A great success as Lark in The Park hits all the right notes with festival goers, musicians and neighbours a like.
Five bands took to the stage with the much vaunted, Tumbling Paddies showing exactly why they’re in such high demand. The crowd enjoyed every moment of their two hour set.
Everyone was also in agreement that the whole experience was perfect from start to finish. Such a project is a gamble but to see and hear of things going so well, plans for 2024 were being discussed.
This offered volunteers a much needed boost after what was a very busy week preparing the venue.
A lot of planning, organising, volunteering all arrived to one point, 12:30pm, Saturday, June 24.
The weather was great and the first festival goers made their way in.
Many, many more would follow, ensuring this wasn’t only a financial success, it was also trouble free event. It wasn’t long before Foul Play took to the stage.
This cool two piece have their own groove. They were mixing and matching classic sixties hits by The Doors with the very new Fontaines D.C.
Local boys, Strings n Things turned up the tempo with their distinctively inspiring versions of classic tunes mixed with their own hits.
Their song “Jigtime” is a radio ready hit. You get the sense they could hit the bigtime with Jigtime. Next on stage were from North Tipp.
Tradstone, were a band probably not overly familiar to us in Thurles area. That’s certainly not the case now. While it may have been three O’clock in the day.
They brought a headline act energy and quality to their set. As organisers, we were blown away by their approach and support.
Wishing following acts the best and encouraging the crowd.
It was over to one of the jewels on the Tipperary music circuit. Rebel Hearts rightly have a massive following.
On the road twenty-three years, you could feel the buzz spread around the field when they started playing.
They cross all generations as young and old danced to the piper’s tune.
The piper being Paudie Coen. If it doesn’t work out for the new man on The Late Late Show. We propose Paudie as the man for the job.
It was over to Liam Cahill and the boys as we took in the first half of the Tipp match on the Big Screen. Unfortunately things didn’t go as we’d hoped for the lads. We wish them all the very best for 2024
Thankfully we had a group of ridiculously talented musicians poised and ready to get things going. Tumbling Paddies stock is only going one way.
The Fermanagh men had the crowd in the palm of their hand. Not too often you have groupies screaming for autographs on a GAA field.
There was an unforgettable moment when John McGrath fired a much needed goal for Tipp. The boys introduced their huge hit song, “That’s The Way I Am”.
This was the peak moment for Lark in The Park. There was very few not up dancing as they enjoyed the rest of the day.
Thurles Gaels transformed Kickham Park from a GAA pitch to a pitch perfect outdoor music venue for the first ever Lark in The Park.
It’s certainly no small fete to take on such a project. Especially so soon after the completion of Phase 2 in Kickham Park development plan.
Where we added a massive 90mx30m all weather area to the back of our goals. This has elevated our facilities to an elite level.
This was made possible thanks to volunteers putting in a lot of hard hours at weekends and evenings. A lot of whom, kept the sleeves rolled up to complete the transformation of Kickham Park.
Thank you to all our stewards who made it safe and all who prepared food.
You have put some real pride in to the club.
We can’t thank enough all the acts who impressed us not only with their talents but also their support and approval of what we had done.
We can’t thank enough all who bought a ticket, all who attended on the day. We can’t thank enough our neighbours who could see the effort we put in and were very understanding.
Thanks to the West Awake lads who shared more than just their knowledge.
O’Mahoney Electrical for their expertise, Roynane Hardware. Michael Lowry whose experience was brought to bare on a few occasions.
He was impressed when he called up for a look on the day.
Thanks to Brian Barrett who with John Tierney and his security staff made it a healthy an safe experience for all. Thanks to Lumatech who looked after the sound and stage very professional.
We’re blessed to have local businesses as part of the occasion. We’ll be back again in 2024.
