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DylanFest 2010 is on in Moville

Posted Saturday, December 19, 2009

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DylanFest Moville 2010

It's on again in 2010 - Ireland's only annualDylanFest.

The first three years were highly successful.

It will take place from July 1st to 4th this year.

DylanFest 2007

The first DylanFest was only organised with six weeks notice after the idea was first mooted.

We managed to get in touch with 7-piece The Phantom Engineers, Ireland's best Dylan band.

A band was booked from Belgium to play on the first night in the main square of Moville, Donegal.

The Phantom Engineers played the Saturday night in the Malin Road round the corner.

Pubs

Also six of the town's pubs took part in Ireland's first ever DylanFest and put acts on over the three nights and days of the festival.

Top Dylanologist Michael Gray was booked to do a talk on Dylan in the town.

The festival was judged a big success.

DylanFest 2008

It was decided that we must do it again in 2008.

This time Italy's top Dylan Band, Slow Train Band, was booked to appear and they played in the main square on the Friday night.

PetTommy & The Heartbeats from Germany who had organised the successful Berlin DylanFest, played on both the Friday and the Saturday nights.

Phantoms

Again the top of the bill on the Saturday night in the Malin Road was The Phantom Engineers.

The DylanFest took place in 7 of the town's pubs in 2008 from the Thursday night this time through to the Sunday night.

DylanFest 2009

In 2009 it took place in four of the town's pubs. Three pubs where it had previously been held had been closed down, hopefully temporarily.

There was music on from Thursday to Sunday.

The highlight was the gig by the The Plea in the Town Clok on the Saturday night.

People were talking about it for ages afterwards. They really are a special band.

The other highlight, people were saying, was the open air gig in the picturesque grounds of the hostel at Gulladuff House, where festival goers were able to enjoy a series of bands playing beside the oldest bridge in Ireland, which dates from the 6th century and which passes over the brown trout holding river Bredagh.

DylanFest 2010

The plan is to hold a series of events throughout the Winter and Spring to raise funds to bring the best Dylan bands and singers from Europe and perhaps further to the Dylanfest.

It would be great to be able to invite the Slow Train Band from Italy back. They had rehearsed a three hour set of Dylan songs and spent three days coming from Northern Italy to Donegal by camper van - and were only able to play for an hour because of shortage of time. Band leader Dario Girado is a real character.

Everyone wants to see The Phantom Engineers again after they headlined the first two years and were very popular with the Saturday night audience as they played on stage in the Malin Road.

PetTommy from Germany would be very popular again too if we can get them back again.

The Plea are a local band but don't play much locally any more. They are as good as anybody though and their performances at previous DylanFests have been widely acclaimed.

We are also hoping to hold a series of Dylan talent events in pubs in Derry, Belfast, Dublin, Letterkenny and Mnchester to find the best talent for the Dylanfest on the Lough in 2010.

So, it's on again.

If you want to book accommodation there is hotel, bed and breakfast, self catering, hostel and camping facilities locally, at very reasonable prices, under Guides to the left hand side of this article.