Westport exerts magic despite weaker line-up

Spectacular sunshine and an extremely friendly atmosphere combined to ensure that the third annual Westport Festival of Music and Food proved to be a huge success last weekend.

Although this year’s festival failed to match the magic of the phenomenal line-up featured in its inaugural year, there was enough variety on offer to ensure it was a hugely enjoyable experience for the 15,000 punters – 3,000 up on last year – who flocked to the Co Mayo town.

With greater planning in the layout of the six stages around Westport House, and an increasing emphasis on family-friendly events, the balmy weather proved to be the icing on the cake for those who came along to enjoy the mixture of music, cookery demonstrations, comedy and food.

The pristine grounds of Westport House proved to be a big hit throughout the three years of the festival, even if the line-ups have been visibly weaker in 2013 and 2014.

Not that fans of Bryan Adams or Kool and The Gang were complaining when the 1980s American rock star and disco kings brought the festival to a close on Sunday night.

Earlier, an emotional Sinéad O’Connor provided one of the genuine highlights of the festival when she won over the main stage with a 75 minute set in the sunshine. Playing a mixture of old and new tracks, Sinead underlined why she is considered one of the best Irish songwriters of the past 25 years.

Other highlights on Sunday came from African act Tinariwen, on the main stage, and a superb set by 1980s ska band The Selecter who rocked the Marquee Stage. Later, Kíla, Mundy, and festival veterans Bell X1 provided some top class home grown entertainment on the same stage.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune