Top national and international acts on bill for Westport summer festival

The stunning setting of Westport House in Co Mayo is the venue for what promises to be one of the most exciting musical events of the Summer when the Westport Festival of Music and Performing Arts takes place on the weekend of June 23-24. 

Set on a picturesque 400 acre site within walking distance of the centre of the town, the festival will have a capacity of 10,000 and promises a ‘family friendly’ vibe with on-site camping and a Pirate Adventure Park on the grounds.

International headlining acts confirmed so far include former frontman of The Kinks Ray Davies, 1980s superstar Lloyd Cole, former Spiddal residents The Waterboys, Marc Almond of Soft Cell, television star Jools Holland, bluesman Eric Bibb, Alison Moyet, and folktronic songstress Beth Orton.

There is plenty of home-grown talent, too, including such legendary Irish acts as Horslips, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Hothouse Flowers, The 4 of Us, and Jerry Fish.

Newer acts include Galway’s own Kanyu Tree, riding high on the success of their debut album, and they will be joined by the likes of Damien Dempsey, David Kitt, The Riptide Movement, Bipolar Empire, Cars Love Girls, and Rainy Boy Sleep.

The organisers are promising a “relaxed and friendly” vibe in the wonderful grounds of Westport House and it is hoped that the Westport Festival will become an annual event for years to come.

“The promoter has been looking for a site in the West for a good sized festival for some time and Westport House have long considered hosting one on their beautiful grounds but the time had never seemed right. It just came together at the right time on both sides,” said Aileen Galvin, a spokesperson for the promoters.

“There is an incredible sense of ‘working together’ in Westport and everyone from hotels to B&B’s, restaurants to coffee shops, bars to clubs have come together to promote the festival. Westport is a town that is well used to accommodating and entertaining slews of tourists and visitors and the infrastructure is already in place to cope with an influx of people over the weekend.”

With no Oxegen this year, there will be fewer major outdoor festivals for punters in Ireland in 2012 and the organisers are hopeful of attracting older music fans and families for what is an incredible variety of bands over two days.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.