Leinster Fleadh - Maynooth Festival

Patser

First things first, I'm only a recent blow in to Maynooth, so forgive me if it's always been this way.

But yesterday I made 2 trips down into Maynooth town centre to join in with the festival and see the Fleadh that was being advertised most of the year. What a huge let down, incredibly wasted opportunities.

On the 1st trip, we brought our 2 year old down to the family encouraged festival on the sports pitches. It was Fr Ted- esque. A kids small paddling pool filled with ducks to hook and win a bar of chocolate, 3 balls on a horizontal step ladder to throw bean bags at, two bouncy castles that deflated at 4pm and 2 ponies doing laps of a land rover. Yes there was a DJ on an artic trailer, and yes there was a football tournament, but for such a huge area to use the lack of anything made it feel empty and dead.

We then went down behind the Castle which was admittedly a lot better, but that was just a stage with a band (The Beermats) giving it socks. Still it was such a lovely area, with kids jumping to the music, that you have to wonder why not squeeze the bouncy castles in there. Concentrate the festival to one area and create an atmosphere.

2nd trip, down with friends to see what the Fleadh, the Gig rig, the advertised Session trail, the closed off Main St would provide. Hoping for some great craic, great music and atmosphere. What we got was 100 people outside Bradys listening to a good band playing in the Square, who finished at 10.20 pm while the closed off Main St resembled a scene from 28 days later. Completely empty, no use made of it at all. No mini stages, no attempts to ask Picaderoes or Avenue can we use you awning protected outside area for bands. Just a closed empty Street.

Afterwards looking for music in pubs wasn't much better. Large group in McMahons not playing much and drowned out be a 50th Birthday disco in back room. The Roost had a group in front bar and an electric covers band called Rock of Ages in main bar with big amps. Guess who won that battle? O'Neills was too full the get into, as was Bradys (also hosting a 50th birthday). But again the advertised but unexplained Session trail remains a mystery to me. The pubs made little effort to support the trad bands there. It was all so underwhelming.

Anyway heading down again today, more in hope and with the Little One - but there's even less advertised for today. Except they're closing the Main St again for whatever reason.

Anyone else any opinions or ideas on why it was all so disjointed?

Patser

Back down today, back in the Castle. Same band stage, same happy vibe amongst lots of kids but today there are added big cushions and food stalls. Making it feel a lot more festivally, good atmosphere.

n97 mini

The only N Kildare festival I'm aware of that's of any significance is the Leixlip one. I had seen the signs around for the Leinster Fleadh, but it's the first time I'd heard of it.

Patser

n97 mini wrote: »

The only N Kildare festival I'm aware of that's of any significance is the Leixlip one. I had seen the signs around for the Leinster Fleadh, but it's the first time I'd heard of it.

The Fleadh is a big competition that moves from host town to town every year - with all ages involved in music and dance competing. It's not a permanent fixture in Maynooth, but it's supposed to be a relatively big deal (National Fleadh obviously a much bigger deal); which is why Maynooth moved their town festival to overlap it.

To be fair there was a lot of activity around the Boys school where the competition was run. It seemed well organised with everything well sign posted, volunteers on duty etc. But with that amount of talent in the town, as well as extra visitors, yesterday's lacklustre efforts annoyed me.

Mind you we'd a lovely day down by the Castle today - it was a perfect venue for a family friendly event. Talking with locals apparently it's first time OPW allowed an event in there. Still it was a lot to do with the venue, the making of today - there was just a stage with bands playing and a few food stalls as well. Yesterday's decision to use a big empty field and failure to use a closed off Main St still baffles.

Dolbert

Seriously, the vast majority of the festival was run by volunteers on a shoestring budget. If you feel that you could do so much better, why not join them next year?

brian_t

Patser wrote: »

and failure to use a closed off Main St still baffles.

The main street was only closed from 6pm each evening and that would have been to facilitate the crowd at the square.

Would there have been time each evening to organise other street events.

Patser

Dolbert wrote: »

Seriously, the vast majority of the festival was run by volunteers on a shoestring budget. If you feel that you could do so much better, why not join them next year?

And fair play to them, but does that mean nobody can say anything critical about their decisions. The things that they did have could have been used better IMO, scattering them around town lost the atmosphere.

Patser

brian_t wrote: »

The main street was only closed from 6pm each evening and that would have been to facilitate the crowd at the square.

Would have been time each evening to organise other street events.

There was no crowds, not enough that justified closing the Main St. But if you are going to, why not use it. They had an artic trailer in the field with a DJ that could have been placed on the street and used as a 2nd band stage. Or as I said ask Picaderoes or Oak Alley if they could use their outdoor sections for a session group. Minimal set up time.

Cakes and Ale

Just to add to this: Sunday at the Castle was very good for the couple of hours there with the kids. Great space, good sound, nice atmosphere. Could do this regularly and has a lot of potential.
But the gig rig in the square didn't work well - at around half seven on Sunday there was a whole half-hour break until the last band were due on. That's just too long and meant that they lost lots of the audience during the break. Pubs were dismal on Friday too - no music anywhere except the front of the Roost.

FionnK86

A lot to be said for Celbridge Street Festival.

I've been there the last two years, last year was a definite improvement from 2013. I'd say this year's will be better. Their website is http://celbridgefestival.com/