Forget the rain preparations are in tents at uisneach

Even if it teems from the heavens this Saturday, the organiser of the Uisneach Fire Festival are ready for it.

“It’s now an all-weather festival,” says David Clarke, owner of the historic hill, which is set to come alive with music and entertainment from 2 pm on Saturday.

The main stage area – where the legendary Mary Coughlan will entertain from 6.15 pm – is now tented.

That means even more of the site is under canvass – just in case!

“We had a lot of it under canvass anyway,” says David, who reveals that even if the sun wasn’t shining on them last weekend, the gods must have been.

“Everything we had planned for last Saturday is happening this Saturday.

“Everyone we had booked, they were all still available.

“The only difference is we now know that even there’s a drop of rain, there will be plenty of places in which people can take shelter.”

At 9.30pm, the flames from the Uisneach fire will light up the site, carrying on a tradition that goes back 5,000 years.

“This is about more than music: it’s a celebration of history, heritage, culture and tradition,” says David.

The ceremonial fire parade at dusk will be the centrepiece of the day-long celebration, which will also feature artisan foods and crafts, holistic healing, a heritage talks tent, re-enactments and guided heritage walks.

The procession to the highest point of Uisneach, from which you can see 20 counties, will include tribal drummers and fire dancers, as well as festival participants.

Simon Taylor, designer of the wooden pyre, says that before it is set alight, the public will be free to leave in it tokens, mementos and notes, much in the same spirit as at tthe Burning Man Temple and the Derry Temple.

Music

While the day isn’t just about music, there will be a quite a bit of it, and the main stage area will feature a full music programme including the Máirtín O’Connor Band and Mary Coughlan.

Touch The Earth, Celtic Shamans from Wales, are the first act to grace the Ériu stage in the main arena at 3.30pm.

At 4pm Mullingar Town Band will land with a flash mob followed by a full concert.

A showcase of Westmeath talent takes place at 5pm with a full on céilí from the Frank Gavigan Comhaltas Group and the Ballynacargy CCÉ.

Mary Coughlan is at 6.15pm, followed by The Afters with all the songs of greatest Irish musicians, followed by the Máirtín O’Connor Band.

The headline act are Moxie, who come on stage at 22.15pm

• For tickets, see uisneach.ie