South Galway community set for festival fun next weekend

A SOUTH Galway community is set to revive its Showband heritage next weekend with a festival that will help raise funds for the local GAA club.

In the 1950s and 60s, the village of Ballinderreen in Galway was a firm fixture on touring maps for the showbands who travelled the length and breadth of the country.

The inaugural South Galway Bay Music Festival aims to revive that spirit over the weekend of July 22-24.
Organisers are inviting one and all to gather together to celebrate music and dance at the festival hosted by Ballinderreen GAA Club with fully licenced bar and food stalls to run over three days.

Anyone worried about missing the All-Ireland final can rest easy as the match will be shown on the big screen the all Ireland match can be viewed on a big screen… and celebrations (hopefully) will take place with Galway man Mike Denver on stage at 5.

Headline acts include the very biggest names in Irish country music, such as the aforementioned Denver, Jimmy Buckley, Seán Keane, The Conquerors, Michael English, George Murphy and The Rising Sons.

Alongside these performers will be local talent such as Galway band Evøke and Ballinderreen native, Michael Burke, winner of the All Ireland Senior Scór 2019 title for Solo Singing.
Organiser Mattie Larkin said the idea for the festival came about during the pandemic.

“There was a few months there when we had to close the gates of the GAA pitch – it’s there 60 years and this was the first time in its existence it was closed.

“The gates had never been closed at any time. We were always talking about how great it would be to have a right shindig and gather again,” he said.

“We were only going to go for one night but then we got more bands and we figured that if we were paying for a stage and sound we might as well knock two days out of it but it grew legs and now it’s three.”

With music to suit all ages, adult tickets will cost €25 per day and a weekend pass is priced at €50. Children are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult over 25, to a maximum of four children per adult.

Entry for people aged 18 and over is €25 (full price ticket), while for 13 to 17-year-olds, €10 is payable at the gate. Accompanied children age 12 and under are free of charge.

Ballinderreen Hurling Club, founded in 1884, is one of the oldest clubs in the association. Ballinderreen Camogie Club, meanwhile, was founded in 1968.

A proud sporting parish, Ballinderreen has produced many fine players, some of whom have played for Galway.

These include Noel Lane and the late Joe McDonagh, President of the GAA association 1997 – 2000. Present-day players, including Siobhan Coen (recently retired), Emma Helebert, Lisa Casserly and Fiona Ryan, currently represent Ballinderreen camogie club at the highest level, winning All Ireland and League medals.

Purchase your ticket in advance at the following link or from the box office open each day of the festival. Enquiries can be made via email to ballinderreenhurling@gmail.com
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