Feile Fidelma – Its Origins and History
Féile Fidelma, a literary weekend devoted to the fictional works of Peter Tremayne, has been held bi-annually at Cashel since 2006.
When the idea was first mooted finding a name for such an event was one of the early considerations. No fewer than sixty ‘summer schools’ are held in Ireland during the year, most of them devoted to historical, literary and musical figures. They are usually held over the summer but the Sr. Fidelma weekend was outside the season, so a different name had to be found. Eventually ‘Féile Fidelma’ was decided on, which means something equivalent to ‘a festival devoted to Fidelma’, even though it isn’t strictly a festival! But the name sounded well and the alliteration was important.
The aim of the weekend was to explore the world of the Fidelma Mysteries, the series of murder stories based in seventh-century Ireland written by Peter Berresford Ellis under the pseudonym, Peter Tremayne. Since the main character in the mysteries was Sr. Fidelma, who resided on the Rock of Cashel with her brother, King Colgú, and set out from there to solve the murder mysteries, Cashel was the appropriate place for such a weekend.
Genesis of Idea
The idea of holding a literary weekend devoted to the fictional works of Peter Tremayne originated with the Cashel Arts Festival, which was set up in April 2003, on the instigation of Cashel Heritage Trust. The aim of the festival was to emphasise the maximum involvement of the community in the development of an arts festival. Such a festival would become a catalyst for the general development of the arts in Cashel.
The first festival ran from November 13-15 and was a big success. It provided a series of platforms and opportunities for all sections of the community to engage with the arts in a meaningful and enjoyable way. There were also two major concerts. The official opening of the festival was carried out by Sean Donlon, Chancellor of the University of Limerick and former Irish Ambassador to Washington. In the course of his remarks he spoke of the role of communities in Ireland in the promotion of the arts and how they have acted as catalysts for developments in the arts.
The organising committee were extremely happy with their first festival and immediately set about organ-ising a more extensive one for 2004. There was agreement that the choice of Sean Donlon to open the 2003 festival was an inspired one and his presence had added prestige to the event. It was agreed that the choice of person to open the second festival should to be equally inspired.
Peter Berresford Ellis wasn't well known among the members of the committee but one of them, Seamus J. King, had read a number of his mystery novels and believed he fitted the bill. He was contacted by the secretary of the committee and readily agreed to come to Cashel on November 11, 2005 to open the second Cashel Arts Festival. He also agreed to give a talk on the Sr. Fidelma Mysteries and to hold a workshop on creative writing during his visit.
As a mark of appreciation of the author's visit to the town Mayor of Cashel, Tom Wood and Cashel Town Council were unanimous in affording him a civic welcome on the evening following the official opening. In the course of his remarks Mayor Wood referred to the writer's speech when he opened Cashel Arts Festival. In the course of that speech Peter Berresford Ellis referred to the rich literary heritage that was Cashel's. According to the Mayor we may have concentrated too much on our second millennium history, particularly our built history, and the exploration of the literary heritage of the first millennium might now be a fruitful exercise. He congratulated the author on bringing that earlier millennium alive for us through his novels in the Sr. Fidelma Mysteries. He presented the writer with a bronze piece of celtic design.
Following the civic welcome Peter Berresford Ellis gave a talk on the Fidelma Mysteries and their location in Cashel in the hall of the Vicar's Choral on the Rock of Cashel. The meeting was chaired by Seamus J. King and during question time following the talk he suggested that a gathering of fans of Sr. Fidelma at Cashel might be considered for the future. There was an enthusiastic response to the suggestion.
During the following spring there was serious consideration of the suggestion that some kind of literary weekend be organised. Correspondence was started with Peter Berresford Ellis. He agreed with the idea but was of the opinion that plenty of time should be allowed to organise it. Following discussion it was agreed to hold the event in 2006. Cashel Arts Fest were of the opinion that any event that was organised would be under their aegis. Initially a date in November was proposed to coincide with the Arts Fest. There were second thoughts that the time of year might have a detrimental effect on number. May and September were considered as the shoulder periods of the tourist season when costs might be lower. Eventually early September was agreed and the dates 7th – 9th.
