Galway’s latest festival, the Moondance Music & Arts Festival, takes place from Friday August 14 to Sunday 16 at Petersburg House, Clonbur, and will feature Lisa Hannigan, Jape, and Mairtín O’Connor.
Set on the shores of Lough Mask, this family friendly festival is the brainchild of Pearse Doherty, founder of GoGoGo Event and Artist Management, and former bassist with The Saw Doctors.
“Galway is the birthplace of great festivals,” says Pearse, “but the West has always lacked is our own music festival. Moondance is about providing a platform for up and coming musicians from the West of Ireland as well as creating an event that appeals to all age groups. I want it to have a real Galway feel.”
On Friday August 14 from 4pm there will be shows from Lisa Hannigan, Jape, The Guggenheim Grotto, The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, Stephen James, The Coonics, The Ralphs, and DJ Will Softly.
Saturday August 15 from 1pm will see performances from Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club, Noelie McDonnell and his band, Joe Fury & The Hay Ride, The Timber Tramps, The Rye, Toy Amps, Identity Parade, Keith Mullins, The Cubists, and DJ Swamp Stomp.
On Sunday August 16 from 12.30pm there will be shows from Mairtín O’Connor with Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd, Jimmy Higgins, and special guest Don Stiffe, Big Bag Of Sticks, No Banjo, Emmett Scanlan & What The Good Thought, Timber Tramps, Mr Williams Goodtime String Band, The Galway Gospel Choir, and DJ Ray McShake.
The Mask Ball also takes place on Sunday at 7pm with Kíla, Big Bag Of Sticks, Skazz, No Banjo, and DJ Ray McShake. Fancy dress is essential.
There will also be comedy, storytelling, Satyananda Yoga, theatre with Fibín and The Gombeens, a Ping Pong Disco, Vanessa Daws, Jodi Coyne, Jim Kavanagh, Geoff Ward & Bomba Nova Drumming Workshops, and Sarah Dunne.
As well as the music, festival goers can enjoy canoeing, kayaking, or windsurfing on Saturday and Sunday or guided walks through Clonbur Woods, hill walking, or a boat trip to Red Island.
Individual weekend tickets are €115. Family weekend tickets (two adults and three children (u18 ) ) are €320. These include free camping and parking. Numbers are limited to 2,000. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.ie, Ticketmaster Outlets, or through 0818 719 300. See www.moondancefestival.com
