Niamh Ryan reviews the recent Templehouse Music and Arts Festival
For the very first time, the scenic Ballymote Castle Estate in Co. Sligo opened its gates to the public for the Templehouse Music and Arts Festival. This brand new festival promised to be an eclectic mix of great music acts and a celebration of the arts, and was a welcome addition to the north-west of Ireland.
With two main stages and two slightly more informal settings the impressive line-up didn’t disappoint, with many of the acts being Irish it was a great showcase of homegrown talent. Established acts such as The Undertones and The Stunning entertained all ages, while more up-and-coming groups from Dublin such as Bipolar Empire and CODES were huge crowd pleasers.
As substantial as the music was, this festival wasn’t only attractive to music lovers. The organizers tried their best to guarantee a quality over quantity attitude towards this new festival and made sure there was something for everyone to do throughout the weekend, especially for families. There was definitely a child friendly atmosphere in amongst the many performers and small shows such as the mad-hatters tea party nestled up in the scenic arts trail. We talked to many of the kids who attended with their parents and all seemed to be very impressed. There was also a family camping area to get away from the noise at bedtime. Tickets went on sale for an early bird price of €59.98 which by normal festival standards is very good value for money.
Niamh Ryan