The format of the weekend was agreed. There were to be seven lectures, commencing with an opening talk by the author on Friday evening, followed by three lectures on Saturday morning and a further three on Sunday morning. Peter Berresford Ellis provided hands-on assistance in this area, lining up a top range of speakers to ensure the prestige of the event. A coach trip to places associated with the mysteries between Cashel and Emly was planned as was a gala dinner on Saturday night. The name of the weekend was to be Féile Fidelma. A registration fee of US$150 for participants was agreed.
Once the date and the format were agreed, Féile Fidelma had to be publicised. Cashel Arts Fest got outstanding help in this area from David Robert Wooten, Editor of the International Sister Fidelma Society. (David had learned of Peter Berresford Ellis when studying for his history major at college and was surprised when he learned later that he was Pater Tremayne, the author of the Fidelma Mysteries. Having initially got permission from Peter to set up a website devoted to the Fidelma Mysteries, so much interest was generated that, in January, 2001, he launched the International Sister Fidelma Society. The website was expanded to include a great deal more information on Peter, and his books, focusing primarily on Fidelma.) Just as David Wooten had publicised and promoted the Fidelma Mysteries previously, he now set about doing the same for Féile Fidelma. An internet poll of members of the Society revealed that one hundred people were interested in a weekend devoted to the work of Peter Tremayne.
It was realised that the registration fee would not cover all the costs of the weekend and that some funding was required. An application was made to LEADER, a funding body for local initiatives, and they came on board with a promise of financial help for the event.
Booking for the weekend was opened on the Cashel Arts Fest website with the incentive of a ten percent reduction in the registration cost for all bookings completed by May 1, 2006. Interest was slow enough but the weekend was publicised and pushed through links to the Cashel website and the International Sister Fidelma website. A target of fifty participants was set.
Eventually the dates of the first Féile Fidelma arrived and there was a certain amount of trepidation that the event be a success. The Cashel Palace Hotel, designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce and built in 1730 as a residence for the Archbishops of Cashel, was the fitting setting for the weekend and there was plenty of expectation in the air as the participants gathered for the reception on Friday evening. Even Peter Berresford Ellis himself was excited as he described later: 'One of the greatest and most memorable experiences in a writing career stretching back nearly forty years. That is my assessment of the Féile Fidelma 2006! And my wife, Dorothy, has summed it up as `a magical weekend'. We travelled to Cashel, a town we know so very well, on Thursday evening with my nephew, Paul. We arrived in some anticipation, as we had no idea how the Féile would turn out. Our old friend, Seamus King, met us and we went for a meal to discuss the weekend programme.'
The speakers lined up by Peter Berresford Ellis for the weekend added lustre to the occasion. He, him-self, gave the introductory talk on ‘Fidelma’s World’, and there could have been no better person to introduce proceedings. The Fidelma Mysteries are part of the genre of crime fiction and Dr. John Scaggs of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland was drafted in to speak of the impact of Sister Fidelma on Irish Crime Fiction. Dr. Andrew Breeze of the University of Navarra, Spain addressed the links between the cultures of the kingdoms of Ireland and Dyfed in Wales, as reflected in the Fidelma adventure, Smoke in the Wind. Dr. Dan McCarthy of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, an authority on the astronomy and chronology in the ancient Irish annals and chronicles, spoke about how closely the knowledge of the annals has been substantiated by modern scientific investigations. Professor Máirín Ni Dhonnchadha, of University College, Galway, Ireland, spoke of a seventh-century love tale of Liadan and Cuirither, which parallels the story of Fidelma and Eadulf in the Mysteries. As the Mysteries have been translated into thirteen languages it was only appropriate to hear from someone in the area of translation and Hans van den Boom, the Dutch translator and publisher, was invited to speak of the problems. Finally, the person who had done more than anyone to publicise the Fidelma Mysteries, and who runs the Fidelma Website, as well as being Director of the International Fidelma Society and editor of its magazine, The Brehon, David Wooten, spoke about the role of the Society and where it was going.
The target number of fifty participants was reached and they came from ten different countries, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, U.S.
