Huge praise for sell out Comeraghs Wild Festival, with calls to make next year's even bigger   

This year's Comeraghs Wild Festival proved to be a roaring success, attracting massive crowds to the Comeragh region for a weekend of music, culture and community.

Councillors from the Comeragh municipality were full of praise for the festival during this month’s district meeting, citing it as Waterford's biggest and best festival.

'From strength to strength'

Cllr Liam Brazil, who is a committee member of the festival, said he was delighted to see such massive crowds attend across the weekend.

He said that the festival will continue to grow but needs to be provided with additional funding from Waterford City and County Council next year to facilitate increased demand.

He also expressed disappointment that no Waterford Council Senior Management member attended the events this year.

“I’m arguing in this chamber a long time, that the people of Waterford don’t appreciate what we have in the Comeraghs. We’re living in the nicest place in the world between the mountain and the sea," he said.

“I do believe this festival is going to go from strength to strength. We need to put more funding into the Comeraghs Wild Festival because this is getting bigger and bigger every year and the bigger it gets the more the costs will be. 

"So I'll be arguing this year to double that money going into the festival. We need to support this big time.” 

“I was really delighted with every event that happened and to see it so well attended. We have to push this and make it stronger and stronger," he added.

'Something unbelievable'

A highlight of the festival was the 'Remembering Joe' tribute concert in Cooney’s Yard. 

The Dolan family, joined by the Wackateers, sold out the evening and delivered a heartfelt homage marking 18 years since Joe Dolan’s passing.

“The event in Cooney's Yard, last Friday night was something unbelievable,” Cllr Brazil said, "to see 450 people dancing up in the Comeragh mountains, it was fantastic to witness."

Cllr Seanie Power added, "us councillors were out dancing in Cooney's Yard and it was a wonderful event", whilst Cllr John O’Leary quipped: “I still have some pain from dancing!"

Cllr Catherine Burke said that the festival brought the very best out of the communities of the Comeraghs.

"It highlights what we have in the Comeragh area from the mountains down to the sea and the fact we have such wonderful landscape, community, villages and towns."

She also reiterated the call to grant increased funding to the festival next year.

Councillors also commended Festival Organiser, Bernadette Drohan, volunteers and committee members for their hard work on the event.