Everything hunky-dory at Cois Fharraige

SPECULATION that this weekend’s three-day Cois Fharraige music festival in Kilkee was in jeopardy due to a dispute over money between the organisers and St Senan’s GAA Club, on whose grounds the festival is staged, have been dismissed by Kilkee GAA club chairman, Donal Hayes. The event, which is now in its third year and attracts thousands of visitors to Kilkee each September, will start on Friday evening and conclude on Sunday.

“Contrary to speculation, everything is hunky-dory and we’re absolutely delighted to have it in the town,” Donal Hayes told The Clare Champion. 
“The only doubt was, would it be on? Once it was announced that it was, there was agreement straight away between St Senan’s and the organisers,” he added.
“From St Senan’s point of view, we’re delighted to have it and it has turned out to be a major bonus for the town at the end of the season,” Mr Hayes, who is a Kilkee businessman, noted.
Kilkee Chamber president Johnny Remond told The Clare Champion, that without Cois Fharraige, the resort town would be deserted this weekend. 
“What would this weekend be like if we had no festival on?” he queried.   
The Chamber president said that once schools reopened at the beginning of this month, business in Kilkee came to a virtual standstill as holidaymakers returned home.
“Kilkee just died a death straight away. Here in The Strand, we would have been open seven days a week until last weekend but now we’re gone back to just opening at weekends,” he explained. 
The Monday meeting of Kilkee Town Council heard that four street traders have been granted licences for the weekend in Kilkee, while one official camp site will be in operation.
Mr Redmond maintains that anybody trading on the street, without a licence, will be dealt with by the gardaí.
“I believe the gardaí are going to deal with that. As far as I know, once the licences are bought, traders have to show them,” he said.
“I’m sure the guards are going to be called if people are breaking the law,” he said with reference to the possibility of unlicensed traders operating.
Monday’s town council meeting also heard that Clare County Council has contributed €5,000 towards the cost of the staging the festival.
The Clare Champion revealed in August that Kilkee business people have pledged a combined figure close to €40,000 to ensure that the festival took place. This contribution was sought when organisers said that they had no festival sponsor and that, without financial support, the festival would not take place.
Details were not available at the time of going to press, regarding how many tickets have been sold.
Amongst the acts due to play Cois Fharraige are The Zutons, who played last year, and Doves, whose current album, Kingdom of Rust, has been described by NME as one of the 10 most important albums of 2009.
Other bands who will play Kilkee include Newton Faulkner and Noah and the Whale who are receiving good reviews for the new album The First Days of Spring.
The Saw Doctors, The Hold Steady, Lightning Seeds Unplugged, Stereo MCs and Hallo…I Love You will play Kilkee for the first time this weekend.