Tipp music comedy duo ‘The 2 Johnnies’ will be MCs at Ireland’s first music festival in almost 16 months.
It’s been announced that the live music test event has been moved to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on July 3rd.
3,500 fans will attend the festival featuring Gavin James, Lyra, Denise Chaila, Wyvern Lingo, Wild Youth and Sharon Shannon.
Rapid testing will take place before hand with social distancing at one metre during the concert.
Tickets go on sale this Friday and will be sold in pods of either 4 or 6 people. 500 free tickets will be set aside for frontline healthcare workers.
Speaking today, Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media said: “I am delighted to announce this music festival hosted by IMMA at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the first such event in almost 16 months. The RHK is an iconic venue for live music and this marks a significant step forward towards larger gigs in the coming months, subject to the public health situation.
“The line-up is fantastic and there will be 3,500 fans on the night, enjoying a very exciting range of Irish talent. I have set aside 500 free tickets for frontline health care workers as a gesture of thanks for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic. Their commitment in these unbelievably challenging times has been truly inspiring and something which I know we all appreciate.
“I would like to thank MCD and IMMA for working with myself and my Department to bring this exciting gig to fruition.
“These pilot events are critical on the road to reopening live entertainment and will help the Government to plan for the safe management of events whilst Covid is still circulating in our communities and build confidence in the guidance and event management protocols developed to keep everyone safe”.
“To that end, social distancing will be reduced to one metre; and I am now also introducing rapid testing for concert goers and staff.
“The purpose of these events is to build the road back to the safe and full recovery of live performances and sporting events and establish confidence in the guidance and event management protocols developed for the sector. The use of antigen tests is to help consider the logistics of them as a means of gaining entry to live events as the sector reopens.”
This music festival is one of a series of pilot cultural and sporting events taking place in June and July.
