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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Some of the crowd pictured in who attended a meeting of Castlebar Music Festival in the TF Royal Theatre & Hotel (Photo courtesy of Castlebar Music Festival)
EFFORTS are underway to bring a music festival to Castlebar following a meeting which was told that the county town is ‘at rock bottom’.
Approximatly 40 people, including three elected county councillors, were present at the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre last night (Thursday) for a meeting organised by the newly-formed Castlebar Music Festival.
The group aims to bring large live music events to Castlebar, which was once home to large festivals such as the Guinness Castlebar Blues Festival.
The hour-long meeting heard that young people were leaving the county town in their droves to enjoy music and nightlife in Castlebar.
A number of people have put forward their names to be part of a committee to organise a live music festival in the town.
MacHale Park and the Mall were among the venues suggested for live music events by contributors.
Richard Martin, organiser of the meeting, claimed that social life in Castlebar was ‘at rock bottom’ and ‘really, really needs to get its act together’.
During his opening remarks, Mr Martin estimated Castlebar’s economy was losing over €1.2 million a year to people leaving the town to socialise in Westport.
“The money should be coming into the town and staying in the town,” he stated.
Mr Martin bemoaned ‘a lack of unity’ within the town and said ‘a collective effort’ was needed to bring a major live music event to Castlebar.
General election candidate Harry Barrett (Independent) was among those who called for a night club to be opened in the town, which currently has only one late bar.
Local county councillors Blackie Gavin and Michael Kilcoyne pledged to donate some of their General Municipal Allocation (GMA) towards the running of a music festival in Castlebar.
“We fully support what you need to do, there’s no doubt about it,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.
The meeting was also attended by Ballina-based Independent councillor Mark Duffy, who said that joined-up thinking among the local community was needed for a music festival to succeed.
Several contributors referred to music festivals in Ballyheane, Geesala, Kiltimagh and Ballina as examples for Castlebar to follow.
Over 20,000 people have already followed the Castlebar Music Festival social media page since it was created.
There will be a full report of the meeting in this Tuesday’s (July 25) Mayo News.
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