OUR BIGGEST EVER!
Record crowds at Gorey’s Market House Festival
THE Gorey Market House Festival drew its largest ever crowds at the weekend. Three nights of music headlined by Seo Linn, Cry Before Dawn and Paddy Casey saw the main street packed with revellers. It’s estimated that around 4,000 people turned out on Friday and Saturday night, while numbers at the Sunday gig were well in excess of that. The family fun day in Gorey Town Park on Saturday afternoon also attracted its biggest ever attendance.
Festival chairman Cllr John Hegarty said that there was overwhelmingly positive feedback. He paid tribute to his committee which includes representatives of Wexford County Council and local volunteers, and to all who helped at the events. ‘ The festival has been going for eight years,’ he said. ‘It has come into its own, especially in the last three years, and it has grown and grown. It is now recognised as probably the best free festival in the south east.’
GOREY certainly knows how to throw a party. It was billed as the south east’s largest free family festival, and it lived up to all that was promised.
The Gorey Market House Festival is now in its eighth year, and many of the events drew the largest crowds ever. An estimated 4,000 people packed on to the main street for concerts headlined by Seo Linn on Friday and Cry Before Dawn on Saturday, while well in excess of that turned out for headliner Paddy Casey on Sunday.
Festival chairman Cllr John Hegarty said that all the acts went down a treat, and some of them played longer than planned, such was the reaction from the crowd.
Local band 5 Dollar Shakes got Friday night off to a rousing start, while Seo Linn, featuring Gorey’s own Conor Moore on percussion, really got the party going.
Cry Before Dawn are playing four gigs in Ireland this year, and just one in Wexford, so their gig sponsored by J Donohoe BMW on Saturday attracted followers from Wexford, Enniscorthy, and as far as Belfast. Lead singer Brendan Wade even resurrected ‘Dancing at the Crossroads’ from his Wild Swans days, much to everyone’s delight.
They were supported by local group The Wild Turkeys, while a strong line up of local musicians played on stage on Sunday afternoon during the busy street market. Crow Black Chicken’s set on Sunday evening saw the crowds swell in advance of Paddy Casey who closed the festival.
Elsewhere in town, art, craft, and photographic exhibitions were held at various venues around the town. The Historical Society also held an exhibition in the Market House. A busking competition on Saturday created a great buzz around town, while Breen’s Bar won the Pub Vibe competition which ran all month.
Saturday’s family fun day in Gorey Town Park, sponsored by Gorey Credit Union, attracted between 3,000 and 4,000 people, its largest crowd ever, while local teens, with the support of Gorey Youth Participation Project, held a Bad Fest in the park on Friday, which was marred slightly by rain.
The organisers thanked all who helped in any way over the weekend, with special thanks to the sponsors, the Council and Gateway workers, and local GAA clubs that provided stewards. All feedback is welcome on the festival’s Facebook page.