Boyle Arts Festival 2023 was a ‘resounding success’

Boyle Arts Festival 2023, with its strong programme of Classical, Folk and Traditional music, took place in July, and showcased some unique performances featuring many of the finest musicians in the country. 

The Boyle Arts Festival Committee would like to extend heartfelt thanks to everybody who helped make this year’s Festival a resounding success.

The Committee told the Leitrim Observer: “ We received tremendous support as always from the people and businesses of Boyle - in terms of sponsorship through our GoFundMe page, attendance of events, provision of premises for exhibition space, voluntary help and of course, that wonderful hospitality that welcomed the considerable numbers of visitors to the town from all over the country and further afield.

“We are also indebted to The Arts Council, Roscommon Co. Council and their Creative Ireland Programme for their financial support and belief in us.

“Publicity is vital to any Festival, and we would like to thank BoyleToday.com, Realboyle.com and Úna Bhán Tourism/Discover Boyle, along with all the regional and national newspapers and radio stations, for all the publicity afforded to us, both before and during the Festival”. 

The Committee thanked the Roscommon Arts Officer Rhona McGrath and Roscommon Co. Council for the use of ‘An Ríoga’ to house the Open Art Exhibition and also the Festival information office. 

“Thanks also to the St. Joseph’s Hall committee and Canon Gerry Hanly for the use of the Hall as a venue. We also thank Rev. Edward Yendall and Rory and Pearl Anderson for the use of the Church of Ireland and Joan and Belinda Collier for the use of Frybrook House. 

“We are very grateful to all in The Bazaar, Feelystone, Boyle Family Resource Centre, The Patrick’s Well and Dodd’s Crescent Bar for allowing us to use their premises as venues.

“A very special word of gratitude is extended to Brendan Gleeson for coming to officially open our Festival and also to Marian Ahern, for her assistance with the annual Fergus Ahern Award”, they said. 

To make the Festival a success, local volunteers joined the Committee, including Laura Tighe, Bernie Lyons, Perpetua McGee, Elaine Bennett, Marian Brogan and Jessica McCauley, Stephen Tighe and Damien Wallace.

“We are very grateful to the Boyle Tidy Towns Committee for having the town looking so well in the run-up to the Festival and to the Gardaí for assisting with traffic management. 

“And finally, we would like to thank all the visual artists, performers and contributors who took part in BAF 2023 and especially all the local artists and musicians, who once again made this year’s Festival so special. Without them, the Boyle Arts Festival would be incomplete”, the Committee said. 

Boyle Arts Festival 2024 will take place from July 18-27. For more information, please visit www.boylearts.com or follow BAF on Facebook, Instagram and X.