Throwback Thursday - In association with Glasshouse Opticians
Search
05 Sept 2025
Search
05 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Derry O'Meara, publican, Majella Clarke, festival committee, Lelia Beechinor, main sponsor, and Jack Clancy, publican, in Clancy's Bar and Restaurant in Bruff ahead of this weekend's big festival
FROM outdoor pilates and baby contests to open-air fireworks, Bruff will be buzzing this weekend as the Morning Star Rose Festival returns following over a decade's hiatus.
The festival was last staged in 2013, and this year’s revival is the work of a newly-formed committee. It will run from this Thursday to Sunday, bringing a packed programme of events to Main Street and beyond.
“It hasn't run since 2013 so we're excited to bring it back to the town again,” said committee member Majella Clarke.
The festival will commence on Thursday with the Inter-Pub Quiz taking place at 8pm, in aid of Bruff Camogie and Bruff RFC Women's Rugby. There will be a prize winner in each pub along with an overall winner.
READ MORE: 'We're blown away' - Tickets for Electric Picnic 2026 already sold out
On Friday, registration for the Bonnie Baby contest will take place in the marquee from 6pm to 7pm. Other activities include a magician show on the stage from 7pm and the JT Fitness Challenge on the street at 7.30pm.
The Thorny Rose Contest will be held on the stage at 8pm. Bands in each pub will dedicate a Cranberries song to Dolores O'Riordan to celebrate her birthday.
Saturday will open with outdoor pilates in the local park at 10.30am followed by a 5k walk at 12pm and a Bonnie Baby contest on stage at 2.30pm. That evening, the spotlight will turn to the festival’s centrepiece, the Rose contest final, hosted by Limerick GAA great TJ Ryan from 7pm. Judges include 2023 International Rose of Tralee winner Róisín Wiley and Limerick and Bruff hurling star Sean Finn.
Sunday’s events will include an open-air market in Scoil Dean Cussen from 11.30am, a parade at 5.30pm and the Paddy Herr memorial underage tournament at the GAA pitch, starting at 10am.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
