Ballyconnell festival to bring ‘a new buzz’
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The Ballyconnell Festival Committee Terry Cusker, Cllr Damien Brady, Larry Lee, Arlene Brady, Gail McCoy and Gerard Crowe. Missing from photo: Anne Nolan, Peter and Susan McVitty, Niall Crowe, Fionain McGovern, and Kevin Taylor.Image 2 of 3
Cliona Hagan is among the stars set to grace the stage at this year’s Ballyconnell Festival.Image 3 of 3
Members of the High Ciders MCC and the Filthy Animals MCC dressed up to take part in the handbags at Dusk Match at the Ballyconnell Festival in previous years. RIGHT: Cliona Hagan is among the stars set to grace the stage at this year’s Ballyconnell Festival. LORRAINE TEEVANThe streets are set and Ballyconnell town knows what to expect for this year’s festival.
Last year’s shindig was a huge success, so why change something that the people enjoy?
That was the sentiment echoed by festival organiser, Larry Lee, who informed The Anglo-Celt that this year’s festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend will take on much of the same music and craic as last year.
Festivals have been taking place across the country and county, bringing jiving, singing and country music enthusiasts together.
Town halls, community centres and hotels alike have attracted people from all age demographics to learn the lively jig and hop that is jiving and Ballyconnell Festival organisers invite you to join hands for a jive around mainstreet this August bank holiday weekend.
The Ballyconnell man outlines what’s in store for this year’s music festival.
Sure to set dancers off on the right foot, country music star Cliona Hagen will open the festival on Friday evening. On Saturday, five piece folk band the The Highstool Prophets, will bring their country trad upbeat tunes, which will really make you believe ‘This Is The Life’.
Performing on Sunday is Paul Kelly, who has been performing since we was nine years old. Passionate about all things country and farming, his music is expected to attract dealer, cowboy and girl boots to listen to his hits ‘Cut The Grass’, ‘Tang’s Hauling’ and ‘Willie the Dealer’. Following Paul’s performance is the midland’s very own upbeat trad band Ruaile Buaile. With nearly six million listens on Spotify, their cover of ‘Maniac 2000’ will have hands in the air and feet up and down off the ground all night long.
On Monday night, lively folk band One For the Road is set to finish the festival on the same high note it began with.
While bands will provide evening entertainment on a gig rig with a late bar throughout the festival, Larry insists there is something for everyone with family fun activities throughout the weekend. A fair day will take place on Saturday with a pet show and tractor run for kids.
Last year’s festival was a “great success” with near one hundred pets at the pet show and packed concerts each night. With festivals cropping up all over, Larry predicts “you will get four or five years” out of them before “something else will come along”.
He described country music festivals as “a new buzz”.
“We only went big into the music last year,” he said, explaining that they “moved it [the festival] up a couple of notches”, a trend set to continue for this year and years to come.
“It’s kind of replacing the disco that was back in the day,” he said.
“There’s a great line up, it promises to be a good weekend’s entertainment,” Larry encouraged.