On this day in 1979 the second annual Lisdoonvarna Folk Festival took place.
Throughout the six year run of the event from 1978 to 1983 a total of one hundred and fifty acts performed at the North Clare venue. At its peak the Lisdoonvarna Folk Festival was the largest and most famous outdoor music festival in Ireland.
Local men Paddy Doherty and Jim Shannon were the brains behind setting up this celebration. National newspapers at the time labelled it the Irish equivalent of Glastonbury.
Artists such as The Fureys, Paul Brady, Rory Gallagher, Van Morrison, Ralph McTell, UB40, Clannad, De Dannan, Stocktons Wing, Paxnty and a certain Christy Moore all wowed the audiences during six years of the festival with Moore being inspired to write his well-known hit ‘Lisdoonvarna’ in honour of the event.