All shades of the best Irish music from Night & Day
Old meets new at Roscommon extravaganza
THE different shades of summer are upon us and all over the country tents and sleeping bags are being unfurled for the festivals of choice.
From today, one of the finest in the west will take place on the shores of Lough Key, in the forest park of the same name on those famous ley lines in Boyle, Co Roscommon.
Night And Day celebrates the different shades of Irish music and has a wide-ranging and diverse line up including legacy acts, firm favourites and upand-coming stars.
The festival has links to this parish too as it was co-founded by Irish Daily Mail journalist Craig Hughes and two of his uncles who worked in the music industry. All passionate about music, particularly that from our own shores, they set about creating Night And Day to fill a gap in the West.
It’s a festival that offers opportunity for home-grown acts to showcase their considerable talents and provides a leg-up for the smaller outfits to play beside those whose work is already celebrated.
THE third year is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet. Craig says: ‘It’s exciting and less terrifying as we enter our third Night And Day. We’ve continued our tradition of focusing heavily on Irish-based talent, which is in no short supply.
‘This year our line-up has a great mix of classic Irish acts such as Damien Dempsey, Mick Flannery, Bell X1, Ash and The Undertones, but equally exciting is the emerging acts taking to the stage.
‘In particular I’m most excited for Dea Matrona, Chalk and Morgana. All very different but the common thread is that they are all powerful performers so it’s a privilege to be able to showcase just how brilliant they are at Night And Day.’
Putting on a festival while holding down a day job is no mean feat either but it just shows the level of passion that is associated with this great event.
‘It’s been another rollercoaster year in getting here, particularly with all the challenges facing festivals at the moment,’ says Craig.
‘But we’re happily on track to at least double our attendees from last year.’
Things are kicking off in style tonight with the funk stylings of Grooveline, who we are promised will put on an uplifting and energised set.
Mayfield Sound is a project led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Darragh McCauley who recently released his debut single Make it Better.
Roscommon’s own Arlene is an up-and-coming artist whose second single Send Me Any Sign went global and got her noticed by the BBC introducing squad. Her sound blends together the genres of indie pop & alt-rock along with a fusion of hybrid beats throughout.
As well as the chief music enthusiast behind the longrunning new music website Nialler9, Dubliner Niall Byrne has carved out a reputation for his DJ and selection skills behind the decks. Drawing from a love of music new and old, mainstream and underground, Nialler9’s sets offer everyone the opportunity to get dancing, as will electronic DJ and producer Colin Perkins in what promises to be an eclectic and interesting Friday night.
Saturday sees some serious heavy hitters mixed with the stars of tomorrow.
Folk’s finest the Daoirí Farrell Trio are among the highlights as Daoirí is joined by uilleann piper Mark Redmond and bodhran player Robbie Walsh.
Saturday has a bit of a northern flavour as the aforementioned Dea Matrona are joined by Ash, The 4 of Us and The Undertones in a day that also includes Damian Dempsey, Ailbhe Reddy, Gemma Hayes and Kynsy for a very special day of music.
Ash are a band that people should take every opportunity to see, with a long legacy of hits including Girl From Mars, There’s A Star, Shining Light, Jack Names the Planets, Kung Fu, Oh Yeah and more show stoppers and award-winners.
Race The Night is the title of the latest long-player, released in September last year, hitting number three in the UK Independent Album Charts.
But it is on stage where this ferocious threesome come into their own and their set will no doubt be one of the festival highlights.
Since the release of her debut album
Personal History, Ailbhe Reddy has been heralded as a bright light in the songwriting world. Her second album Endless Affair was released last year and has been steadily gaining ground at home and abroad for the singer, with comparisons even being made with the late, great Sinead O’Connor.
THE Undertones really need no introduction, given that their single Teenage Kicks was recently voted the best Irish song of all time. However, a dip into their back catalogue reveals much more than just one brilliant song — from Here Comes The Summer, Wednesday Week to Julie Ocean and Love Parade, the list is endless.
While Damien Dempsey will be providing the sing-along good vibes, there will also be spectacular DJ sets from the likes of KellyAnne Byrne who will keep the forest rocking.
On Sunday, BellX1 will be topping the bill, but not before the Rebel County has its say in the form of The Frank
And
Walters. Probably one of Ireland’s most underrated bands, the use of After All in The Young Offenders has given the Franks some much-deserved attention but again, they are a band with much more to them than just one song.
Witty, clever and heartwarming, the Corkonians also know how to have an audience eating out of the palms of their hands.
He was adored as the funky frontman of Republic of Loose and last year Mik Pyro released a solo record that is quality. The blues-based grooves of Exit Pyro offer tales of love, loss and regret in a way that only Mik can.
With Susan O’Neill and Mick Flannery both on the bill, one might not be averse to hoping for a few tracks from their joint collaboration In The Game.
Meanwhile Saint Sister Morgana is going solo with a much-anticipated performance following her sold-out shows earlier this year.
The legendary Cry Before Dawn will also be making an appearance, no doubt giving us a blast of their hits including the unforgettable Gone Forever.
Sunday’s selection is a carefully crafted and spiritual one, wrapping up a festival that will bring much joy to those in attendance.
Of course, there’s the usual mix of fun and adventure in this stunning setting and whether you want to camp or prefer to bus it from Boyle or the surrounding areas, there’s provision for you.
There are weekend tickets, day tickets and whatever you fancy and there’s also a stunning spa area in the Loch Cé Wellness centre on the shores of the lake. Here you can enjoy yoga sessions, sauna treatments, hot tubs and more while gazing on the beautiful Roscommon countryside.
Plus it looks like the sun might be out too. What more could a festival-goer ask for?
See nightandday.ie for tickets and full information.