One of the social highlights of the weekend was the formal dinner. This was a most enjoyable event and the enjoyment was reflected in the way the decibel level of the conversation rose at the meal progressed. Peter Tremayne added to the enjoyment with an entertaining after dinner speech. There was a late night for some afterwards in the bar. This social aspect of the weekend had its own importance. It provided the opportunity for networking and establishing Fidelma contacts in different places. Such a good rapport was built up among the participants that many returned for the second Féile Fidelma two years later. A photograph of the group was taken and contact details exchanged.
Initial reactions to the weekend were very positive. The variety of participants from so many countries added to the international flavour of the event and reflected the worldwide appeal of ‘Fidelmania’. The quality of the lectures was of such a high standard that nobody could have been displeased with the weekend. The accessibility and affability of the author made a huge impact on the participants. The smallness of the town of Cashel gave an intimacy and cohesion to the event that made it special.
Finally, Féile Fidelma produced one important memento. David Wooten, who did such outstanding work in publicising the weekend, produced a thirty-two page booklet that all the participants received in their welcome packs. A souvenir programme, it will remain a treasured possession of the weekend long after the memories have faded.
One of the important matters discussed before the crowd broke up was the possibility of holding a second weekend. The consensus appeared to be that there had to be another one at some time in the future, and that Cashel is the only place to hold it, Fidelma’s ‘hometown’.
Cashel Arts Fest committee didn't have much difficulty in deciding to hold a second Féile Fidelma. Seamus J. King was willing to do the organisational work once again. The funding that had been received from LEADER had helped to defray the costs and there was even a small surplus. It was agreed that September had been a satisfactory time to hold such a weekend and it was decided to hold it between 5th-7th September, 2008. The general consensus that two years should elapse between events. When he was informed of the de-cision Peter Berresford Ellis was delighted and agreed to take on the task of lining up an appropriate list of speakers. It was agreed that the format used in the first Féile Fidelma was a satisfactory one and should be followed again with one exception. It was decided to do away with the coach trip on the Saturday afternoon as it took too much time, which could be spent with better results exploring Cashel, shopping or just relaxing.
The second Féile Fidelma was held in the Horse & Jockey Hotel on September 5-7, 2008. Situated 8 miles north of Cashel, it was chosen as the venue for the weekend because of the unavailability of the Cashel Palace Hotel. It turned out to be a very suitable alternative with plenty of facilities, a friendly staff and good food and drink.
Sixty friends of Fidelma turned up for the occasion, and they came from nine countries, Ireland, U.S., Canada, Argentina, U.K., France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. Many of them were returning for their second weekend, having attended the first weekend at Cashel in September 2006.
The first talk of the weekend was given on the topic, 'An Author's Cares' by Peter. This was an informative and witty presentation on the trials and tribulations of being a writer and the difficulties he encounters in the course of his work. Peter held his audience spellbound for the hour and was delighted to answer their many queries afterwards. In fact he proved then and over the course of the weekend that he is the most accessible of authors, spending much time talking to his readers, signing their books and, on the Monday evening after the weekend, meeting his fans in the local library for another session.
Saturday introduced us to the heavier academic contributions of the weekend. Dr. Dagmar Ó Riain-Raedal opened proceedings with a talk entitled 'In the Sign of the Cross: The Secret History of the Rock of Cashel'. Dr. O Riain-Raedal knows more about the Rock of Cashel than anyone in existence, having made it her life study and she imparted her wonderful erudition with a leavening of dry humour.
Professor Dáibhí Ó Cróinín was the next to take the podium and his topic was the shortest title of the weekend, 'AD 664'. And what was the significance of that year? It was the year the Fidelma Mysteries began with the first novel, 'Absolution by Murder' in which the Abbess Etain, a leading speaker for the Celtic Church, is found murdered in suspicious circumstances. Professor Ó Cróinín expounded on the significance of the year which saw the Synod of Whitby, where the murder took place, a major eclipse of the sun, and a plague as well. It was a fascinating talk.
The third and final talk of the day was completely different, devoted to the musical instruments of prehistoric Ireland right down to the time of Fidelma. Simon and Maria O'Dwyer are an amazing couple who have made a study of these ancient instruments from archaeological remains as well as from paintings and engravings. Their study hasn't stopped there but they have re-constructed many of these instruments and were able to illustrate their talk by showing examples of them. Their real tour de force was to be able to play them as well, filling the theatre with ancient sounds and introducing us to the kind of music Fidelma would have listened to as she enjoyed her meal after a busy day.
