The theme of this year’s Lady of the Lake Festival in Irvinestown, which opened on Friday is “Saints and Scholars."
It’s 50 years since the last National School closed in Irvinestown, so the Festival this year is holding a series of events to commemorate past staff and pupils, particularly as the last National School teacher in the town, Mrs Gilligan, died earlier this year. 
“School around the Corner” will showcase the talents of past pupils and see if present day children can do as well and will be hosted by local comperes. A spokesperson stated: “Real life guides from the American Folk Park will put on a demonstration of the old National School days, when chalk and blackboards were all the go and children brought turf to keep the fire going. There might even be some Sally rods available if anyone gets out of line.”
An exhibition will run throughout the Festival with old school photographs and registers from 1921 to 1950. This will include a chance to record memories of past school experiences before the days of iPads and central heating. These will be used to put together an oral record of what school life was like for Fermanagh Children in ‘the old days’. 
On the Fair Day, Wednesday, July 20, there will be a Puppet Show on the main street with the Moon and Sixpence Puppet Theatre, Ireland’s Travelling Marionette Theatre with performances at 1pm and 3pm. Children from the summer scheme in the Arc Healthy Living Centre are dressing up in old school uniforms and parading. The Saints & Scholars theme is supported by The Big Lottery Fund and Awards for All.