In May each year, people from across Ireland and abroad are welcomed to the town of Edgeworthstown in County Longford for the Maria Edgeworth Literary Festival. The festival, organised by the Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre, hosts a line-up of events, ranging from talks and readings to nature walks and 18th century costume parties. 

This year, the organisers invited Linda to speak at the festival about the links between Trinity and the Edgeworth family.  

After a sunny train journey from Connolly Station, Linda was welcomed to Edgeworthstown by the Chairman of the Visitor Centre, Matt Farrell. Matt gave Linda a whistlestop tour of the town and the Centre, during which they discussed the wide variety of links between Trinity and the town. 

Matt Farrell and Linda chatting in the Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre. They are standing in a bright doorway and the wall behind them is full of old, framed photographs.
Linda and Matt chatting in the Maria Edgeworth Visitor Centre.

Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) was a highly regarded novelist of adult and children’s literature in her time, and beyond her success as a writer, she had a huge belief in the transformative nature of education. While Maria did not have the opportunity to attend Trinity, as women would not be admitted to Trinity until 1904, many of her family members attended. Another connection to the town is Oliver Goldsmith, a statue of whom stands proudly outside Trinity’s front gate. Goldsmith went to school in Edgeworthstown and even has a roundabout named after him in the town! 

Following her visit to the Centre, Linda gave a presentation in the local library, focusing on Maria Edgeworth’s values and beliefs on the importance of education for all, and how these values still hold true today.  

Reflecting on the day on social media, Linda said:  

‘It was an honour to speak at the Maria Edgeworth Festival in Edgeworthstown, Longford, today. [...] While we were only there for a short while, we came across so many connections between Trinity and the town. [...] There is a strong community spirit in Edgeworthstown and it was wonderful to be shown around by Matt Farrell, the Chairperson of the Maria Edgeworth Centre. Matt has such a wealth of knowledge about the town, I could have listened to him all day!’ 

Watch Linda’s instagram reel from the festival here.