Saturday evening was the occasion of the Féile dinner. This is a high point of the weekend. The bonding that has taken place up to now is firmed up as the participants eat and drink together in a convivial atmosphere. Everyone was welcomed by Seamus J. King and the grace was said in Swedish by Ulla Trenter, the translator of the first novel into her language. John Murray proposed the toast to 'Our Guests' on behalf of the Cashel Arts Fest and Peter Tremayne suitable replied with a witty presentation.
The Sister Fidelma mysteries have made a huge impact in Germany and Karola Hagemann was to hand for the first talk on Sunday morning to tell us about it. Karola is part of a duo, who have written a series of books, under the pseudonym 'Malachy Hyde' featuring Silvianus Rhodius, a detective in Anatolia in the time of Mark Antony. She analysed the reasons why novels based in Celtic Ireland should make such an impact in her country. According to her one of the features of the novels that attracts the Germans are the wonderful open log fires that are a part of Fidelma's home on the Rock of Cashel and at which she unwinds with a mug of ale after a difficult day. According to Miss Hagemann all Germans dream of an open fire!
Morgan Llewelyn is Ireland's bestselling contemporary historical novelist and her work has appeared in twenty-seven languages. Like Fidelma she loves the countryside and she is an expert horsewoman. Her talk was 'Novelising Ireland' and what better speaker for the task. In fact contemporaneously with her appearance at the Féile Fidelma weekend was the publication of her latest blockbuster on St. Brendan. She spoke of the importance of myth and how all myth is based upon some fact. She regaled us with stories of the lengths she has gone in researching her novels and the meticulous care with which she develops her plots.
Last, but by no means least, we had David Wooten, whose contribution to the success of the second Féile Fidelma was outstanding. As the director of the International Sister Fidelma Society, he had publicised the event over the past twelve months, exhorted members to travel to Cashel, kept people informed of what was going on, and did all in his power to publicise the Sr. Fidelma novels. He spoke about the Society, what work it does, and where it is going.
One of David's major contributions to the weekend was the production of the program for the event. This beautifully-produced thirty-six page booklet, lavishly illustrated, contained all the information required by those who attended the weekend. As well as the program it included biographical notes on the speakers, wel-come pieces by David and Peter – in the latter Peter revealed an extensive knowledge of the Horse and Jockey area – and the text of the talk given by Dr. John Scraggs at the first Féile Fidelma 'The Impact of Sister Fidel-ma on Irish Crime Fiction'. This is a collector's item and a valuable companion to a similar booklet produced by David for the first Féile Fidelma.
Already the crowd had begun to disperse and there was a distinct feeling of end of term. Much was learned over the weekend, acquaintances were renewed, friendships begun and there was a feeling of general satisfaction that the visit was worthwhile. There was talk of a third Féile Fidelma in two years time, and even a suggestion that it might be held in Charleston to cater for the big American following. However, it would be difficult to take it away from Cashel with its many associations and historical resonances, Fidelma's hometown.
The third Féile Fidelma weekend was held in September 2010 and it took place at Cashel. Any suggestion that it might have been somewhere else was put aside as the organisers came to the conclusion that Cashel, Fidelma's hometown, was the only place it could, or should be held.
The dates were fixed for September 10-12 and some thought was given to the format. One of the obser-vations the organisers made from the two weekends to date was that the event was somewhat detached from the people of the town. It seemed to be removed from their experience to be outside their immediate interest. It was decided to involve them more by introducing two changes to the weekend program. The first of these was the involvement of the local Choral and Dramatic Society in the production of a dramatization of one of Peter Tremayne's short story, Invitation to a Poisoning. The second was an extensive tour of the town open to the townspeople and participants alike by local archaeologist, Joanne Hughes.
The Cashel Arts Fest committee, who organise the event in conjunction with the International Fidelma Society, had initial reservations about organising the festival, given that the world economic state had deteriorated so much since the last one was held in 2008. They set a target of forty participants and were delighted with the response. In fact forty-two people in all registered but three dropped out due to illness close to the event.
