Comeraghs Wild Festival celebrates 10th anniversary

An open-air concert in historic and picturesque surroundings is among the highlights of this year’s Comeraghs Wild Festival which is celebrating its tenth anniversary.

The Co Waterford festival highlights the nature, heritage and history of the mountain range and its hinterland with music, dance, outdoor events, walks and talks included in the schedule across the first two weekends of this month.

An open-air concert at Curraghmore House and Gardens – the courtyard at the ancestral home of Lord Waterford – hosting music by the High Kings, Ceol, and more, kicked off proceedings yesterday.

The celebrations will continued on Thursday to Sunday with the customs, culture and natural beauty of the Comeragh Mountains, Copper Coast and Nire Valley region to the fore.

The programme features a concert in Clonea Power Church starring Lisa Hannigan, Gemma Hayes and Paul Noonan; the Nire Valley Drop and Gravel Bike Challenge off-road cycling event; as well as surfing at Bunmahon.

There will also be hill walks and guided walks; singing and storytelling events; live music sessions; and open-air dancing, before the festival concludes with a Feast in the Forest highlighting the best in locally-sourced fresh produce.

“The Comeraghs Wild Festival has gone from strength to strength and our 10th birthday celebrations will be extra special,” organiser Bernadette Drohan said.

“Tickets for our opening concert in Curraghmore are selling fast on Eventbrite and we’re extending the early bird ticketing over the coming days. It will be a magical evening in Curraghmore and we’ve limited ticket numbers to make it an extra special, intimate evening for all.”

With many of the festival events taking place in intimate venues with limited capacity, tickets are expected to sell out quickly and many sold out in record time last year.