Forfey Festival
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The wellies have barely been put away after Glasgowbury, but it’s time to dig them out once more as it’s festival time again, this time in the shape of Forfey. Located on a family farm near Lisnaskea in Co. Fermanagh, it’s the perfect location for a weekend of great music in a relaxing, intimate setting. There are black clouds to be seen for miles and the rain has decided to make an appearance, but it doesn’t seem to dampen the mood too much. It does make putting the tents up slightly trickier, but with festival volunteers happy to help, setting up a home runs smoothly.
The clock strikes 6.30pm and More Than Conquerors kick off the weekend in the Hayshed. They go down a treat, getting people excited for the weekend ahead. Claiming to have the first ever mosh pit at Forfey, it’s a great, vigorous start to the festival!
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Rams’ Pocket Radio are a definite highlight and it’s so good to see everybody singing along and really getting in to it, with the surroundings providing a perfect backdrop. Meanwhile, back at the campsite a fire has been lit and a guitar has been produced. A crowd gradually builds and everyone has a sing-a-long. This is when it becomes clear that Forfey is a unique festival experience with a real sense of community and solidarity.
Saturday morning springs upon us, and with cups of tea and bacon butties on hand, it’s time to prepare for another day of entertainment. And what better way to start the day than with Event Horses? Even though they claim to have had a rough night, they are great. With a few sore heads amongst the crowd, there are a few complaints that they shouldn’t be on so early. Perhaps this is so, but it’s enjoyable none the less.
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A big crowd gather in the Lie-To shed to watch Phoenix Fire. Singer Dave continues to be - as ever - the happiest man on stage, and his enthusiasm is wearing off on the crowd with everyone singing along. It appears that the band weren’t expecting this kind of enthusiasm and look like they are having a blast on the stage. Other highlights include Silhouette, Daithi O’Dronai and the ever amazing Mojo Fury.
The weekend draws to a close with a disco called ‘Crooksy’s Guilty Pleasures’ and is definitely a sight to behold. How often do you see shirtless tattooed men dancing to Spice Girls? The perfect ending is Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ and the whole place is buzzing and very, very sweaty. A truly notable experience!
Forfey is an wonderful small local festival. People seem to be very respectful of the surroundings and make sure that they leave the farm in an acceptable fashion, collecting rubbish with bin bags. All in all it’s an incredible festival experience -- roll on next year!
Carys McMorran
Photos: Tony Webster
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