It's 12 years ago since the IMMRAMA Festival of Travel Writing came into being. Over that time, the weekend has developed into a niche event that has been successful in attracting aficionados from all over the country.

The calibre of invited speakers is always high and this year literary luminaries such as Diana Gleadhill, Alan Murphy, Michael McMonagle and Paul Clements all made their way to the famous heritage town in west Waterford.

Festival organisers also recognise the need to broaden its appeal and the traditional family fun day in the town's Millennium Park caters for this constituency.

A fine day is always a bonus and you won't get much finer than what we got last Sunday. The impeccably maintained park looked even more spectacular than normal and hundreds of people came along to listen to music, be entertained by street performers and generally just chill out and relax. There was no admission fee and no complaints from patrons who were in no hurry to leave the festivities.

Earlier in the day, Lismore Farmers' Market took place on Castle Avenue and again the weather was a factor in attracting increased numbers of stallholders which in turn led to a bumper crowd. It all added to a sense of occasion and there was a wonderful carnival atmosphere.

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