Cahersiveen Festival of Music and Arts now just days away …

BEING one step ahead never does any harm when it comes to planning something viable and the committee of the Cahersiveen Festival of Music and Arts have been busy counting down the days until the August Bank Holiday weekend. From July 28 to 31, people will once again enjoy four days of entertainment, culture, family fun and festivities and this year’s top acts are sure to get the crowds going as co-organiser, Janette Murphy tells us:

“Friday the 29 will see Mike Denver perform; Saturday 30 is the turn of Hometown, which will be preceded by an open air disco organised by SPIN South West and this is sure to go down a treat with the youngsters. While on Sunday 31 the popular Hells Bells take to the stage. We also have the Lambert Puppet Theatre on Sunday which I think is a great addition to the festival this year,” Janette said.

Cahersiveen really comes alive for the weekend with everything from a Honda 50 run, bridge and deep sea fishing competitions, major firework displays, food markets, a 5k run, terrier racing, football and soccer tournaments, outdoor dancing, fancy dress parade, while Trad sessions will also reverberate throughout the weekend with the dulcet tones of local musicians coming together and everyone is invited to an open air session outside the Community Centre on Thursday 28 at 8pm. The bars and restaurants equally add to the sense of occasion and if you’re in the area it’s well worth a visit. Basically, the entire festival is a celebration of community effort and is a beacon for tourists and natives alike.

“As well as locals, the festival attracts a lot of tourists as it’s one of the biggest weekends in South Kerry and then there’s the people who live away from Cahersiveen who come home especially for the August weekend and incorporate the festival into their holiday,” Janette added.

“There’s huge work involved and there’s only eight of us on the committee working through the year to ensure it’s a success. We had a few fundraisers throughout the year to raise money as the costs go up from year-toyear and we’re very dependent on the local businesses who sponsor us and a huge thanks is owed to them.”

For more info check out the Cahersiveen Festival’s Facebook page.

Photo by Christy Riordan. Cahersiveen Festival of Music and Arts Committee Members with comedian Alan Shortt at the recent festival launch. Back L/R Hugh Horgan Chairman, Christy McDonald and Mary Coffey. Front L/R Caroline O Connell, Breda O Shea and Janette Murphy.