Macroom Mountain Dew Festival Explained

Music Festival Name:	Macroom Mountain Dew Festival
Location:	Macroom Castle, Macroom, County Cork, Ireland
Years Active:	1976–1982
Dates:	Typically late June or July
Genre:	Rock
Attendance:	Up to 20,000
Coordinates:	51.9052°N -8.9623°W

Macroom Mountain Dew Festival was a music festival in Ireland, which was held between 1976 and 1982. Taking place in the grounds of a 19th-century castle in County Cork,^[1] it is considered to have been the first rock festival in Ireland.^{[2] [3]}

History

The festival is named for Macroom's reputation as a centre for production of poitín ("mountain dew").^[4] Its organisation was spearheaded by publican and undertaker John Martin Fitz-Gerald, who approached Rory Gallagher’s brother and manager, Donal, about staging the open air concert.^[5]

Year	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Venue			Macroom Castle		Macroom Castle	a site 1 mile outside Macroom town	Coolcower House^[6]
Main acts	Horslips Marianne Faithfull Julie Felix^[7]	Rory Gallagher^[8] Roland Van Campenhout Joe O'Donnell^[9]	Rory Gallagher The Cimarons Joe O'Donnell^[10]		Van Morrison^[11] ^[12] Mike Oldfield^[13]	Elvis Costello and the Attractions The Blues Band Scullion Paul Brady Q-Tips The Undertones The Pretenders^[14] Wishbone Ash^[15]	Roy Harper Phil Lynott

Notes and References

1. Web site: Music festival returns to Macroom after 40 years. April 4, 2023. Cork Independent.
2. Web site: Macroom's 'Mountain Dew' was Ireland's first rock festival. July 11, 2016. Irish Examiner.
3. Web site: RORY AND HERMAN. October 2, 2019.
4. News: Illicit vodka operation uncovered in Cork. The Irish Times.
5. Web site: Recalling when one brave little town decided to host Ireland's first rock festival. The Southern Star.
6. Web site: Recalling when one brave little town decided to host Ireland's first rock festival .
7. News: Book marks 40th year of Macroom Mountain Dew Festival. The Irish Times.
8. Web site: How Macroom rocked Ireland during the 1970s. December 31, 2021. Independent.ie.
9. Web site: Ireland's first open air rock festival. Grounds of Macroom Castle Co Cork .June 26th 1977. March 2, 2020.
10. Web site: Rory Gallagher - Poster for the Macroom Mountain Dew Festival on this day in 1978. | Facebook. www.facebook.com.
11. Web site:
    1. VanMorrisson75 at Macroom Mountain Dew Festival 1980. Great pics as usual from @EddieOHare1 @irishexaminer. It's a marvelous night...
    . Roz. Crowley. 31 August 2020. Twitter.
12. Web site: Van Morrison's Guitar Man Dave Keary: From Tuesday Blue to Astral Weeks. Eric. Fitzgerald. November 7, 2013. Limerick Post Newspaper.
13. Web site: Mike Oldfield Setlist at Macroom Castle, Macroom . setlist.fm .
14. News: 20 unforgettable festival memories. The Irish Times.
15. Web site: Irish Independent, June 29, 1981 - The Elvis Costello Wiki. www.elviscostello.info.