Geesala all set for bumper nine-day Summer Festival

The village of Geesala is certainly the place to be over the next nine days as a bumper Summer Festival gets up and running tomorrow, Saturday, August 12.

The annual festival is this year's playing host to a brand new music festival called Far West Fest.

This top class music festival will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the long established Geesala Festival, which always takes place place in the village during the month of August.

Along with this new festival, the thousands who descend on Geesala will for this week have music, dancing, horse racing, greyhound racing, boat racing, the heritage day and much, much more.
Geesala is now one of the longest running festival events having started in 1994. The inaugural festival was organised as a ‘Come Home Week’ for emigrants all over the world to come home to Erris on the same week, as many who had emigrated in the mid twentieth century had lost contact with school mates, neighbours and friends as they might return home at different times of the year.
Over the years the many sponsors of the festival deserve great credit and thanks for their continued support. This year the hugely popular horse racing event takes place in a field in nearby Doolough on Sunday, August 20 (not on the beach as before) and still promises to be a great day for all. Tickets for the Far West Fest on the Friday and Saturday, August 18 and 19 are sold out and will not be available on the days. However people are very welcome to the village for all the other events during the course of the week.

FESTIVAL EVENTS

THIS year’s festival commences with Crinniú na mBád on Saturday, August 12 with Boat Racing Regatta at the Ferry, Tullaghan along with Family Free Days entertainment and sprots and then on Sunday, August 13 Mass in Geesala Cemetery at 11am and the Traditional Sports Day. The annual Jonathan Cuffe walk takes place at 6pm. Music later that night in The High Chapparal with Pat's Country Road Show.

Monday at 3pm is Family Walk and at 6pm is the Festivals Fittest Family, followed that night with music in the High Chaparral with Mickey C and in The Erris Coast Hotel with Laura Nash.
Tuesday is Lá na Lougha – Fair Day in Belmullet with Festival Bingo at 8pm, followed with music in The High Chaparral with Karaoke Competition and Disco and in the Erris Coast Hotel with US 3.
Wednesday will be Geesala Festival 10k Road Race at 6.30pm followed with music in the Erris Coast Hotel with Michael S and in The High Chaparral with Seamus Moore's JCB Band.
Thursday is Heritage Day in Belmullet along with Rásaí na gCon at 3pm followed that night with music in the Erris Coast Hotel with Tommy Maloney and in The High Chaparral with Pat's Country Road Show.

Then on Friday Far West Fest gets underway with the likes of Basement Jaxx, DJ Lyra, Jax Jomes, Jenny Green, Leah Heart, and Shona Brophy taking to the stage. Music that night in the Erris Coast Hotel with DJ Stefon in the Marquee.

Saturday will see the Open Golf Competition commencing at 10am and at 1pm live music in the Erris Coast Hotel Marquee with US 3. Far West Fest kicks off again for the second day at 3pm with Gavin James, The Acadamic, Wild Youth and Brad Heidi taking to the stage. Live super Céili that night also in the Erris Coast Hotel.

Sunday, August 20 is the final day of this super week in Erris with Mass in Doohoma Cemetery at 11am and Rásaí na gCapaill commencing at 1.30pm in The Field at Doolough. An arm wresling competition commences 5.30pm also in Doolough.

Followed that night with music in the Erris Coast Hotel Marquee with The Tic Tok Sensation – Chasing Abbey while at The High Chaparral the Festival will finish up with music by Kay and the Country Stars.