THE Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival has been called off. It is only in the last week that organisers confirmed it would not going ahead due to Covid-19.
An important part of Clare’s social calendar, it draws crowds of 80,000 people annually and this year it would have had headline acts such as country music stars Nathan Carter, Derek Ryan, Mike Denver and Cliona Hagan. It is perhaps the last big festival of the year to be cancelled.
The announcement comes following the government’s postponement of phase four of “Reopening Ireland” which would have permitted indoor gatherings of 100 people and 500 people outdoors – this has now been deferred to August 10.
“After careful consideration and following the government’s latest recommendations we have decided to cancel the event. It is regrettable but our primary responsibility is to protect the health and safety of the local community as well as staff, artists, suppliers and visitors” said Marcus White Managing Director of the White Hotel Group.
He said that keeping the festival going with the required restrictions would not have been possible.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.