Sugar Beat’s sweet smell of success!

Two generations of music fans converged on Tuam last weekend for the second staging of the Sugar Beat festival, which again proved a great success – despite the weather.

Heavy showers on the Saturday and some drizzle on the Sunday certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those in attendance – most of whom were prepared for the adverse weather conditions.

But there were very differing audiences at the two day festival as a more mature audience turned out on the Saturday to hear veteran performers The Stunning in action.

However, earlier in the day there was a very good crowd to hear Tuam’s one and only reggae band of the ‘eighties, Too Much For The Whiteman – and they certainly brought a local audience out.

Among the line-up was lead singer Mouse McHugh, Leo Moran of the Saw Doctors, Alan Flynn, Mike Stewart John Brogan, Mike Ivory, Gerry McHugh, Axel Grude and Derek Cronin.

They played for almost an hour and did an encore – and they were clearly delighted with the crowd reaction.

Indeed there are suggestions that the reggae group may reform on an occasional basis in the not too distant future. All of the members of the band are mainly local and they certainly would be a major attraction.

Then on Sunday a much younger generation turned up for the Louis Walsh-managed Hometown which has a major local interest in that band member Brendan Murray is from Tuam.

It is not surprising that proud parents Frank and Julianne Murray are relishing in their son’s success having only joined the group early last year.

“Brendan is delighted. It is a great achievement and we are very thankful for the support he has received from Tuam. It has been absolutely brilliant,” Frank Murray told The Connacht Tribune.

Brendan is a student at St. Jarlath’s College in Tuam and has been involved in the local music scene for the past few years. He was involved in a local group that performed around the Tuam area and also in venues in Galway city.

He was also an accomplished under age footballer with Tuam Stars, playing under 16 and minor – but at the moment his priority is to pursue a career in music. His brother Denis Murray is member of the Tuam Stars senior squad.

Festival organisers Shane Donnellan and Rossi Sheridan said that they could not do anything about the weather but they received a very positive reaction from those who attended the two day event.

The tented village at Tuam Stadium had several food and drink outlets as well as covered areas where music fans could escape from the rain.

The organisers were delighted with the reaction to the quality of music that they provided and promised that next year’s event would also be a two day festival.

The Gardaí reported that there were no incidents at the music festival and that everyone present behaved well.