Plans are being prepared to celebate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Lismore. The events to mark the auspicious occasion will take place on the May bank holiday Monday.

A report on the plans was given to members of Lismore Town Council on Monday night by Mayor Julie Landers. They were told a list of former Town Councillors and Town Commissioners has been compiled and that they’ll be invited to a special commemorative event. It’s also planned to make a presentation to each of them. Each pupil of the town’s national and secondary schools will also be presented with a special scroll marking the anniversary.

A number of bands and musical acts have been contacted and lined up to provide entertainment and a pageant is also being considered though councillors were told the cost of hiring costumes may be prohibitive. It was suggested that people of the town could be invited to get into the spirit of the occasion by dressing up themselves in costumes of the period. A talk on the history of the area by a local historian is another idea being mooted.

The town’s 1609 charter is in London.The 1613 charter cannot be located, members were told. It was hoped to have it on display for the commemorations.

A barbecue for the public previously discussed has been ruled out. Instead, restaurants and eateries in the town are being asked to open to cater for people. The band ‘Loudest Whisper’ who hail from Fermoy are not available to perform that night as was hoped, they have a previous long-standing committment to perform in Kilkenny.