The first Coillte Come Home Festival in 1968

As excitement builds for this year’s Coillte Come Home Festival, it’s worth taking a nostalgic look back at where it all began. The very first festival was held from Friday, July 19th to Sunday, July 28th, 1968 - a full ten days of music, fun, and community spirit that captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike.

When the first Coillte Come Home Festival opened in Kiltimagh on Friday, July 19th, 1968, it wasn’t just about fun and entertainment - it was a proud declaration of identity and community spirit. The festival invited Irish emigrants from cities and abroad - fondly nicknamed the "Coilltes" - to return home and celebrate their roots, no matter where they originally hailed from.

The name "Coillte" itself, widely recognised at home and overseas, was a fitting title for a festival held in a town carved out of forested land. In 1968, Kiltimagh was already known for its forward-thinking community and a strong track record of progress. It had grown quickly from a small hamlet into a modern town, boasting amenities that outshone many larger centres - including its own gas and water works, public lighting, and early employment support schemes that predated the national dole.

The festival’s programme was second to none in the West, featuring music, dancing, sports, novelty competitions and more. Proceeds from the 10-day celebration went toward the development of the GAA’s 13-acre football ground, a facility of great local pride that once hosted a Connacht Final in 1944.

Behind the festivities was a deeper purpose: a celebration of how far Kiltimagh had come, and a reaffirmation of its connection to all those who had left, yet never truly left it behind. With energy, ambition, and a famously warm welcome, the 1968 Coillte Come Home Festival marked the beginning of what would become a cherished tradition in the life of the town.

The original committee’s officers were: John Creighton (Chairperson), Mick Higgins (Secretary) and John Kenny (Treasurer). The 1968 festival opened with great fanfare on the Friday night, with a rag and fancy dress parade weaving its colourful way through the streets. The Montrose Ballroom hosted the first of many nights of dancing, with Shea O’Hara and the Premier Aces setting the tone for a lively programme of entertainment. The first heat of the Miss Mayo competition was held that night.

On Saturday, July 20th, the town gathered in the Market Square for an open-air céilí and the traditional 'Bring Down the Lamp' ceremony at 9pm.

Sunday brought a flurry of activity, including children’s sports in the Carnival Grounds at 7pm, with plenty of prizes to go around. Later that evening, the Montrose Ballroom welcomed dancers once again, this time to the music of the Navaks, and the second heat of the Miss Mayo competition took place.

On Monday, July 22nd, the spotlight turned to younger members of the community with a Bonnie Baby competition, followed by an Irish concert and an impressive display of craftwork by the ICA. The then-legendary Harp Singing Pubs competition also began that evening, with participating pubs competing for musical glory in a contest that would continue all week long.

Tuesday, July 23rd, saw competitors gather at the courthouse for a road race from Swinford to Kiltimagh. That evening’s entertainment included a Mini Flea Ceol, another open-air céilí, and more from the Singing Pubs series.

The week’s momentum didn’t slow. On Wednesday, July 24th, a bicycle race took place from Market Square at 7.30pm. Later, Johnny Flynn and his band filled the Montrose with music, while the pub singing contest rolled on.

By Thursday, July 25th, the town was buzzing with a balloon-blowing competition in the Square, followed by yet another lively céilí under the open sky. Friday, July 26th, featured a special Farmers' Night, a raffle for a litter of bonhams in the Carnival Grounds at 10pm, and more dancing in the Montrose to the sounds of the Nomads Showband. The Miss Mayo competition continued alongside the pub music final stages.

The penultimate day of the festival, Saturday, July 27th, brought the much-anticipated final of the Singing Pubs competition, held in the Carnival Grounds at 9.30pm, drawing large crowds.

The grand finale on Sunday, July 28th, featured a Donkey Derby at 3.30pm with a generous prize pot of £80 - a significant sum at the time. The festival concluded with a Race Dance in the Montrose, music by the Carousel Showband, and the final of the Miss Mayo competition.

Throughout the festival, McFadden’s Amusements lit up the town every night. Dodgems, chair-o-planes, swing boats, a rifle range, a delft stall, roulette, and Ireland’s biggest “Pongo” TV game - with a guaranteed winner - kept thrill-seekers entertained long into the evenings.

That first Coillte Come Home Festival in 1968 laid the foundations for what would become a cherished tradition in the life of the community - a celebration of home, heritage, and heart.