One of Co Wexford’s most popular music festivals announces full line-up

This year’s festival will run across three nights on Friday, July 19, Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21, a change from its usual time at the beginning of August due to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann coming to Wexford.

Irish singer-songwriter Paddy Casey has been announced as the headline act on Friday evening alongside musicians Soul Cowboys and Aoife Doyle.

Cillian Byrne has been on the festival committee since 2016 and recruited Aoife Doyle from Wexford to this year’s line-up after witnessing her perform at Katy Daly’s one evening. “I’ve booked Paddy a few times now and he always throws out the goods, he’s a great entertainer. Aoife was brilliant when I saw her so I asked if she’d consider opening up a spot at the festival.”

“It’s not a bank holiday this year because of the Fleadh we had to move everything because the Council doesn’t have the resources to do the Fleadh and the festival on the same weekend,” he said.

Cillian says the committee are slightly worried that the change in dates could impact attendance at the festival. “It’s temporary and it’s only because of the Fleadh. Next year we’re going to try and go for the June bank holiday weekend. The Fleadh usually sticks around in the same county for two years so we’re hoping to do the festival at the beginning of June next year because it deserves to be on a bank holiday weekend,” he said.

On Saturday night, Ireland’s premier Bob Marley tribute act ‘Buffalo Soul’ will headline along with Los Wexicanos and Lucy June, an up and coming pop artist from Kerry.

On Sunday, the final night of the festival, Europe’s finest Fleetwood Mac tribute band Mack Fleetwood will headline as well as Frankenstein Bolts, Dr. Jim’s Acoustic Revue and Conmór who is back again this year after being a great success last year. “He’s actually on the festival committee, he drums to a backing track and is fairly energetic,” said Cillian.

There will be more than just music at the festival with a free family fun day planned at Gorey Town Park and a making music busking competition on Saturday with €1,000 worth of prizes up for grabs from Making Music, judged by former Hot Press journalist Jackie Hayden as well as a street market on Sunday with stalls from local sports clubs.

Everything will be free at the family fun day except for food and beverages. “A lot of people ask on Facebook, where do they buy tickets for the festival, there’s no tickets, it’s free and everyone’s welcome. People also ask if pets are allowed, we can’t stop pets coming but we wouldn’t advise it, it’s quite loud and there will be quite a lot of people there,” said Cillian.

Toilets will be located at the back of the Market House and there will be temporary toilet facilities in the Fowler’s beer garden.

Stage times will be released closer to the date, music on Friday and Saturday night is expected to start at approximately 7.30p.m. and approximately 6p.m. on Sunday.

For more information on the festival, visit LoveGorey.ie, Gorey Market House Festival on Facebook or Instagram, www.markethousefestival.com or email gorey@wexfordcoco.ie.