The location of the third Féile Fidelma was the Cashel Palace Hotel. As David Wooten discovered when he did the poll of members on the website, travelers to Cashel voted the Cashel Palace Hotel as the best venue for the event. For anyone unfamiliar with it, the hotel was originally a bishop's palace, built in 1730. It's a beautiful building, small and intimate and the crowd are thrown together much more than they would be in a bigger, modern establishment. As well, the bar, which is a vital part of any Irish get-together, is in the basement and not very large. People are thrown together in a small space and the place is fortunate to have an extraordinary barman, Denis Heffernan, presiding over the place. He leaves his place of work behind the bar occasionally in order to break into song and he has a fine voice and a good repertoire as well. In fact he has also written a song, "Cashel: My Hometown," which has been recorded in the meantime. At any rate, Denis is a huge attraction in the hotel and did much to bring the group even more together.
On Friday evening, following registration and the official opening of the third Féile Fidelma, Peter Berresford Ellis, under his alias, Peter Tremayne, gave the first talk which was chaired by David Wooten. In fact it was a question and answer session, which was a new development this year. David had collated questions beforehand from members of the Society and Peter answered them and it was a great success.
The weekend always includes a substantial academic input and this year was no exception. Professor Padraig Ó Riain of University College, Cork spoke of the Psalter of Cashel. A most erudite man he also revealed that he is no musty intellectual but is an excellent communicator and he made difficult academic information accessible to all.
This was followed by a totally contrasting presentation. Caroline Lennon is an actress, who has recorded about seventy audio books, among them a number of Peter Tremayne's works. Her talk was on the experience of 'Reading Sister Fidelma' and she made a big impact, probably fitting one's image of what the main character in the novels was like!
Caroline also had a part to play in the next item on the program, a dramatised reading of Peter's short story, 'Invitation to a Poisoning'. This was a new dimension to the weekend and it went down a treat with the participants. Seven actors were drafted in from the local drama group, Cashel Choral and Dramatic Society, to do the reading together with Caroline, doing the part of Sister Fidelma. The group were taken in hand by professional producer, Neil Donnelly, who brought them to a level of perfection, which was amazing in such a short time. Everyone enjoyed the production and the general consensus is that such a production must be part of future programming.
In the afternoon the group left the confines of the hotel for a walk about the town. They were guided on this by local archaeologist, Joanne Hughes, and they learned quite a lot about Cashel as a medieval town.
One of the highlights of the weekend is the gala dinner and the hotel did an outstanding job on it. The Sunday morning program began with Anna Heussaff on 'Fidelma and the Irish Language'. Anna gave us a most interesting talk on the fate of the Irish language and the failure to translate the novels into the language, which Fidelma would have spoken in her time.
In the second talk Ulla from Sweden, Hans from the Netherlands and Maggie from Argentina, all of whom have translated the novels into their respective languages, spoke of the problems of translation and their contributions were wonderfully received. In fact the stuff of future lectures could be found in any one of them!
The final talk was by David on The International Sister Fidelma Society, and he brought the audience up to date with the work that he has been doing. It is only when you listen to David you realise how essential to the work of promoting the novels is the Society. As well as the website the Society also publishes the 'Brehon' three times a year and keeps people informed about the world of Peter and the progress of the novels.
Fourth Féile Fidelma
Before the formal event was concluded the question was raised about holding a fourth Féile Fidelma. The consensus was that it should take place. Cashel Arts Fest are also willing to organise another event and at this point in time it's virtually certain that the Fourth Féile Fidelma will take place at Cashel in September 2012 .
There are endless matters for talks and discussions stretching into the future. The Brehon Laws which provide the backdrop to the novels offer a fruitful area. Ireland was riven by political divisions during the seventh century and this could be another area for discussion. The pre-celibate Roman Catholic Church, monastic Ireland and the relationship between the bishops and the political leaders would provide rich areas for debates.
Ultimately the success of Féile Fidelma depends on the number of readers of the novels who are willing to come to Cashel for a weekend of talks devoted to the works. The presence of the author at these weekends is one of their strongest attractions and as long as he is willing to travel to Fidelma's 'hometown' they will continue to be a success.