Denise Chaila and Gavin James head up Ireland's first festival in 15 months - Covid testing required

Dublin's IMMA and MCD are overseeing the event, moved to the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham - and there are free tickets for frontline workers

Denise Chaila - rising hip-hop star headlines Royal Hospital Kilmainham on July 3. Pic: Mark Stedman

The line-up for a major 'pilot' festival, part of a series of cultural events testing the waters for cultural gatherings ahead of future loosening of Covid-era restrictions, has been announced. 

The July 3 event's lineup was announced after it was moved from Phoenix Park to Kilmainham's Royal Hospital - and this time, testing will be required to get in the door.

Pop singer-songwriter Gavin James and Limerick rapper Denise Chaila sit at the top of a homegrown, Irish bill that also includes Wicklow trio Wyvern Lingo and Irish folk legend Sharon Shannon, as well as Leeside pop breakout Lyra and pop-rockers Wild Youth. 

MCing the affair will be Tipperary double-act The 2 Johnnies.

The lineup for A Pilot Festival, July 3rd in Kilmainham, Co Dublin

The gig was announced today by arts minister Catherine Martin, with tickets - €39.50 plus usual fees - going on sale this Friday at 9am via ticketmaster.ie. 

A maximum of 3,500 people will be allowed into the event, seated in pods of 4 or 6 people, to maintain social distance, and these will be non-transferrable, meaning no secondary ticketing will take place.

Rapid antigen testing will be a requirement of entry to the event, addressing a point of criticism from the first test gig, headlined by James Vincent McMorrow, earlier this month at Iveagh Gardens. 

Organisers say health specialists will conduct antigen tests prior to the even, with further details provided to ticketholders beforehand.

Gavin James on stage at Musgrave Park, Cork in 2019. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

"The line-up is fantastic", said Martin in a statement, "and there will be 3,500 fans on the night, enjoying a very exciting range of Irish talent." 

"I have set aside 500 free tickets for frontline health care workers as a gesture of thanks for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic. Their commitment in these unbelievably challenging times has been truly inspiring and something which I know we all appreciate.

"These pilot events are critical on the road to reopening live entertainment and will help the Government to plan for the safe management of events whilst Covid is still circulating in our communities and build confidence in the guidance and event management protocols developed to keep everyone safe."

The news comes off the back of a busy time for some of the artists featured - James' new single Sober is impacting on daytime radio at present, while Chaila's latest single, 061, has been much-hyped by a video premiere via MTV in the UK.