This bank holiday weekend, The Beatyard is back with a bang. On Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of July boogie-hungry festival-goers will be able to, through a vibrant mix of funk, disco and all things groovy, bring shame on themselves and their immediate relatives through dance all in a wonderful seaside setting. Beyond the music, organisers are also providing fantastic food options in the cleverly named ‘Eatyard’. There is also the less punny ‘Kidsyard’ if parents need somewhere to drop off their kids while they re-live those disco nights from their heydays.
The Beatyard’s impressive line-up.
Dun Laoghaire Harbour is easily accessible from town by bus (Dublin bus 46a, 7 & 8) and DART. If you are positively swimming in cash there is also a very facilitating taxi rank on the Marine Road. If you fancy driving down yourself, parking is provided in the nearby Bloomfield and Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centres, as well as in the DLR Lexicon Library and Queen’s Road Car Park. Although the festival has no actual on-site accommodation, there are many hotels and B&Bs in the area, and as previously mentioned, the city centre can be reached via a number of options.
More importantly though, this year’s Beatyard line-up is nothing short of mouth-watering for any funk/soul enthusiasts. Headliners Boney M and George Clinton, are gods of their genres, the latter there with the collective Parliament Funkadelic, For those more inclined to shake their whammy fanny to reggae vibes, Jamaican DJ Lee Scratch Perry will perform on Saturday evening, so prepare to let loose. And that’s just naming a few.
When George Clinton enters a hairdresser, he throws a Dulux paint catalogue on the table, before saying, “Do that but on my head”.
Finally, the price is also extremely reasonable. An adult day pass for either Saturday or Sunday will set you back a lowly €53, and a full weekend ticket comes in at a mere €85. If you want to bring the little ones (aged between 2 and 12 years), you’ll only be charged €5.50 a head. With a deal that good, if you’re of half a mind, it might be worth shaving that beard, putting some shoes on your knees and hoping some distracted ticket official simply mistakes you for a horrendous looking child. Whatever it takes to get those sweet discounts. . In conclusion, The Beatyard looks like one of those epic Irish festivals that combines seriously retro music with a modern environment. In other words, don’t miss it.
Kevin O’Neill