By Noel Dundon
Holycross Ballycahill GAA club will be putting aside the business of hurling and football for the coming weeks as they prepare to ‘Cut Loose’ with a country and music festival which will, with the help of a massive voluntary effort, be staged in St Michael’s GAA grounds on Sunday July 22nd.
Featuring many of the top acts in the business, the festival is aimed at raising funds for the continued development of, and paying for, the fabulous facilities in the grounds which have been hugely enhanced by a dedicated committee and team of volunteers over the last five years or so. Their work has ensured the provision of a state-of-the-art pavillion – named after the clubs most famous son, John Doyle -with dressingrooms, indoor handball alley, gymnasium, meeting rooms, kitchen, all-weather ball wall, walking track and a second pitch. The facilities were opened last year by GAA President Christy Cooney with John Doyle’s family in attendance, including his wife Anne.
St Michael’s GAA grounds is used every day by people from the parish and indeed outside also and has become a real focal point of recreational activity. Young and old alike come to play ball, walk, cycle, jog, take yoga classes, enjoy the fabulous Health Quest gym etc. And, the facilities are being enjoyed by all sections of the community and helping to make Holycross a very socialable place.
July 22nd will see that socialable element increase 100 fold when six of the top country and western acts will converge of the venue normally used to hosting Mid and county Tipperary GAA games. Industry legends including Jimmy Buckley, Mike Denver, Robert Mizell, Paddy O’ Brien, Crystal Swing and Tipperary’s own Louise Morrissey will help ensure that this event is one of the festival highlights of the year. It is predicted to attract country music lovers from all over Ireland with bookings having already been made from groups and organisations from far and wide.
The nearest St Michael’s GAA grounds has come to the hucklebuck as demonstrated by Derek Burke, could possibly be a nervous junior B forward with ball in hand in front of goal, his side two points down, with ten seconds to go. Yes, the legs would quiver, and so will Crystal Swing when they take to the specially ordered stage for the event – the same stage used by the Saturday’s on their recent visit to Thurles. The stage will be angled so as to be visable from the viewing area in the John Doyle Centre and from the stand also.
Deputy Michael Lowry has been at the helm of the committee charged with responsibility for bringing the whole project together having been asked to do so by club Chairman Tom Dwyer. A former hurler with the side, Deputy Lowry is also a former Chairman of the Mid and County GAA Boards, as well as being centrally involved in the Feile concerts which helped clear the massive debt on Semple Stadium arising from the redevelopment of the venue prior to the 1984 Centenary All-Ireland.
Michael Lowry has assembled a dedicated team of local leaders to help carry off the festival. Each leader then has a team to help them ensure that their element of the preparations are undertaken and completed in time for the gig to take place. Then, afterwards, it will be all hands to the pump as they return St Michael’s to it’s normal state.
For instance Eddie Hosty and a team of carpenters will work from first light on the previous day to get the dance floor in place; John Ryan and his team will look after the pitch logistics and ensure that all elements are accounted for -a special detailed site plan has been drawn up; Declan Ryan and Willie Harty will be overseeing entry and exit to, and from, the grounds; Sean Moynihan will be responsible for the parking of vehicles and David Thompson is responsible for health and safety.
A promotions team which includes Renie English, Anna Stakelum and Michael Ryan have been busy getting the message out and about, while Jimmy Burke is head of the ticket selling team which is being co-ordinated by Margaret Fleming,
Catering, and the bar, will be run by local man Eamon Gorman of Bohernacrusha, and his team who will ensure that everyone will be fed and watered, and the club has been thrilled with the level of local co-operation experienced in planning the event. Adjoining landowners Andy Hayes and Pat Ryan have once again come to the aid of the club by agreeing to provide parking facilities for cars while all busses and parking for those who will be confined to cars, will be on site.
There will be a medical centre, ambulance base, all one would expect from a site venue – St Michael’s GAA grounds will hardly be recognisable to usual visitors.
Club Chairman Tom Dwyer told The Tipperary Star, “The place will look a lot different alright when everything is in place. There are groups of people planning many different aspects and there will be a huge amount of voluntary effort over the course of the next few weeks as we prepare for the festival. It’s a new experience for us but we are fortunate to have so many people willing to put the shoulders to the wheel for the club. And, of course, Michael Lowry is at the helm making sure that everything will be ready – his experience has been, and will be, crucial to the success of ‘Cut Loose,” Tom said.
Gates open at 12 noon for this unique country music , outdoor event and non-stop entertainment will be provided throughout the day until 7pm.
Tickets, priced at just 20.00 Euro are available online at www.entertainment .com/festival or by calling Anna on 087 2400190.
So, mark a date in your diaries to see some of Ireland’ s premier country and Irish acts this July – there can be no better reason to ‘cut loose’ and dance, listen and enjoy!