Indiependence goers bask in glorious sunshine

By Joe Leogue Mitchelstown

There wasn’t a wellie in sight at the Indiependence Music and Arts Festival, but more than a few red faces as the good summer weather made a welcome reappearance, particularly on Saturday and Sunday.

The dry summer ensured that site conditions at Mitchelstown, Co Cork, were solid underfoot, and mud — that unwelcome staple of the Irish festival experience — was nowhere to be seen.

Organisers behind the Indiependence Music and Arts Festival said that well over 11,000 tickets were sold for the event, which is now in its 13th year.

UK rock stalwarts Primal Scream closed the main stage last night, following performances across three days from other headliners such as Jake Bugg and Walking on Cars.

Nathan Adams, David Whitaker, Siobhan Brosnan, Jordan Kelly, Adam Steele, Garreth Burke-Weigt, Leanne O’Reilly, Katie Sugrue.

On Saturday night singer-songwriter Kate Nash — currently starring in Netflick’s critically acclaimed series Glow — had Irish dancers from the Mayfield-based Mary McCarthy School of Irish dance join her onstage for her 2007 hit ‘Foundations’.

The festival also featured rock, hip hop, and dance music across five venues outside of the main stage.

A new addition to the festival site was a dedicated hip hop and urban music stage which showcased up-and-coming Irish acts such as Kojaque, Mango X Mathman, Tebi Rex, and Erica Cody.

From left: Amy Riordan, Mairead Teehan, Mary Starr, Sarah Woods, Tobi Lawal and Michelle Sammon at Indiependence.

English DJ Sigala proved to be a huge draw, with thousands spilling out of the Big Top tent to take in his set on Friday night.

The same stage hosted a triumphant Saturday night performance by Delorentos, who played established hits alongside well-received new tunes — a decade since they first played the festival in its previous incarnation as an open-air free event in Mitchelstown’s Main Square.

The town itself remained busy across the weekend, despite the festival’s relocation to the outskirts of Mitchelstown in 2009.

From left: Caoimhe McCarthy, Megan O’Regan and Heidi Buckley at Indiependence 2018, Mitchelstown, Co Cork. Picture: Kieran Frost

Campers made the short walk into the town to avail of shops, pubs, and restaurants — many of which were decorated especially for the occasion.

For most, each night of the festival concluded with a visit to the Beer Hall - a large converted farm shed - for the 80s Vs 90s disco.