Geesala Festival to mark 30th birthday in style
The traditional horse racing on Doolough Strand in Geesala is believed to have inspired John Millington Synge's Playboy of the Western World. Picture: Evita Coyle
The Geesala Festival is back this month and it promises to be an action-packed event with long-held traditions, family fun and the eagerly awaited return of horse-racing on the beach The picturesque Erris village of Geesala will come alive between Saturday, August 10, and Sunday, August 18, for its hugely popular annual festival.
Entering its 31st year, The Geesala Festival programme is as packed as ever.
A huge boost for the event is the return of horse-racing on the beach after a hiatus.
“The racing is back on the beach. That’s a really big one and everyone is delighted,” said John Munnelly, one of the festival organisers.
There will be five horse races on the beach on the Saturday, August 17 (for the first time ever) with the big ‘Derby Day’ taking place the following day with 10 races being run. There will also be greyhound racing on the beach on the Saturday.
“Everything has been going to plan. There will be plenty for everyone to enjoy during the course of the week,” said John.
The long-running festival started in 1994. The inaugural festival was organised as a ‘Come Home Week’ for emigrants all over the world to come home to Erris on the same week, as many who had emigrated in the mid twentieth century had lost contact with school mates, neighbours and friends as they might return home at different times of the year.
The diaspora element remains hugely important and the festival always attracts huge numbers returning home to their native Erris. “We will have a lot of the returning emigrants again this year which is great to see,” said John.
The festival kicks off on Sunday, August 11 with an eclectic mix of events and entertainment including Deep Sea Angling; a Traditional Heritage and Sports Day; the Jonathan Cuffe Memorial Walk plus lots of live music.
On Monday, the hunt gets underway for the Festival’s Fittest Family and the physical tests continue at the festival with the Geesala Festival Adventure Race on Wednesday, August 14 while on Sunday, August 18, the strong men of Erris will be rolling up their sleeves for the always entertaining Arm Wrestling Competition.
On Thursday, August 15, La an Logha – Belmullet’s Fair Day rolls into town and the Traditional Boat Racing Regatta is also sure to bring in the crowds on Friday, August 16.
There will be live music throughout the festival week with performances from Garron Noone and Stephen Cowboy Kelly, Ciara Cosgrove, Mickey Cosgrove, Irishize, and Michael S Togher, while Pat’s Country Roadshow will get toes tapping,
