Great Friday This Good Friday, Where Else Would You Be?

WHILE the whole country and Limerick’s vintners were holding their breath about pubs opening on Good Friday, the folks behind Limerick’s homegrown rock spectacular, the Great Friday Festival, were quietly going about their business, preparing for their annual day-out this Friday. Great Friday has been running in one form or another for almost eight years, but in 2008, moved to an outdoor location where some of Limerick’s finest bands took to the stage to entertain the masses.
Last year hundreds of revellers turned out to see fifteen bands on the main stage and eleven DJs in the newly introduced dance tent, in a field in Murroe.
Great Friday returns this year with an even better line-up, and a “shiny new” location. The location of Great Friday is shrouded in mystery, and those interested in attending must take a bus from Arthurs Quay, which will run from 11am today.
“We have a shiny new field all ready to go, and while it is much flatter and more convenient, I would still advise people to wear wellies and to bring something to sit on,” laughed Cathy O’Flaherty, of Great Friday Event Management.
Cathy said she didn’t think that the decision to allow pubs to open on Good Friday would affect the one-day music festival.
“I might have a small impact, but I don't think it will be much,” said Cathy.
“It is still a big day out for people and we are showing the Munster match, so people can keep their options open.”
This year’s festival will feature a dozen bands, including local acts the Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and Acoustra, with Dublin band Funzo headlining, while 11 DJs, including Dan Sykes and Jamie Behan will perform.
A number of magicians, fire-breathers and graffiti artists will also showcase their talents at the festival.
“It is certainly a more eclectic line-up than last year in terms of the group of bands we have - from electronic bands to full-on rock bands, a bit of everything,” explained Cathy.
“We also have the chill out tent for acoustic acts and a dance tent for the DJs,” she added. All of the profits from the festival will go to Rape Crisis Mid West, and just 600 tickets are available, so get moving.
“The whole thing is for charity, any and all profits will go to the Rape Crisis Centre,” explained Cathy. “We only do this for the fun of it, no-one gets paid for this. We are trying to keep costs down to a minimum, so only 600 tickets are available, and quite a few have been sold. I would advise people not to wait until the day to buy tickets, as they are selling fast.”
Great Friday takes place today. For full details see www.greatfriday.ie.

'Fall Prom' for Limerick-based charity Worthy Cause Ireland takes place this Saturday

THE FOURTH annual ‘Fall Prom’ is to take place this Saturday night, raising much needed money for the Limerick-based charity Worthy Cause Ireland which raises money for projects in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Last year’s event, which is organised by Limerick event management company ‘Great Friday’, raised over €3,500 for a Self Help community centre the Cambodian city.

The Limerick based charity was established by brothers Mark and David Quinn, from Castletroy, who aim to help families educate their children in the South-East Asian country. There will be a “circus theme” to this year’s event, according to Mark.

“There will be a variety of fire performers, stilt walkers, a magician, tarot readers and a candy floss machine,” said Mark, adding that acclaimed Dublin band ‘Funzo’ will perform on the night. Limerick TD Jan O’Sullivan will be on hand to cut the ribbon on the evenings festivities, which will take place in the Pery Hotel.

The organisers have dubbed the event “a charity ball for twenty-somethings”, and as such have reduced prices to reflect the straitened economic times.

“The traditional sit down meal has been scrapped in favour of making the tickets more accessible to the general public,” explained Mark.

“We have also lowered the ticket price by twenty percent in view of the public being more value conscious at the moment, and you really can't get better than a mere €20 for this fantastic event,” added Mark.

Hundreds turned out for last year’s successful event and the charity are keen to thank their sponsors Best Western Hotels, Great Friday Event Management, CWB and Carphone Warehouse Parkway who have donated a laptop as the grand prize in the raffle to be held on the night. Worthy Cause was started three years ago by the Quinn brothers and a number of Limerick locals who had an interest in fundraising and relieving poverty and providing education and scholarship programmes in Siem Reap.

The Fall Prom will take place this Saturday, October 10 in the Pery Hotel, for further details or tickets please email prom@greatfriday.ie or call 085-2822282.

Tickets are available in the Glentworth Hotel and the Brazen Head.

(pic copyright Mark Lyons)