Corner Stone music festival at Sunflower Farm in Annacloy raises funds for local mental health charity
The one-day Corner Festival this year was held at Sunflower Farm in Annacloy and raised £5100 for Life Change Changes Lives, a Downpatrick-based mental health charity.
Killyleagh singer Conal Montgomery was the driving force behind the festival and he was delighted with the outcome.
The Saturday festival was well-attended by supporters and they enjoyed the great layout from the stage itself to the seating area arrangements and the food facilities. It all looked very inviting and professional.
There was even a tarot card reader, an art display, a coffee trailer, and sunflower fields and wildflower beds in bloom were everywhere!
“It was just brilliant to have helped raise £5100 for Life Change Changes Lives in Market Street in Downpatrick which does excellent work with people who encounter mental health and addiction issues. They have created a very therapeutic environment.
Speaking after the event, Conal Montgomery whose group Black Dog Moon also played, said: “I had great support from Eva Rowan and the crew in putting the event together. I was really impressed by the way they has created a super venue in just a couple of months. They really put their backs into it.
“”The Corner Stone Festival had nine acts over the nine hours and it was even opened by a piper.
“I’d definitely like to see this event run again next year and support Eva who has done so much to promote local bands. It will just grow organically and we will still have our core body of supporters who really enjoy the music we put together.”
Ailish Teague, one of the founders of Life Change Changes Lives, said: “This event was just fantastic. Conal and his helpers have put so much into it and he must be congratulated. It is the third year he has done this for our charity in Downpatrick.
“His Corner Stone festival also was the launch pad for the Sunflower Festival which Eva Rowan set up which will run for the next few Saturdays. We have really had so much positive feedback on this event – it is just fantastic.
“Conal said three years ago he would run an event for us and he did that and had came back again and again and delivered each time. This time there was a brilliant turnout at the event in Annacloy.
CHECK OUT DOWN NEWS CORNER STONE FESTIVAL PHOTOS HERE
“It was great to see so many young stars performing and I understand they were volunteering their services and Conal had to turn a few away as there were only a limited number of slots available. It really has become a popular event.
[ Links to the young stars performing in the Corner Stone Festival : Charlie Hanlon Damian Hanna Every March First Ted on the Moon Rikki Wilson Jordan Conal Montgomery Music The Thing Is Zac Mac Black Dog Moon Listen to: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3A1zyMBc87DuMwEe8D5mNk… ].
“And it was heart-warming too to see so many families there enjoying the live music – everyone was happy… there was so much laughter, and smiles. There were even dogs wandering about chilled out!
“Conal and his crew do what they say on the tin. He has delivered a great event with his leadership and we hope it grows and runs again next year as it brings so much happiness to people in this area.”
Eva Rowan, the Sunflower Festival event organiser and band leader of psychadelic pop group ‘The Thing Is‘, said: “We worked closely with Conan to get the show ready with our friends and the band.
“In the preparation we had to build the performance stand, and prepare the ground with fine gravel. Then we got seats and key features made and I spend ages painting up the straw pales and the signs with sunflowers and stuff.
“We were delighted with the way it all turned out and Conal had a great opening day.
“The hard work paid off and we had a really super atmosphere at the gigs. And in the centre of it all was the historic Sunflower cottage which dates back to at least 1832.
“The charities we were fundraising for in the Sunflower Festival which followed on from the Corner Stone Festival are the Cancer Fund For Children (Daisy Lodge) and the Chest Heart and Stroke.
“Richard Edgar from the local sawmill made the rustic benches which helped seat the crowds. Some did bring their own seats.
“And we had local chef Daniel Carling who cooked a hog roast on a spit. That really went down well too and we had Hop Street Food there too also also serving up tasty treats. It was a no-alcohol event but people could bring their own if they wanted to. There were soft drinks on sale.
“Altogether over the next few weeks we will have had 45 different performances and bands local and from across Ireland all giving their time free which is just amazing.
“And we had up-and-coming artist Charlie Hanlon from Downpatrick singing too which went down a real treat.”
Eva said that she really enjoyed supporting local musicians in giving them a platform to get their music out there.
“So, we will be running again next Saturday at the Sunflower Festival at Annacloy, through the sunflower flowering season and everyone is welcome. It is a friendly family atmosphere. We even have a couple of enormous teddies made with big bales of straw.
“So come on down to Annacloy on Saturday for some live music craic in the afternoon. There’s plenty of parking space. We’re just about a half mile on the right hand side down the Loughinisland Road from the Annacloy Junction opposite from Jim Monaghan’s Car Sales. Look for the sunflower-painted bales on your right!”
CHECK OUT DOWN NEWS CORNER STONE FESTIVAL PHOTOS HERE
