New Croílár Festival exceeds expectations in its inaugural year
By Rebekah O'Reilly
The brand-new Croílár Festival, set on the banks of the River Shannon in Athlone, brought an extensive range of musical and cultural talent to the Midlands last weekend.
In its first year, the festival attracted a large turnout from local revellers, with both the festivities and the unusual wave of Spring sunshine bringing life and vibrancy to the town.
"The nicest thing was the age diversity," said Eddie Connolly, Croílár Festival organiser. "I saw little kids being lifted up at the side of the stages by their parents, and the talks on the Sunday drew a bit of an older crowd.
"It was really nice to see, and it shows that the festival really did have something for everyone."
Fellow Croílár organiser, Jack O'Meara added: "It was great, as well, to see local artists performing, and all of the support from the town. St Mary's Church of Ireland was a stunning venue, and we couldn't have gotten any luckier with the weather!"
Speaking to the Westmeath Independent before the festival, Eddie shared that sold over 500 tickets had been sold for the Croílár event.
However, after a blast of heat, crowds came out in force to support the artists and comedians by purchasing wristbands on the day.
"We had a goal and we exceeded it by a long shot, which was really a great sign," he said. "It gives you a big boost going forward."
A number of surprises were in store for festival-goers, including a pop-up event from Dublin-based artist Shiv in Flannery's, to the exclusive first performance of Tolü Makay's newest single 'War' which is set to be released on April 29.
The Tullamore singer said the song was her version of 'Zombie' by The Cranberries, as she took inspiration from the late Sinead O'Connor's strength and voice.
“Even if you're afraid, it's important to use your voice for yourself, and for others,” Tolü said to a packed audience in St Mary's Church on Saturday. “I needed to make my own version.”
Athlone artist Liadh (Leah Moloney) also debuted her new song 'Control' during her set at The Venue, although a release date has not yet been confirmed. The latest single has been produced by producer and artist Lisa Murray.
Festival organisers now intend to continue the music and comedy festival next year, and hope to make it an annual event in Athlone.
"We'll definitely be going again. The pubs and event spaces that hosted the festival were all happy. There were no major hiccups, and the crowd that turned out had a really good vibe," Eddie said.
All in all, the festival was a major success, helped by a dedicated committee, Westmeath County Council, and a barrage of local businesses.
"We really want to thank our committee, they did such a great job, and I'm really proud of what we achieved," Eddie said. "A huge shout out to the council for their support, and to Westmeath Arts Office and Creative Communities Ireland who provided us with grant support.
"And of course to the amazing artists and comedians. Croílár brought people so much joy, and we stay committed to giving a platform to up and coming artists, and a space to show people what they're made of."