An Tóstal

An Tóstal (sometimes, Tostal) was the name for a series of festivals held in Ireland in the 20th Century. Inaugurated in 1953 as a celebration of Irish life, it continued on into the early 1960s when it eventually died out.

The original purpose of the festival was a celebration of Irish culture, with an emphasis upon drawing tourists into the country during the Easter off-season. It was marked by a series of regional parades, arts and sporting events. Many towns began a clean-up plan, thus starting off the National Tidy Town Awards, which is running still in Ireland. In 1953, a set of commemorative stamps were issued by the Irish Post Office.

Chess Competitions were held as part of An Tóstal by the Irish Chess Union from 1954 to 1957. [An Tostal - International Chess Tournament Dublin 1956, Ficheall Publications ]

In recent times, an effort has been made to revive the Tóstal and some Irish towns, notably Drumshanbo, are now celebrating the Tóstal again.

At the University of Notre Dame, the festival celebrates the last full week of classes of the academic year. The events often include competitions, sporting events, concerts and other various performances.

External links

* [http://www.antostalfestival.ie/ An Tostal Festival - Drumshanbo]
* [http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3029 Article re. Tostal 1953 - workersliberty.org]
* [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0139/D.0139.195306160034.html Oireachtas debate from 1953 re. meaning of 'Tóstal']

Notes