‘Sofft Nights’ on the way at Dunderry Park

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CMAT is a global pop star who lives in Dublin with her grandparents.

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Alternative Irish folk singer, Junior Brother.

John Donohoe

Published: Sat 19 Sep 2020, 10:07 PM

'SOFFT Nights', a series of "socially distant concerts and holistic experiences" are to take place in Dunderry Park next month, with BELL X1’s Paul Noonan, CMAT and Junior Brother some of the exciting acts to have confirmed intimate performances.

SOFFT Nights is an offshoot of the Spirit of Folk Festival, a small boutique event that emerged out of the 2008 recession. It makes sense that it would return for these particularly strange times.

Co-Founder of SOFFT Nights, Natasha Duffy, explains: ‘‘The event is both a concert series and an experience. Along with the musical acts, there will be shamanic drumming journey in the woods, bonfires where you can roast your own smores, storytelling in a megalithic cairn and lovers walk around the beautiful lake. Dunderry Park is an immersion into nature and soul and that is what we want these nights to be about. Our plan is that every musician, act and worker will be paid for their time and we have priced the tickets to reflect this since it is only a 100 person event. We think that people will get behind it."

Patrons will have access to the grounds from 4pm on 2nd and 3rd October and have time to explore the lover's lake walk, megalithic cairn, forest trails, beautiful food from the wonderful Home Fries, and freshly brewed coffees and teas. The event will then evolve into a concert under a beautiful, socially distanced stretch tent with three enigmatic acts.

There will be an outdoor shamanic drumming journey with Martin Duffy in the middle of the forest, theatrical monologues along the lake and pianists to be discovered in nooks and crannies around the grounds.

This event is being produced by Sofft productions, a new initiative by old friends Caroline Duke and Natasha Duffy with collaboration by Conor Jacob, a production and lighting designer. The threesome found themselves all without work and staring down the barrel of an empty autumn but have instead invited the Spirit of Folk to come with them on this new journey.

The event will be filmed live and streamed via online partner The Lock Inn and is promised to be an immersive, visceral experience. People can buy tickets to the online version and watch from the comfort of their own home.