Sold-out High Kings concert sets tone for fabulous four days of Comeraghs Wild celebrations

The Comeraghs Wild Festival’s 10th birthday celebrations have gotten off to the perfect start with close to 1,500 attending the opening concert at Curraghmore featuring Country Gold, Ceol and the High Kings on Saturday night.

Weather conditions were perfect for the outdoor event and crowds spilled into the courtyard in stunning Curraghmore from the early afternoon. “There’s nothing like coming home and doing a home show so thank you so much. This has been unbelievable. Thank you for the roars, the laughs, the cheers and everything” lead singer with The High Kings, Brian Dunphy, said as he explained how the band had just come back from Australia and had played gigs in Finsbury Park and with the Wolfe Tones previous nights.

Bernadette Drohan, Festival Director, was thrilled with the turnout. “This was a very special night and the tone was set from the outset by local band, Country Gold, who began our trip down memory lane. We are very, very thankful to everyone for supporting our community-run festival and look forward to more celebrations from Thursday to Sunday as the celebrations continue.”

Addressing the gathering, local councillor, Sean Power, said: “Comeraghs Wild is a very special festival. It celebrates all that is great about this fabulous region – it’s history, its culture, music, traditions, its natural beauty and more. It’s a festival we look forward to every single year and I know that this year’s 10th birthday programme is extra special.”

The concert certainly set the tone for a fantastic four days of celebrations to come. They begin this Thursday, July 11, with a free Wearable Workshop at Kilmacthomas Library for 6 to 12 year-olds. Pre-booking is essential by phoning the library. The celebrations continue Thursday evening with a not-to-be-missed Story Slam at the Village Bar in Rathgormack.

Friday’s 10th birthday festivities include a Foraging and Mindfulness walk from 2pm at Crough Wood and the eagerly-awaited concert at Clonea Power Church featuring Lisa Hannigan and friends on Friday night. The anticipation in advance of this event has meant that it was one of the first to completely sell out this year. No further tickets will be available on the night.

Early birds on Saturday can still book their places through www.ComeraghsWild.com for a host of mindfulness and outdoor events. These include Bend and Blend yoga under Kilmacthomas Viaduct; Craft & Mindfulness for children back in Crough Wood; Hillwalking to Ned Curran’s Cottage, setting out from Mahon Falls; the Cruachan Loop Hike, setting off from Getaway Eco Camp in Dungarvan; the Nire Valley Drop and Gravel Bike Challenge from Ballymacarbry Community Centre and Surfing at Bunmahon.

The Getaway Eco Camp is also the venue on Saturday afternoon for music, song and storytelling from 3pm. At 4pm, a host of bands will play for the Fentons Rebel & Roots Bluegrass Bash in Ballymacarbry.

Cooney’s Yard is the venue for a Sheep Shearing Workshop & Sheepdog Demonstration from 5pm and at 7.30pm, the stage will be hauled into the great outdoors at Rathgormack Community Hiking Centre for the open-air Dancing Neath the Comeraghs session. Kill Community Centre hosts HubCap Theatre and their performance of ‘The Parish’ from 8pm.

The Comeraghs Wild Festival draws to a close on Sunday, July 14, with a breath-taking Loop Walk with Muddyboots, more surfing at Bunmahon, Aran & Ims a Chistin at Nell’s Farmhouse in Rathgormack and a live performance from the Comeragh to the Coast Choir in Kilmacthomas. The curtain falls on the festival in fitting style on Sunday evening with the much-anticipated Feast in the Forrest with Eamo & Ro.