – Awesome might also fit. The streets of the historic town were thronged as thousands of people poured in from many parts from early in the day.
There was a huge buzz in the main streets, proving a bonanza for hotels, coffee shops, pubs, and taxi firms. The 3.15 Bus Eireann bus from Navan to Trim was almost full, many of the passengers dressed up in Hallowe’en gear.
At one of the tables at the Harvest Bakery not far from the bus stop at Trim Castle, eight Spanish citizens living in Athlone were gearing up for the parade with coffee and cakes and this was a familiar scene right through the town. Both before and after the parade, Trim Castle Hotel was bulging at the seams and the staff were kept on their toes serving large crowds of people.
The festival, funded by Governments money, Meath County Council and private funding, is now an established fixture on the events calendar.
The festival procession floats were just amazing – colourful, noisy and light-filled. What a night. Can’t wait ‘til next year.
